The fun of running with a group pulled me into the sport 57 years ago. Running and training with my friends Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter Bill Rodgers, brought out the best of running in me—while we became good friends, and Olympians. As I travel the US this season, for our Galloway training program kickoffs, I see the same fun, support and friendship development. I hope to see many of you at our free clinics. Here are the ways I’ve observed runners of all abilities improve more and have more fun when in the right group.
1. Great friendships
2. The miles go by quicker—telling stories, sharing life experiences
3. Guidance in running with the right group for you, with the appropriate run walk run strategy
4. Because the group is waiting for you, you will stay motivated and get out there more often
5. You’ll learn about some interesting races, places to run, fun running experiences
6. On the really tough workouts and races, the group will pull you through
7. Access to tools for management of nutrition, fluids, motivation, aches/pains
8. The right group leadership can fine-tune the pace of each workout, avoiding injury/exhaustion
9. Helping others who are struggling bestows an amazing sense of achievement
10. Sharing the empowerment of finishing a long run can change your life
Most groups, like our Galloway programs allow runners to try them out for free. Together we can celebrate fitness and inspire others to improve the quality of their lives.
So there you go folks. Go out and run and make sure you drag someone along with you. At the very least, let yourself be dragged by someone else.
Running with people or with a group definitely changes the game. I'm a solo runner for the most part - I'm pretty self-conscious and am worried about dragging people down or holding them back. However, I think I am about to sign up with a training group, so I guess we will see how that goes.
ReplyDeleteThat is my biggest fear as well. I hate to think that I'm holding someone back. That someone is not being able to work out like they want because they are "waiting" for me. But picking the right person or group of persons is crucial.
DeleteI definitely credit running with friends and training groups in helping me keep going with running! I enjoy my solo runs but I usually don't look forward to them as much as I look forward to my runs with people :)
ReplyDeleteThe miles just fly by. It's probably because when running with others, you are not paying as much attention to time and distance so it feels shorter.
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