Just Another Runner’s Perspective April 2026 Written By Gale Fischer
Misery Loves Company
“We all may be perfect strangers…But we run, therefore we are friends.”
4/4/2026: A group of thirty to forty runners gathered inside Kellogg Biological Station in nervous anticipation, with the KAR Beyond Saturday long run just minutes from starting. Stiff winds out of the south, heavy rain showers, and temperatures in the mid 40s greeted us as we stepped off for our weekend-long run routine. As an avid marathon runner of more than twenty-five years, the long run isn’t a foreign concept to me, but injuries had bumped me out of marathon shape over the course of the last few years. Today’s schedule called for my second 20-mile run in the last four weeks, with it also being my second run of the same distance in the last two years. As a result, I had approached the previous week with a nervous anticipation. The weather forecast leading into today had intensified the anxiety common in the days leading up to a long run.
As I began planning earlier in the week, I entered a state of uncertainty, weighing my options for my scheduled weekend 20 miler. I had checked the weather app on my phone often with predictions of cold temperatures, stiff winds, and heavy rains for Saturday. These conditions would be less than ideal for running for an hour or more at a time. I could avoid the daunting weather elements and run the distance on my own on Friday or Sunday with much more comfortable spring weather conditions. On the surface, this scenario seemed more ideal, but this would also create the dilemma of running solo. As comforting as the possibility of completing my long run in a more pleasing weather environment seemed, the thought of running 20 miles without others to support me seemed more challenging than braving the cold and running with others there to slug through it with me.
Not more than a mile into our run, my shorts and shirt clung to my body and hung low with the weight of collected moisture. My water-soaked mittens provided minimal warmth. My shoes and socks were saturated from the combination of heavy rain falling on the earth’s surface, running through puddles, and passing cars spraying us with water from the pavement. Despite these conditions, the collective support from the group of runners assisted each of us in carrying on.
As we approached the 10-mile mark and made the turn to trace the first half of our run back the way we had come, the wind that had been at our backs traded roles from ally to enemy, with it now making the transition from propelling us forward to pushing us backward. The next eight miles were tough to negotiate. Finally, with 18 miles complete, we turned east for the last two miles. Despite the degree of physical difficulty, the collective support again provided the mental boost to keep moving forward.
It’s difficult to describe how running with others can take away the unpleasant elements of our sport and replace them with comfort, excitement, and peace of mind. The miles always seem to fly by at a faster pace when running with others. Sometimes it is the fellowship and conversation centered around running or whatever topic comes up that enhances the experience. The miles put in together provide a platform for runners to get to know each other. We might find out the favorite drink or dessert of someone in the running group. Through running together, we come to know the children, spouses, or other family members of some in the running group. Personal experiences on both ends of the spectrum, including life’s highs and lows, are sometimes shared on the run.
As powerful as conversations with our running comrades are in enhancing our relationships with each other and in getting us through a rough patch in a run, the influence of others on a run goes beyond dialogue. Hearing each footfall and labored breaths of those we run with when silence becomes dominant and we become too tired to speak can provide the motivation to keep going when our legs and lungs are begging us to stop. Being there side by side with other runners and seeing them dig deep to keep moving forward provides the inspiration to keep running when one’s legs feel as heavy as cinder blocks, and exhaustion sets in.
Our sport is filled with contradictions. One example of this is that participants are blessed with positive feelings ranging from calm to peace, to joy, and excitement. These uplifting emotions are present despite the physical discomfort and sometimes the pain that is an ongoing aspect of running. These sentiments offer a distraction from the negative aspects of our sport, while running solo, but sometimes running with others can drown out the adverse components at a higher level. Social bonds with others are created on the run that are unique to other situations. Understanding the constant battle between the mind and body that our peers experience helps to strengthen these bonds. The potential exists for us to see each other at our highest moments and also our lowest moments in a run. Sharing these highs and lows adds to the group experience. This potential is raised a notch for the long run and raised another notch when unpleasant running conditions come into play. It seems that misery is easier to navigate when others are there with us to experience it and navigate it as well. We each run the miles ourselves, but the power that comes with doing it with others cannot be denied.
Sharing the burden of today’s run with my group helped to soften the blow. Taking in one of the joys of our sport also enhanced the experience, with two individuals in my group completing their longest run to date. Knowing that a milestone was on the horizon for each of these runners made the experience even more special.
Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.