I've got a fever and the only prescription is ...

... more cowbell!

OK, so maybe not cowbell, baby, but certainly more company. The runner kind.

Good thing I got to meet up with my running group, Black Girls Run Lansing, at Zoobies Old Town Tavern in Lansing tonight.

And what a meet up it was. There were balloons, cupcakes, hors d'oeuvres and lots of laughs. 

With a raucous group of about 15, we celebrated our group's third year. All started because one of our fearless leaders, Brandess, wanted to see more women of color when she went to races.

Brandess, the fierce.

Now an ultramarathoner, Brandess also happens to have been one of my biggest supporters for running my first half marathon this fall. She and several other BGRs encouraged me to sign up and -- after pacing me through the whole thing -- celebrated with me at the finish line.

I even got a certificate tonight as we all took time to acknowledge successes, bit and small, and planned out the next year to make sure we had even more to look forward to. Each woman present also took the time to write her name under a series of goals, from starting to walk to running a 5K,a half marathon or full, to riding her bike or swimming, or to volunteer for a race.

It was so satisfying to see so many women come together from all over town to support each other on this journey, no matter the distance. No matter the pace.

I've said it before, bit it's worth repeating: these are the type of women I hope my daughter will seek out as she becomes a woman herself. These women exhibit the traits I already see in my favorite almost-15-year-old: kindness, selflessness, humor, tenaciousness,spirit and, yes, fearlessness.

It's not more cowbell, but it's still music to my ears and certainly makes my heart sing. Quietly. I like you too much to sing outloud. No one wants to hear that.

Do you run with a group? How has that impacted your running?