You've Got a (Running) Friend in Me

(Flash and I running the marathon)

There are few things in running that can effect your speed more than your mental state.  Sure, you can get more fit, do more speedwork and have better nutrition. But in any given day, your psychological state is a huge factor in whether you have a great run or bonk. And one of the best things I have found to make you change your psychological state is: running with someone.

I used to hate running with other people. Well, I used to hate running in general. But even when I started to get out there more, I always thought that running with someone else would just be a pain; if you are faster than the other person, then it would feel like you're chomping at the bit, and if they are faster, you'll tire too quickly. And how did people chat while they ran, anyway? I felt like I couldn't breathe as it was.

I have talked about my, shall we say, "main" running buddy, Flash, in my marathon blog. He's a two-time marathoner and 9-time half marathoner, and we have been great running buddies; I definitely gleaned much of my running knowledge from his experience.  He was the one who showed me everything from how to fuel a long run (water, carbs, and shot blocks) to how to pace a 20 miler.  He was my first real running buddy, and I realized how much fun it can be, and how much faster a workout can go by when you are running alongside someone.  I learned how to chat and run at the same time (gasp!) and now I actually have a hard time not chatting while I run.  It really takes your mind off of putting one foot in front of the other, and to be honest, you really shouldn't be running faster than a pace at which you can carry on a conversation, anyway (if you are huffing and puffing the whole way, you need to slow down and build your endurance).  In fact, when I ran a 20 mile race (in which I wasn't pacing with Flash), I fell into step with a few strangers and we chatted the whole three and a half hours or so (yes, really) while jogging through the rolling hills of Virginia.  I would have been bored out of my mind otherwise.

Anyway, apart from Flash, there are other people I run with sometimes.  Each of them is different in their style, and I get something different out of running with each of them.

First of all, there's Ax.  Ax is new to running distance races, but he is very speedy- he ran his first half marathon in a 1:41, or averaging about 7:40s.  My fastest time in a half marathon race so far is 1:53, and I'm hoping for under 1:50 this time (or averaging 8:20s) so I have been working on holding a faster pace.  One really good way to do this is running with Ax, because he is fast, so I run faster! We went on a morning run the other day (starting at 6:30 am) for four miles, running under 8 minute miles pretty much the whole way.  I'm not used to running at that clip, but it was really very exhilarating- we were running on the mall as the sun came up, and it warmed up quickly despite the crisp air.  We live on the Hill, so we always have to truck up that darn hill at the end of a run- and Ax powered up it like there is no tomorrow. I need to work on that.  Then we had some fantastic omelets at his favorite post-run diner on the Hill, Jimmy T's (he goes there so often that the owner knew who he was).

Then there is Lei. Lei is another coworker of mine who has started getting into running lately, but has not really competed in races.  We go on runs together during lunch sometimes, and I really enjoy her company- she is not a run-and-talker (I might try to convert her, eventually).  I always feel more relaxed, though, running with her, because I am less inclined to check my watch all the time to see if I am holding my "ideal" pace, and we actually go at a pretty good clip. But she is actually pretty competitive with herself- she is always trying to bring up her pace, and she speeds up at the end of a run.

Basically, the point is that running with someone else can really make your workout go by much faster, whether it's because you have someone to chat with or someone to suffer in silence with, as the case may be. But it can also hold you more accountable- I am more likely to hit the snooze button and go back to sleep at 6 am if there isn't someone waiting to meet me.  You might find that you are running with someone who is faster or slower than you- and that's ok; in fact, it can be really productive for your growth as a runner.  Increasing your fitness comes from going outside of your comfort zone and trying out different paces and distances than you would normally.  And if nothing else, you might discover something about yourself- you may even find a different gear you didn't know you had.