How did you meet your SO?

[Jen12]

How did you all meet your significant others? I seem to be surrounded by women wherever I go lately. I'm in a profession dominated by women, for a long time I was with a running group that grew to be women only, and most of my friends are women. I just have no clue how to meet men. And since I'm dancing along the edge of 40, many men my age are already taken. There have to be some out there that are available....where are they?

[indysteel]

I met my husband through another online cycling forum. Local forum members had gotten together a time or two to socialize, but I'd never been able to join them. Brian and I talked about meeting on our own. Perhaps there was a bit of agenda to that on both our parts, but it was really intended more platonically.

He is a number of years younger than me, and frankly, I just didn't seriously consider him a possibility. But we did ultimately meet (our first meeting was postponed due to an epic flood in Central Indiana). We became friends and it eventually morphed into a relationship. I had a lot of misgivings based on our age difference, but in some ways that worked in our favor because it kept me from getting overly ga-ga(and slightly nutty) like I so often had in the past. We took it slowly, but once the fundamentals were there, it sort of took off rather quickly. We met in June of 2008 and married in February of 2010.

I was about your age when I met Brian, so I feel for where you are. The best thing I can suggest is to just do what makes you happy. Hopefully, those things will allow you to meet others who then see you at your most vibrant. There are a lot of male cyclists so that's not a bad way to go. I was never big on fix-ups, but if you have friends whose judgment you trust, it's not a bad route to pursue. I don't have anything against internet dating either; you just have to use good judgment and safe practices.

[Eden]

Can't be of much help... I met my husband at orientation in college... 21 years ago

[indysteel]

Can't be of much help... I met my husband at orientation in college... 21 years ago

You mean you totally missed out on bad fix-ups from well-intentioned but delusional friends? Lucky! Boy, I could write a book on them!

[KnottedYet]

I met mine on TE.

[Jen12]

You mean you totally missed out on bad fix-ups from well-intentioned but delusional friends? Lucky! Boy, I could write a book on them!

Hahaha...the friends who say, "You have so much in common! You're both single!" Those friends?

[indysteel]

Hahaha...the friends who say, "You have so much in common! You're both single!" Those friends?

Yep; those friends. It pays to ask a lot of questions before saying yes. Even then, it's best to keep your expectations really, really low.

@Knot: I didn't that you met Trek on TE! That's awesome!

[Crankin]

I met my DH at a Jewish singles softball game (I did not play) just over 32 years ago. We were married in 6 months.
And his parents said it wouldn't last...

[molliewog]

I actually met mine on a blind date I was set up by someone at work.

Prior to meeting my now husband, I just kept my eyes open wherever I went. You never know where you may meet someone. I also had to keep an open mind. My husband is younger than myself, something I swore would never happen!

Any other running, cycling, or other clubs of interest in your area?

[shootingstar]

I met my SO at 31 yrs. So I wasn't young fresh faced.

This was 20 years ago and we're still together.

I met him at a computer evening course. 'Course I could barely concentrate on the course.

I didn't get back into cycling until 6 months later but at the time, I already wanted to return to cycling BEFORE I met him, but didn't know how to buy a bike, the bike routes.

So cycling was not top priority at all when we fell for each other.

[Becky]

DH and I met at work when I was an undergrad and he was a grad student. Our first date was a mountain bike ride, and it's still one of our favorite ways to spend time together

[rollinat]

I've known my DH since we were kids - was in the same class at school as his sister - but we met up again at her wedding. Sadly, her marriage did not last, but we are still going strong - in fact, better than ever - almost 18 years later.

[ny biker]

You mean you totally missed out on bad fix-ups from well-intentioned but delusional friends? Lucky! Boy, I could write a book on them!

I am 47 and never married. Not once has any of my friends tried to fix me up with anyone.

Not sure if this means there is something wrong with me or the friends...

[jessmarimba]

Not married, but met the boyfriend at a trail race that we both decided to run at the last second (it was a duathlon and a number of mountain bikers needed runners for relay teams in order to get series points).

I moved out of town a week later, but things seem to be going ok so far!

[rollinat]

I moved out of town a week later, but things seem to be going ok so far!

I moved overseas a couple of weeks after my DH and I met (again) - didn't do us any harm!