Old Friends

The marathon recovery this week appears to be going well. I'm using a Higdon intermediate schedule for recovery. His philosophy seems somewhat unorthodox given that he includes mile intervals (albeit at a conservative pace) and tempo runs. The intervals for this past week were supposed to be at marathon pace. I just ran at a comfortable quick pace which turned out to be 30-45 seconds faster than marathon pace. I'm just hoping to be fully recovered to deal with the massive challenge of the Sunset Stampede.

I'm entering the stampede with mixed emotions. This day will also be the date of a memorial service of a friend's grandfather. I've known this friend since I was eleven years old and have spent time with her family. Despite the fact that we've known each other for so long, since we left high school she and I now only have the past in common, which makes things difficult. Phone conversations tend to be awkward because other than recounting current events, there's little to talk about. I'm fully engaged with running and life. I've no intentions at this point to produce any offspring. Meanwhile, said friend is pregnant with her third child and has no interest in physical fitness. Friendships are strange. In romantic relationships, once it's over, it's over. Generally lovers don't remain friends (because it often times becomes extraordinarily uncomfortable in future relationships). However, with friendships, they can persist despite there being little in common between the two parties. I feel guilty at this point that I would rather go to a race than to attend the memorial service. I would rather spend time with other friends, and my only other close companion besides my husband, my running. It's a battle between old friends and current friends. Current friends that support me now seem to win.