Meeting up with friends old and new
Do you sometimes remember past friends and wish that the opportunity arose now to meet up again to reminisce and catch up? That’s what happened to me last week.
About 35 years ago when I played rugby for Sutton and Epsom RFC, one of my teammates was a guy called Mike. For a few seasons we played in the same team and shared many pints in the club bar afterwards.
Mike moved away and I didn’t see him for almost 30 years.
Our next meeting was one of chance when we were both on the same coach going to a 100km race, and we instantly caught up on our life stories. I learnt that Mike, like me, had some challenging health issues and had also used those as a catalyst to live life the best way he could by taking on huge ultramarathons.
Our paths continue to occasionally cross at races, but last weekend I jumped at the opportunity to volunteer to help Mike at the National Running Show at the NEC, promoting his endurance and recovery fuels, Tailwind Nutrition. By another fluke it’s something I have been using since I started running ultra distances.
I just love this show because it’s such a positive experience being surrounded by like-minded people with a passion for running in the outdoors. There is also every kind of thing you may need (and a few you may not) to help you be the best you can. I spent most of my time on the same stand all weekend, which gave me the chance to meet over 30 of my other running friends, ones I usually only see occasionally on races together. There were so many who came to get me just so I could sign my book Dead Man Running for them. It was in every way a positive and humbling weekend.
If you have old friends you have lost contact with why don’t you try to touch base again? It may well bring back great memories and maybe even create some new ones with some fun opportunities.
‘‘ Try getting back in touch, it may bring back great memories