8 Ways Those Who Run Together, Stay Together

Running is one of the most challenging exercises a human being can do. It takes a toll on the knees, the feet, the legs, and every other part of the body. It completely exhausts the body and demands rehydration almost immediately. Yet, some of us are crazy enough to want to do this as our main choice of sport.

Running is a lot like relationships. Here are a few reasons why your miles together might serve as a metaphor for your relationship with each other.

1. You can go the distances together

Those who run long distances with their partners probably have a lot of mutual patience. Unless the two of you met running, there’s a good chance that neither of you are up to the same speed of each other. Even if you are, there’s a certain amount of patience required to spend long amounts of time exercising with your significant other. If you can run miles together, you can probably do most things together. 

2. You motivate each other

Chances are, if you run together, you two are incredibly good at motivating each other. Running is no easy feat and requires self motivation and the motivation from others around you. You’ve learned how to encourage each other to run more, and how to encourage each other to reach your dreams.

3. You’ve made it through the tough times

Running has so many difficult moments tied to it. It’s easy to get hurt while running, just as it’s easy to get hurt in relationships. In regards to running, you two may have helped each other out after a an unexpected fall, or unforgiving injury — techniques that can translate over to other life events, such as schoolwork, family matters, and your relationship itself. If you two can make it through the pain of running, you can make it through the pain of anything else.

4. You know how to communicate

As with any sport, running is all about communication. When you two have made it to the point of being unable to breathe during your run due to pain and fatigue, you’ve learned how to communicate with each other about the help that you need. Life is a lot like that with people who are important in our lives — oftentimes, our non-verbal communicative cues are only fully understood by those who are seriously close to us. Because you two have been through this so many times, you’ve learned how to talk to each other in times of need.

5. You’ve seen the worst in each other

There’s nothing quite as gross as seeing your partner sweaty from working out. I guess for some others, this might be attractive. Either way, you’ve seen each other at you’re not-so-pretty moments. Because you’ve seen this, seeing your partner dressed up is even more exciting.

6. You’ve learned how to relax together

Long runs take a lot out of a person. There’s a chance that the two of you have learned an after-run regimen that lets you relax your muscles after completely tearing them down. Because you’ve learned how to fully let your bodies go, you’re a happier couple. Relaxing together and spending time with each other where you don’t have to worry about anything is the truest moments in a relationship.

7. You’ve learned to take your anger out elsewhere

Running is a form of therapy, and you have both learned that. You don’t get mad at each other as often because you know that you can take that anger out on the roads that you run. You know that exercising or running a few miles, whether it’s with each other not, is the better way to get over your anger rather that hurting each other. You almost certainly still have some arguments here are and there, but they are nothing compared to the arguments your feet have with the pavement.

8. You’ve learned to love each other after many miles.

You’ve spent time with him or her outside of the bars or the party scene, and have covered so many miles with each other, both literally and figuratively. You’ve learned so much about each other, through the rain and the sunshine, through the sprained ankles and the torn tendons. You have actually learned how to run miles in each other’s shoes. And for that reason, it just makes sense to love each other.