Tip: Run With Others
November 23, 2009
The past two Sunday's I've run my weekly long run at the same venue, Washington Park in Denver, which everyone refers to simply as Wash Park. You have two options at Wash Park: an outer loop on nice crushed gravel that is 2.6 miles and an inner loop on asphalt that is 2.2 miles. If you want to run 15 miles or more then you have to run at least six laps. When you consider the miles and miles of trails and paths in the various open space preserves surrounding Denver and Boulder, the choice to run your long run at Wash Park seems at least odd and perhaps stupid.
So why do it? Well, last week I ran a gentle 1:55 with three other runners in the snow and it was a blast. We talked and laughed the whole way, kicking up snow the first couple of loops as we broke in the trail, then eventually ran into a mutual friend at the 1:40 mark. We all commented on how quickly the run passed as we said our goodbyes. This weekend's run (86 minutes) was significantly more difficult as I was running with a 13:20 5k runner. I was running with an athlete I work with and it was as great opportunity to just chat, but also to revisit where we are in his training, where we hope to be in the coming weeks and months and what we need to do in the coming 7-10 days of training. While it was hard for me, it was also extremely enjoyable and at the end of the run there is no doubt I would not have run as fast as I did had I not run with someone else.
So that's this week's tip. Run with other humans. Run with them when you're all running easy and chatting and run with others when you're on the edge of your aerobic fitness, but find other people to run with at least once a week. The run will go by faster when you tap into the the synergy of running with others.
*Coach Jay’s advice is provided as general training information. Use at your own risk. Always consult with your own heath care provider for questions relating to your specific training and nutrition.
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