Amanda & Kelly

A few weeks ago I called my best friend Kelly Ann and said something like this, "How about I don't run the half in November (San Antonio) and run the one in December (Dallas) and you run too? You can totally do it! Just say yes!"

Needless to say, Kelly has started training!!!! So my next idea was to write about our two different training journeys together on a blog. We may be at two different places in our "running" but we are both running towards the same goal.

It's rare in life to find girlfriends who cheer you on. Sometimes friendships are clouded with jealousy and other nagging issues that make it almost impossible to be true support for one another. But our friendship conquered that long ago as teenagers at Bedford Junior High School and as youth in the same church youth group. If she runs better than me, I'm thrilled. If she's skinnier than me, I am thrilled. If she's better at something than me, I'm thrilled. When she succeeds I may be more excited for her success than even she is! There is no competition, there is no trying to figure each other out. There is no guard up or any fear of trust being broken. For time has revealed to us both that we can do anything together! She has a sister, I don't. So of course she has a best friend before me but I can honestly say that if I were ever going to have a sister, I would hope she were just like Kelly Ann. I love her like she is my family and I know she loves me the same.

We survived junior high and high school drama. Mean looks as we pass in the hallways, boys always liking one over the other (that would be Kelly! She was the High School knock-out), sitting through Sunday School and never speaking. We talked about each other, we did a few mean things to each other (Kelly! Ahem..), and then the next week we would be best of friends. I think our mothers thought we were absolutely crazy because we fought like cats and dogs, then acted like the closest of friends. We were crazy, we were teenagers!

So here we are now, eighteen years later. Moms, wives and friends running to December.

I can't wait for Kelly to write something!

Happy Running!

-Amanda