So I started playing Pokemon Go like two days ago, but this morning when I was eating breakfast I decided that I was going to go for a run on the bikepath near my house and play Pokemon Go just to see if I would find anything. When I told my mom this, she was immediately like, can I come with you? Now, granted I love my mom to death, but I come from a family of intense runners (my mom being a former marathon runner, my brother being the other one who is an extremely good collegiate racer) so I’ve always been a little self-conscious of being subpar since I tore my hipflexor back in high school which ended my high school racing for good. But I explained to my mom about Pokemon Go and why I wanted to go running, and when I explained it to her she was just like, alright awesome let’s go!
So we start running at a fairly good pace, the volume on my phone is up so I can hear. All of a sudden a Caterpie pops up and I start sprinting down the hill screaming to tell my mom as she asks what’s wrong that, “I NEED TO CATCH THIS POKEMON I NEED TO BE THE VERY BEST LIKE NO ONE EVER WAS”. People on the bikepath (older people not playing) were staring but my mom was laughing it up. I caught it and we kept going, I caught a LOT pokemon along the way (a lot of grass pokemon, and when we crossed a river on a bridge I caught a Goldeen, Staryu, and Psyduck which I was freaking out about). Finally we got to where the bikepath leads to the center of town, and my mom was asking if I wanted to go down so I could get the pokestops. But I declined and we went back home, a total of just over 4 ½ miles. By the time we got home, I had gotten level 5 and was thrilled. When my mom and I were stretching my mom was smiling and I asked her why and she said, “Honestly I’m so happy, I haven’t seen you move so fast, or be so motivated and happy to run in so long and I’m just really grateful. Do you want to go again tomorrow?”
And I realized she was right. So there you go, not only am I on the course of being a Pokemon Master, but this game has brought me closer to my mom, and gave me back the joy I felt for a sport before an injury took away my high school running career before it really started. Thanks Pokemon Go. <3
Icon by @ThatSpookyAgent. Call me Tir or Julian. 37. He/They. Queer. Twitter: @tirlaeyn. ao3: tirlaeyn. 18+ Only. Star Trek. The X-Files. Sandman. IwtV. OMFD. Definitionless in this Strict Atmosphere.