I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup today and we’re talking about running with family and friends. It’s pretty amazing, while I’ve been active all my life, my friend Susi inspired me to pick up running (in a more serious manner) and then, in turn, I inspired my sister, cousin and his girlfriend to start running regularly, too.
I am going to approach this topic from a more inclusive perspective of physical exercise in general because I’ve always been surrounded by people who value an active lifestyle and regular physical exercise in their lives. Four family members (including myself) hold degrees in physical education. I grew up playing many different sports. Running was always part of, but never my main form of exercise.
Here are the family members and friends who inspire me every day!
1. My Dad — When it comes to physical exercise and an active lifestyle, my Dad has always been my biggest inspiration and role model. He has never been a distance runner, but he’s instilled a love for sports and exercise in me from a young age. He’s a (now retired) P.E. teacher, tennis trainer and skiing instructor. Now in his late 60’s, he still regularly works out, plays tennis (on a team), golfs, and is still an avid skier during the winter months.
You know how it is, runners want to talk about running all the time and most people non-runners roll their eyes if you repeatedly bring up your training or races, but can you imagine how amazing it is when your Dad is someone who genuinely wants to talk about that kind of stuff? Who asks you every single day how your workout was. Who wants to talk about fitness gear, statistics, and new workout plans. My Dad is the first person I call with questions in regards to my training, with injury advice, or simply to get some emotional support.
2. My sister — We’ve played sports together all our lives. We were on tennis and softball teams together, we both studied P.E. in college. (She’s teaching P.E. at an elementary school now, I got a teaching degree for P.E. in high school, but ended up choosing a different career path.) My sister has a full-time job and two kids and doesn’t get out to run as often as she’d like to, but she recently picked up her tennis racket again and I am so proud of her for making time to exercise.
3. My cousin — He also studies P.E., plays soccer and regularly visits the gym. He’s into living a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy and staying fit. I was able to go for run with him when I went back home in May (of course, he’s way faster than I am) and he (and his girlfriend) are contemplating running a race with me here in California when they come visit in September. I am so stoked!
4. My friend Susi — If it wasn’t for my friend Susi, I would have never considered participating in a race. I blogged about it before, if she hadn’t dared me to sign up for a race with her, me + running (in the way I am pursuing it now) would probably not have happened. Susi inspires me every day to become a stronger and better version of myself and I am so proud of her for how far she’s come!
5. My BFF from back home — I mentioned her before, she’s my oldest friend (we have known each other since elementary school) and she has been battling a brain tumor for the better part of the last decade. She’s one of the best people I know and I still can’t wrap my head around why she has been dealt this card in her life, but in spite of it all, she’s one of the most positive and life-loving people I know. She has never been particularly sporty when we were younger, but she has picked up running to keep active and physically healthy and it was one of the highlights of my trip back home in May to go for a run with her along Lake Starnberg!
5 PLUS 1. All of you — I am so incredibly thankful for the running community that I’ve encountered online (mostly through Instagram, initially, and then also through all your personal blogs). You all inspire me every day to keep at it. Your personal journeys motivate and inspire me and hold me accountable!
[bctt tweet=”Who inspires you? #running #fridayfive” username=”@san_in_ca”]
Charlotte
August 11, 2017 at 3:59 pmAwww love this <3 the people we surround ourselves with have a huge impact on our lives and it's much easier to be active/fit when we pick friends who get us off the couch :) congrats on finding your tribe!
san
August 23, 2017 at 7:45 amThanks so much friend!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home
August 11, 2017 at 5:58 pmMy family isn’t as supportive of my running as I would have hoped. I’m not sure why. People tell me they just don’t get it. But I have a tribe of runners who I consider my “running family”. They get it and the support is amazing!
san
August 23, 2017 at 7:45 amThat’s a bummer… but I am glad you found a lot of likeminded people!
ShootingStarsMag
August 11, 2017 at 6:45 pmIt’s great to have people around you that inspire you to do healthy things!!
-Lauren
san
August 23, 2017 at 7:45 amAlways <3
Susi
August 11, 2017 at 7:31 pm❤️💪🏼👭
san
August 23, 2017 at 7:45 amLove ya!
Akaleistar
August 12, 2017 at 5:35 pmIt’s awesome to have so many people who inspire you!
san
August 23, 2017 at 7:46 amThank you, I think so too.
Shann Eva
August 14, 2017 at 6:15 amThis is awesome! You have such supportive and inspiring friends and family! My Dad has always been a runner, and still runs to this day, which is inspiring to me.
san
August 23, 2017 at 7:46 amThat is so awesome! ;)
Terra
August 14, 2017 at 2:43 pmI’ve learned so much about running from internet friends and it’s hard not to be inspired when I see so many friends going for a run. There’s no excuse for me if everyone else is out doing it!
san
August 23, 2017 at 7:46 amIsn’t that the truth (hat tip to you , friend!)
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
August 15, 2017 at 6:45 amThat is awesome that you have so many active people in your life! That’s a lot of PE degrees! I don’t think I knew or remembered that you got a PE degree in addition to geology.
I didn’t really have any people in my life that were into running when I got into it back in 2006. I have friends that are active and played sports but they weren’t runners and weren’t interested in racing. Luckily I met some really great running friends through blogging and met up with them for race nearly yearly for awhile there. Then I joined a running club and made lots of running friends through that. But my ‘go to’ running people are still the ladies I met through blogging!
san
August 23, 2017 at 7:46 amLOL, yes, a lot of PE degreens in my family :)
I am so glad you found your running tribe online… it’s awesome to have people to run with.