Training Partners

Running for me has always been a solo pursuit, mainly because I was embarrassed about the pace at which I ran. Simply going for a jog with someone ended up as a painful ego blow where I was left behind or had to come up with some excuse why I had to stop and walk momentarily ("My stomach is giving me issues today"). When you talk to people and they find out you are a runner, often they inevitably say "we should go for a run together". For me, this usually involves a polite agreement for some unknown time in the future (I'll figure out how to avoid it later). I'm a reasonably fit guy with the physical appearance to match, so people assume that I'm a fast runner who they will have to keep up with. I've recently had a friend (an avid and accomplished runner) tell me that she didn't want to start posting on Strava.com because she wanted to get a little faster before she made it public. She used me as an example and said that compared to me she'd be embarrassed to post any runs. I said "I'm sure you'll be fine and have nothing to be embarrassed about". However, the ego wouldn't let me divulge any official times in the moment. It's better left to mystery...

I'm usually pretty successful at avoiding running with others, typically with some lame excuse or other obligation. I've only ever run with people who are close to me, and usually avoid group runs, etc. My wife, Samantha has been a solid partner in training and consistently supportive of whatever pace I need to run on the day. She is aware of my deficiencies, without speaking of them and remaining supportive throughout. Our dog, Bullet is always a reliable training partner, always eager to get out the door for a jaunt through the mountains. Most recently, a good friend of mine, Joel has signed up for the same ultramarathon that my wife and I will be running. Joel has been a dedicated runner in the past, and although he says he's slow, I feel he may not be giving himself credit. Truthfully, I was hesitant to agree to training with Joel on some runs, but the more I relish in the catharsis of making my inadequacies public, the more comfortable I am with a training partner besides my wife and dog. I am honestly looking forward to running with Joel and pursuing this thing. He's a genuine guy and I trust that his critique will be minimal if any, and always positive.

The more running I do, the more I realize how much I love it. I didn't love it in the past because I felt like a lesser being afterward because I could only keep a below average pace (something I wasn't used to because I'm consistently above average in other areas). Running as of late has become a very enjoyable experience for me because I'm allowing myself to go as slow as I need to. I've been using a heart rate monitor and going at whatever pace allows my specific heart rate for that session. I'm finally letting the run happen as opposed to fighting the pace and trying to push harder, which inevitably leads to vomiting or walking.