It's Fan Boy Friday! Meet Tammy Rones.

I've been rather quiet this week on the blogging front, but I can't let the day go by without another edition of Fan Boy Friday.

This week, it's my friend, Tammy Rones. Here we are just before we ran the Peace, Love, Run 10K here in San Diego.

It's tough to describe Tammy and capture all that she is. On one hand, she's a tough-as-nails runner chick who will step up to do any distance, any elevation, any time of the day on a Ragnar Relay race. She's a multi-marathoner who isn't afraid of the long run, and she is an absolute joy to run beside on the long miles. On the other hand, she's a girly-girl who loves bright colors and all things shiny and sparkly.

We met through SparkPeople.com, a health and fitness website. We clicked immediately, both of us feeling a passion for running that went way beyond weight loss goals. Over the years, we have crossed paths at countless events, both of us involved with other teams but always happy to see a friend on the course. And one of these days, we will share a team and a van on a Ragnar Relay.

But she's more than a running buddy for me. She is also a sympathetic ear and a strong shoulder. She thought nothing of driving an hour out of her way to be there for me during my Grandfather's Memorial Service at Riverside National Cemetery. As she herself best explained it, "being a friend means more than just being there for the laughs, you know?" I will never be able to explain to her just how much that meant to me, how tough that day was for me.

Tammy is a powerful woman, a beautiful lady, and a true force to be reckoned with. I'm always thankful that she is on my side, and today, I wanted her (and everyone else) to know that I am a fan.