30 reasons to have Suzie for your running partner...

For Suzie's 30th birthday, I wanted to do a tribute to her. It was actually yesterday (sorry) but here goes. Here are the top 30 reasons (and there are many more!):
30. She doesn't care how gross you look when you run together. (Or if she does, she doesn't tell you!)
29. She comes up with really cool back country road runs that kick your butt.
28. She does hill repeats up Sunset with you.
27. She is willing to run with you at 6am even when she claims to not be a morning person.
26. She climbs fences with you when the high school track is locked (and won't let you talk her out of skipping speedwork that day.)
25. She never misses a scheduled run. (Now after marathons are over, that is a different story. :-) Ha ha, Suzie, just kidding!
24. She has a lot of stories to share when you are too out of breath to talk.
23. She enjoys the silence when both/all of you just want to run without conversation.
24. She turns off her music and sings to you while you are having an asthma attack and trying to finish a marathon. :-)
23. She doesn't care how fast or how far you run, she is just appreciative of you showing up to run with her.
22. She shows up at a run without knowing anyone. (This was how we first started running together and I was amazed with how good she was!)
21. She doesn't flaunt her talent.
20. She is vain, though, and it is an endearing quality. :-)
19. She laughs when you tell a joke even if it is not that funny, because at 3, 4, 5, 6 in the morning-everything is funny!
18. She is very fast and makes you faster. (Although she doesn't require you to be faster.)
17. She walks up hills every once in a while.
16. She makes you run hills.
15. She never complains, even when she runs a 20 miler completely sick and dehydrated.
14. She is willing to find a path through a private dead end road, when you decide we have gone to far to turn around. This was through mud! What a fun downhill it ended up being.
13. Speaking of downhill, she is supportive of my love of downhills, even if it beats up her shins.
12. She never complains when she has injuries. (Except her new crushed toe, but that is a different story...)
11. She is willing to run a marathon just because you ask her to.
10. Then she is willing to follow the training plan with you.
9. Then she is willing to run another marathon with you after she has her perfect first one so that you can try to "test" your asthma.
8. She is willing to check with ALL her resources to help you find a fix for your breathing problems.
7. She is willing to stick with you when you have a bad run day and walk the rest of the way home.
6. She is the most kind, generous, sweet person you will ever meet and you can be safe when you tell her things on a run.
5. She always has a positive attitude.
4. She doesn't get mad when you are REALLY late to a run.
3. She never gives up on you as a running partner, even when you want to give up on yourself.
2. She stays up chatting with you all night and then is still willing to run the marathon with you.:-)
1. She doesn't judge you, just loves and accepts you how you are.

Suzie, we have had a great time together and I look forward to many, many, many more memories. I also look forward to reading your blogs about them. I hope you had a great birthday and know how much I love and care about you!

Love,

M&M