It just wasn't the same

My training partner had class tonight, so I had to venture onto the treadmill without him by my side. Adam really has this incredible gift of making every moment better. Even though we're not really able to have a conversation while we're running (as much as I love to talk, I haven't figured out how to run and talk at the same time), I just love looking over and seeing him there. So, it was definitely different tonight.

Without Adam there, I realized a few things; mainly that I'm a freak. While running, I really have the most irrational thoughts. When I first arrived at the rec room, I was alone. As I started out running, I kept thinking, "What happens if I fall off of this thing ... who is going to help me?" "What am I going to do if this treadmill goes Gremlin on me and starts spinning completely out of control?" "How am I going to get my shoelace out of the machine if it gets caught?" I know ... I had completely freakish thoughts. Well, then a young man arrived. For a moment, I felt better. He did, after all, look like someone who would help me if I fell or if the machine started to eat my shoelaces. Then, I couldn't help but wonder if it was safe to be alone with this complete stranger (the fact that he looked 12 only confirmed what a freak I am). Finally, the rec room began to fill with a few more people and I immediately felt better. An older man got on the rowing machine next to me. At one point, I looked over and he looked dead. He was sitting completely still with his head tilted and eyes closed. He was wearing a bracelet (I'm thinking it was a medical bracelet). The sick part was that I kept running next to him, every couple of seconds looking over to see if his "condition" had changed. Finally, what seemed like an eternity, he opened his eyes. I've yet to encounter a dead body and I'm definitely not wanting it to happen in the rec room. That would definitely traumatize me for years to come.

The good news is that I completed 5.5 miles on the treadmill. I ran/walked the first 2 miles and walked the last 3.5 at an incline. After being on the treadmill for an hour, it just stopped, which completely took me by surprise. After what I had been through on the treadmill, that was nothing.

There's one thing I know ... I need my running partner back.