When people exercise together a special relationship is created. It probably has something to do with the pain endured... the mutual exhaustion experienced... the support required... and when the workout is over... the feeling of jubilation from what you've achieved together. The friends that I've made through exercise are special and I cherish these people beyond what words can express... but it's interesting how different it is to workout with someone that you love and have built a life with.

My husband and I have been together for 17 years... a couple weeks ago we went for a run together on the boardwalk. There was feeling of intimacy and a connection that ran through my body while running with Gord that is hard to explain and is different then when I workout with anyone else (which it should be). During the run... I thought about "us"... I realized that this was probably the first time that we had actually worked out together and then I started to think about how different our relationship is today from the night of our first date on February 7, 1992.

We haven't been complete couch potates the entire time that we've been together. Sure when we were younger... we'd play touch football with friends on campus, go for the occasional bike ride, we've always gone for walks on beach or the park together, and from time to time we'd actually go to the gym at the same time (but workout on different machines)... but we really never (as a couple) worked out side-by-side with the intention of burning calories, pushing each other, increasing our heart rates and seeking an adrenaline rush. Which is bizarre when you think about how many things we've experienced together in almost 2 decades... we weren't even 20 when we met... so we basically have been together our entire adult lives!

Before we met... Gord used to run (but it was called jogging back then), he mountain biked with friends and worked out at the gym. My exercise regime consisted of skiing and if you consider partying and dancing a physical activity... then I definitely did a lot of that! Gord and I met the first year of university and sort of hibernated from that point forward... we would go on "health kicks" for months at a time... but we pretty much focused our time and energy towards studying and building our careers.

Gord and I were together for 12 years before we got pregnant with the twins. I'm not going to sugarcoat the experience... having twins was a major adjustment for us (we enjoyed the DINK lifestyle to the fullest). When the twins were born our relationship changed dramatically... all of a sudden we had these two little demanding humans consuming pretty much every waking hour of our day... and there definitely was a longing from the both of us... for those care-free weekends with not obligations, no plans or commitments to anyone else but ourselves! Sounds selfish... but it's the truth. Now the twins are almost 5 years old... we've finally adjusted to our new roles... it did take a couple years though. We have been lucky that the twins' grandparents have frequently offered to babysit so we can get "alone time"... but to be honest most of the time when we have had these opportunities to spend time together without the children... we have been so exhausted from life that we were just happy to sleep-in past 6am or quietly watch a movie... I feel confident that I can speak for the both of us that the thought of going out to exercise together didn't even cross our minds (well until now)!

I really enjoyed having Gord as a running partner and hope we continue to make this special time to be together... it felt great to run together... for that 30 minutes... I actually felt that connection from 2004 B.C. (Before Children)... of being best friends and only thinking about ourselves as a couple. We plan to bring our running gear with us when we take a "child-free trip" to the United States this summer (heck we might even go for a hike on Mount Washington).

Being significantly taller than me... Gord's stride is about twice of what mine is... I know he had to "hold back" on his run so I could keep up... but I was proud to run by his side... proud that we've made it through the first 5 years of raising twin boys... and proud we have finally turned the corner in our relationship to realize "that we should"... no actually let me rephrase that... "that we need" to be active together. Not only does it help our children to see that physical exercise is important to both of us... but it also brings us together closer as a couple.

I know that Gord is proud of what I achieved in the last two years... I know that he is proud to see me run so fast and with such ease because he tells me on a regular basis how impressed he is with what I've accomplished. I'm pretty fortunate that Gord supports my rigorous workout routine and accepts that I'm obsessive about my health now and supports me in my journey. It's really no surprise that he's behind me in anything that I want to do... he always has been. I'm pretty certain my drive and determination was what original attracted him to me in the first place... it's just when we met... my focus was on becoming successful in business not about my physical appearance, my health and well being.

A number of people have asked me "What does Gord think of how you look now?" or "Does Gord notice a big difference in your body?" How can I answer that other than "Hell to the Yeah he notices it... and he likes it!" I'm at least 30 pounds lighter then when we first started dating... and weigh 50 pounds less than when he married me... and in the last two years I've lost over a 100 pounds... so the answer is simple "Yeah he's sort of more than ok with the transformation!" *smiles* He thought he married a energetic and happy woman... but now he can't believe he's got that plus more! He calls me his "hot wife"... it makes me feel good (I'm paraphrasing his words in this paragraph).

My parents have now been married for 40 years. I've learned from them and from my own marriage that every year the relationship changes... some years are for the better and some for the worse... but that is what the vows indicated... that you'd stick it out no matter what. Gord and I have definitely fought the battle at times... and made it through the rough waters... and we definitely had times where we had to bail water out of the boat in order to avoid sinking... I'm pretty certain that by continuing to exercise together... the connection we have will grow and we'll be a team when it comes to facing the more challenging times ahead.... like the "teen years" with the twins!

For all those parents out there that feel like they have very little quality time with their spouse... I highly encourage you to go for a run together (or at least a brisk walk)... even 30 minutes of exercising together is unmeasurable quality time!