Marathon Running: The New Counseling for Couples?

There comes a time when couples will experience tension in their
relationship. Being with one person can pose new difficulties unheard of
by those who may be single… but they do exist. For some, relationship
counseling may be beneficial; for others, not so much. Fortunately,
there is still hope for any relationship encountering friction – it’s
just not something which is often proposed, but should be considered. In
this article, I’m going to be discussing how running a marathon with
your partner can be a far more effective, natural way to build a strong
and everlasting relationship, whether it’s currently on the brink of
failure, or maybe just content.

1.      You’re in it together

When you run and train for a marathon with your partner, there is no “I”
in the process. You go through the same routine (or slightly different)
and can empathize with the pain which may (will) be endured. Of course,
this is the one exemption of “good” pain. The process of running a
marathon is exhausting, but the training involved is even more so.  Your
body will ache. Your head will hurt. It will be tough, particularly in
the beginning, but think of it as a reflection of your relationship. The
beginning is always the hardest part, but as you journey more together,
it gradually becomes easier. At least, I hope that’s what’s happened –
it will once you begin training and running marathons, that’s for sure.
In essence, when you’re putting your body through such pain, you know
you’re not alone, which is the main part.

2.      Understanding the struggles

Running and training for a marathon allows each partner in the
relationship to understand one another. There is no need to vindicate
(justify) a purchase on an expensive pair of running shoes, kissing a
sweaty face, or being exposed to such strange smells. Both endure the
same process of becoming fit enough to run the marathon, and there are
no reasons to feel alienated after a long, strenuous training session
which may leave you in a state of dripping sweat, or a bit smelly.

3.      Anger outlet

Say you’ve had a rough day: your boss is angry with you; your friends
are all busy, and there’s nothing good to watch on TV. So what do you
do? You probably go on your computer to escape from all the bills and
other unpleasant realities you could be facing. Maybe you even take it
out on your partner. However, that is evidently not a productive way of
escaping from life problems (not that there’s ever a productive way of
doing so) and maybe you’d feel like you’re bettering your life if there
was a purpose for your actions. This is why training for a marathon can
be a good outlet for stress and anger you may have in you. You may even
find that anger perishes, and becomes obsolete when you train and run
marathons. You may even find that you become a more positive person in
general – with your partner by your side throughout the process.

4.      The marathon itself is worth it

Once you’ve gone through the grueling months of training and getting fit
enough to run a marathon, it’s time to actually face the marathon. Your
whole journey has led to this moment with your partner, and it’s time to
face the 26.2 miles square in the face. Depending on which marathon
you’re running will not only indicate the number of people not only
running along with you, but also in the audience cheering you on. Let me
just tell you: this experience is something you will never forget, even
when you become old and your memory begins to fade. When you’re running
with your partner from the start to finish, you can say “we did it” (I
propose this won’t be the only thing to happen). Let me warn you: things
could get emotional really quickly. The amount of times I’ve seen people
in tears once they reach the finish line is overwhelming, and most
definitely worth the experience. When you do something you love with the
love of your life, the experience is even more incredible, and even more
so with the crowd around, congratulating you in the process. Did I
mention you’ll both get a medal for finishing?

5.      Sharing travelling experiences

When you run marathons, it’s not just a one-off thing. It can be far
more than that, and even become a long term routine, and may even become
traditional. When you run marathons, they won’t all be situated in the
same location. They will always be distributed all over the world, which
can open up travelling opportunities. Whether it is in America,
Australia, or any other location, there is bound to be marathons
available for you to run. Grab this opportunity with two hands, catch a
flight to that location and get running! It will be worth it. Be sure to
take some pictures, and even write about the journey. You’ll look back
at these moments for the rest of your life, and be glad you did it.

Conclusion

Marathon running can be an excellent way to help build your relationship
to a new level, and should be considered. Sometimes you may feel as
though you’d have better luck running for president (or prime minister)
than convincing your partner that running is a good idea, but with
enough perseverance and commitment, your relationship is destined to
become enriched through the marathon running experiences.


Author Bio

Curt Davies is a marathon enthusiast and has built his own website
located at www.marathondriven.com. It’s stacked with information and
other goodies regarding marathon running and training for those over the
age of 30. If you want to find out more about Curt and what he writes
about, you can freely open the link mentioned earlier.