Virtual Running Buddies - Take 2

Less than 24 hours until the marathon! AHHHH! (That is a note of panic!)

I sent an email to friends yesterday asking for calls and pointing them to yesterday's blog post about Virtual Running Buddies, but it confused some people. Five years ago I was very organized giving everyone appointed times to call me... every 10 minutes throughout the race. This year, I hope and plan to be running with Bonnie, so I don't want to rudely be talking on the phone the whole race. Yet if we get separated, I definitely would love to have the calls, and I'm much more likely to get them if they're scheduled.

Yesterday, I figured out how I could convert my voicemails into .mp3 files. When I think back about the race 5 years ago, I remember how moved I was by the voices of encouragement. What I wouldn't give to have a voice recording from my Dad saying, "I love you, Honey. I'm proud of you." Now I almost think I'd prefer people to leave a voicemail than to try to talk to them during the race.

I've decided to go with this plan: Have running buddies at scheduled times, but tell them to prepare for their calls to go to voicemail and warn them that I hope to record them.

So, my updated tips for Virtual Running Buddy 2 are:

* Call at your appointed time, but be aware that the earlier in the race it is, the more likely your call will go to voicemail.

* If you don't want an appointed time, call any time during the race, but, again, realize your call will most likely go to voicemail.

* If the call goes to voicemail:
- A short message is fine.
- Be aware that I will probably convert to an .mp3 file so I can listen to it any time I need motivation.
- Cheers, 'atta-girls, and 'I love you's' are encouraged! (For those friends that are uncomfortable with the L-word, I promise to realize you are using this in a platonic, friendly-love type of way. Of course, please feel free to tell me I'm sexy and all that non-platonic stuff, too!)