It’s Our Anniversary – When Runners Marry

We arrived home from Seattle last night, into a land of heat and humidity and are already desperately missing the crisp Seattle air. It’s difficult to go from 50s to high 80s… yuck! Also, my foot magically started feeling better in Seattle and didn’t hurt at all by the last few days of the trip – very exciting. However, after my run this morning my foot started bothering me a little again. Hmmm… what’s up foot?!

In other news, my husband and I have been married 6 years today! I’m having a hard time getting the song “It’s Our Anniversary” by Tony Toni Tone out of my head, nice old jam. We were able to run together today and went about 8 miles for our anniversary run. After our run we enjoyed a nice brunch while listening to live jazz.

It is wonderful being married to another runner. We don’t get to run together as often as we did before we had our daughter, but we fully support and understand each other’s running and racing and I feel lucky to have a partner who believes in and can share this part of my life. My husband is my biggest fan and has taught me so much about running and racing. He helps me by talking away my nerves in the week leading up to a big race and helps me calm down when I’m reeling from a super exciting PR or great race. He helps me with perspective after a bad race, pointing out the positive about my racing or saying just the right thing to help me through. My husband is part of the reason I learned to really love and crave racing and I’m so thankful for that. Thank you Jeff – I love you!

wedding shirt

My husband's childhood babysitter made us matching shirts for our wedding. This is the front...

wedding shirt

and the back!

Are you in a relationship with another runner/athlete? Have you been with someone who doesn’t understand your running? Want to share any wisdom for a long and happy marriage?

17 thoughts on “It’s Our Anniversary – When Runners Marry

  1. My boyfriend just started running, and it’s been so much fun to go for runs together. We’ve done a few 5ks together, but by far the best part is our Friday afternoon routine-we get home from work (we’re both teachers, but I also coach so he waits for me) and head out on an easy run before heading to our favorite burger place. I used to feel really anxious when having to choose between “me” time of unwinding with a run and seeing him. I also really do think running is magical in many ways, and I love sharing something that matters to me so much with someone who matters to me so much. I loved reading your post-Happy Anniversary Jen and Jeff!

    • Thanks Amanda! I loved reading your comment! There is something so special about getting some fresh air and getting your sweat on with someone you care about. What a great Friday night routine! Can’t go wrong with a run and a burger!

  2. No, but I would like to marry a runner? Know any available runner dudes? What if I just sit outside the athlete tent in Eugene with a sign that says “Available Almost – Doctor.”

  3. Happy Anniversary!! It makes life so much better having an athletic husband (and athletic in-laws too!) My husband and I met via our running club; he helps keep me on schedule when we’re training, especially with track workouts. I have such a hard time maintaining them when I travel without him. Boyfriends I had in the past who weren’t runners didn’t understand, I had one who thought his cousin was boring and annoying for training for a marathon, that always stayed with me as something that wouldn’t bode well for the future. Dodged a bullet getting out of that relationship. I don’t think I could have married a non-runner/non-athlete!

    • Thanks Meg! I’m happy you married into an athletic family as well. Makes all the difference when the whole family is on board!

  4. Thanks for sharing and Happy Anniversary!

    My husband is not a runner but is a very big fan of a runner :-)

    He always says, “I know, it’s a running thing and only a runner knows”

    We have 4 that are 6 and under and still get in 40 a week and I know i am lucky. He is an awesome husband and father!

    • Thanks Carrie! A runner-fan can be just as good as a runner! Sounds like you found a great man!

  5. Happy anniversary! Another great post! At the time of our wedding running was our “thing” and to honor our shared passion we had a gatorade toast instead instead of champagne. I love being married to a fellow runner. He gets it!

  6. Happy 6th!! I’m obsessed with those shirts!!! I hope you guys wear them around the house. I kind of want one when I get married. So yeah I’m not married but have dated runners and non-runners. My current bf is a professional field hockey player (he’s South African) and is currently playing in Australia. So he def gets the dedication… and vice versa. We have great mutual respect for each others schedules and time dedicated towards our goals. I think that is very important.

    cheers to many happy running years ahead! And def weird about the foot not hurting in Seattle but now again at home….

    • Haha, glad you like the shirts, Kristy! :) It’s very cool that your bf is a great athlete too and understands the dedication part. It would be hard for me to train, especially for the longer distance races, without all the support and understanding.

  7. My hubby was a runner first, and I used to be the one sleeping in when he went to race with buddies. After about 2 years of that I decided I wanted to do it too, it looked fun! He created a monster. We do most of our long runs together and love having the company. It really is great having someone who gets it.

    Happy Anniversary!

  8. Happy Anniversary!! My husband is not a runner at all. He plays basketball four times a week so he stays fit and that is important but just running is torture in his opinion, lol. Honestly if he ran I would probably be annoyed if he beat me all the time!

    • Haha, thanks Kris! The biggest problem we face is when we both want to run the same race and we need to decide who will race and who will watch our daughter… though we are lucky to have supportive friends in the area who watch her sometimes when we both race!

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