stuck with match.com wrote:
Go with the girlfriend. Its just a freaking race. There were will plenty of more races for you to run. Races come and go, but girlfriends are a treasure and should never taken for granted. Please make the smart choice and spend time with the girl. It will mean so much to her. Plus who know she may reward you by trotting her body right over to yours, if you get my drift, wink wink!
Spoken like a lonely person who had to resort to Match.com to finally meet someone (congrats on ending your dry spell).
Don't take being a twenty-something for granted (best time of my life, and you're still young enough to do something stupid and not look "pathetic")
The true "treasure" would be the girlfriend that would be "cool" with you hanging out with your buddy (assuming it's reasonable like once a month or less). (Obviously it's a 2 way street, so if she wants to go her friend's bachelorette party in Vegas, guess what your answer will have to be.)
If your girlfriend becomes your wife, you'll have her the rest of your life. Conversely there are NOT plenty of races to do or times to hang out with your buddy. You'll get older, slower, flabbier. Your joy/tolerance for alcohol will diminish (the last bachelor party I was at, guys (30 to 40 year olds) were alternating between beer and water). Turkey trots (and Mud Runs) are usually more festive and NOT like your average local 5K road race.
After you're married you'll have even less freedom to go hang out with your buds. Plus they'll get married and be in the same "ball and chain" boat. You'll have kids, priorities will change, friends move away, you move away, have less time to train, get a nagging injury, etc.
Again ultimately, do what YOU want to do. At least now you have a choice (college bud or GF). Later on "life" will NOT give you those choices. Take it from a 40 year old married guy.