Thursday Inspo: I Professed My Love at Mile 15...But Not to My Husband
Christine married her childhood best friend when they were still young...then fell in love with her running partner. Welcome to a love triangle more intense than any marathon.
By now, if you’re a Narratively reader, you likely know about the Narratively x Belletrist True Romance Writing Prize we’re in the midst of. Today we wanted to share another one of our favorite Narratively Classics to hopefully inspire you to get your own story down on paper and submit to the contest. We go back to this one again and again and see something newly profound in it each time, it’s that kind of story.
Plus… We have another exciting giveaway today, from our partners on the Belletrist team: a book-club-pick of your very own choosing from any previous month (they’ve selected a new book each month since 2017, so lots to choose from!). We will select one lucky winner at random from anyone who “likes” the story. So, click below (read the story!) and like away.
I Professed My Love at Mile 15...But Not to My Husband
We ran past mile marker 15. Between breaths, I managed to stammer, “I’m in love with you.” Casey ignored me and sprinted ahead.
I’d met Casey in college, three years before that marathon. Back then, he had shoulder-length hair, super short running shorts, and a thigh tattoo. He tried to flirt by bragging about running his fourth marathon in three months. I Googled his times and figured out that he was slower than me.
Casey was a carefree, goofy college boy. I brushed him off.
Just before graduation, he texted me, asking if I wanted to coach high school track. Unenthused by the idea — but bad at telling people no — I stalled and replied, “Hmm. Maybe.”
His response to my implied “Thanks, but no thanks” was “Perfect. I’ll pick you up tomorrow so you can meet the team.” Not exactly what I was going for.
We began working together, and Casey transformed before my eyes, from college goofball to model mentor and leader. (He did cut the way-too-long hair, which was a great start.) As I watched him effortlessly guide and counsel those kids every day at practice, I remember asking myself, “Who is this person?”