Training Run Conversations

Now that you have a training partner, you may need some help with conversation topics. Well, if you have social skills like me, you could use some help. The rest of you socially-competent folks are fine. Go ahead and skip this section.

Those long runs can last forever, so these should help fill the awkward lulls. I'm dividing the topics based on familiarity with the training partner.

Partner you just met:

• Weather
• Movies you've recently watched
• Running history, how and why you started
• Profession
• Kids (if you have them... otherwise pets are acceptable)

Someone you've known for a few weeks:

• Educational history
• Family history
• Food preferences/diet
• Observations about other runners you see on the trail, but stay positive
• Favorite childhood cartoons and/or toys

Someone you've been running with for months:

• Political views
• Religious views
• Philosophy of life
• Dreams and aspirations
• Whether you sleep in the nude or prefer pajamas
• Annoying co-workers

Someone you've been running with for at least a year:

• Details of the poop you just took in the woods(color, consistency, etc.)
• How different sports bras and/or shorts keep your breasts or genitals from bouncing
• Your real dreams and aspirations that you were too embarrassed to admit earlier
• Best place to dispose of the bodies of those annoying coworkers*
• That trip to Cancun, the video on the internet, and your resulting illegitimate child

*Just kidding law enforcement friends.

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