The picture above may not look very interesting, but it represents my most favorite morning. Outside my girlfriend’s house, ready for an early morning run. Not a lot of traffic at 6 in the morning. And this morning in Seattle was one of the first gray, drizzly mornings we’ve had all summer.
It was cool, calm and peaceful. We start off with a leisurely walk, pick up to a jog, and end up clipping along at a reasonably good pace for nearly an hour. I love the feeling of accomplishment that morning exercise brings. It’s my best way to make sure that exercise actually happens during the day.
To be clear, I am not a morning person by nature. I’d rather do this same routine at 8am. Or 9am. But life prevents this – kids need to get to school, work beckons, and life doesn’t wait for exercise in that timeframe for me.
So, I set my alarm for 5:45. Wonder for a minute if I am actually going to get up. Drink half a cup of coffee, throw on clothes and my trusty Asics, and join my friend. I’m always so glad I did. She doesn’t care about my messy ponytail, the smeared mascara under my eyes, or often less-than-cute running ensemble hastily pulled on in the dark. Unconditional friendship shows up in many different ways.
This was our first morning run together for a long time. Summer vacation schedules kept us passing in the night. So what a treat to return to the routine. And I feel so accomplished already today!
But more than the exercise is the beauty of starting the day with a friend. You cover a lot of ground over an hour-long run – both athletically and verbally. We talk, and talk, and talk. There is something about the early morning fog that creates a safety net – nothing is off limits, everything is trusted in this small circle, and there is zero judgement. The overall feeling I leave with is one of uplifting gratitude.
It is so great to make time in our days for amazing friends. Who can lift us up. Who you can trust completely. Who make us laugh. Who you know will always have your back.
And if you happen to get a work-out in at the same time, home run!
The Redefining 
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