Tales From the Perimeter: My Running Buddies

Perimeter meaning the 6 mile patrol road inside the fence of the military installation on which I work, where some half a dozen of us comprise a pool of running “talent” and strive to show up for a noontime run a couple times a week if we can escape our desks. We share a lot and these guys are one of the core pillars of my sanity.

As I look over that things I've posted over the years, I see where this is my 24th installment of Tales From the Perimeter.  If you scroll down to the SEARCH box at the lower right and hit perimeter you will be able to access that treasure-trove of literary brilliance.

The reason for today's post is that I made the trek from Chambersburg north to Mechanicsburg to run with my running buddies on Wednesday.   God, I don't miss that commute!

As always, the weeks and the distance fell away and I was left with the feeling of secure camaraderie.  I could go a year without seeing these guys but I know, I know, that if I picked up the phone and said "I need a favor" the answer would be "YES" even before I said what the favor was.

As I previously posted, here:

I thought of the past 11 years of running here with these guys, my brothers. We have literally shared blood, sweat and tears as we’ve commiserated on our families' joys and struggles, our despairs and our high points. It’s a bond that I have truly been fortunate to have been a part of. Such a compatible group of fellow runners does not come along often, I am convinced.
 

As usual, we laughed, over anything and everything, from Survivor and Amazing Race, to football (a sport), baseball (another sport), NASCAR (not a sport), and golf (also not a sport).  We talked about children and grandchildren, model trains, home improvement projects, trail maintenance, God, Sandy Hook, guns and gun violence, and, yes, about sex as well.

 

I came away recharged and refreshed and ready to return to the world.