Are YOU selfish?

I just finished reading the Editor's Letter written in the February issue of Runner's World...and took a deep sigh of relief.  Lately, on some of my long runs I have had a little visitor.  Well not so little as David Willey the editor, who explains how on many of his runs he has been accompanied by his children.  My visitor would be Scott, my husband.  The first time he came, I thought..."cool-he wants to get back into the swing of things." That was for about ten minutes...then I became very agitated, annoyed and a bit perturbed.  I couldn't understand why and stopped dead in my tracks rambling on to him about how my runs are for me, and how I do my best thinking out here on the road, and how if he is here then I am thinking about him, or thinking of what he is thinking or...I'm trying to answer his SIX MILLION questions about pace, what mile we are at, what are we going to eat when we get home or wondering if I hear the popping in his hip?!  Really?!

So, I went home to say the least without that renewed, refreshed feeling.  Just a lingering question in my head...am I really a "solo" runner or is it him? lol...seriously (sorry scott).  It took a few more times of this for me to realize the last run that I don't mind so much running with others, IF I get a run in by myself.  I need that run for myself.  It is when I feel my best, do my best, think my best.  It doesn't need to be a long run, just enough to get the endorphins running, to feel more clear and ready to tackle my sometimes very hectic days. 

In the article David talks about running being an "inherently selfish act".  That it's "healthy and life-affirming" but "we mostly do it for ourselves, by ourselves."  The even better side though is sharing it with the people you care about...which he states as well.  I think the best thing will be to see if Scott starts to enjoy it enough to want to do it on his own...that will be the true test of how much he is enjoying it...and may leave me running on my own again...and him wanting/craving the same. ;)

Do you prefer to run with others?

Do you prefer solo runs?

If you could share your running experience with someone who would it be??