The Running Buddy Dilemma

We have all seen posts about whether or not one likes to run solo or with a group?  I for one have had a lifetime of running alone and just want to run with people now and have a good time but that is not the spin that I was looking to take on this post.  Rather,  I wanted to talk about what to do when you want to run with others but no one wants to run with you (or no one is around to run with you!)

Once upon a time, I had a running buddy.  I loved having a running buddy, he pushed me, made me run faster and we had a great time together.

Now he is injured, potentially moving further away, and our schedules do not line up.   The hubby has been nice enough to take his place riding along side me on his rollerblades but this week this happened!

Rollerblading is not looking good right now.  Plus, rollerblading was not ideal. I love "running" with my husband don't get me wrong but  it slows him down and it is not an exact science or a long term fix for him or me in some ways.  I have tried a running group but they are far from me and thus expensive and extremely time consuming to be a part of since i have to drive nearly an hour to run 40 minutes with them...hmmm...I have tried some other friends and seen if they wanted to run, while some have, our paces are significantly different and we always end up separating and those that are my pace, well they never seem to want to go out for a run :( they might have something better to do, our schedules are off, they are faster, or they just don't want to!

Well, if you build it they will come, right?  I decided, if there was not a group for me, maybe I would make one or at least try my hardest to find people to run with and so I put out some feelers on Daily Mile. Two guys responded that were right within my pace as well as lady a bit slower than me.  One of the guys said he would run with me.  Yay, I thought.  Someone right within my pace and in my area.  But then here comes real life 2011 back to bite me in the ass.  Who is the person on the other side of this Daily Mile account really? Can I trust them?  Am I just this little stupid, naieve girl waiting to be captured (not that I could not out run them and scream my ears off) but really who is on the other side?  It is a double edge sword ultimately! I posed this to my friend and he agreed that his own wife was not too thrilled by the idea and that we needed a third, probably another woman to make things "safer."  One of his lady friends said she would join us.

So now I feel better.  But still a bit anxious. I guess you never really know?  Is this what this day and age has come to? How sad!  Why is it that I have no misgivings about women but am nervous about men?  Well hopefully it will all go well and I will be back to everyone tomorrow with a good report!

So I guess the question becomes what do you when you love to run with others and there is no one to run with?