What a lot of my running friends don’t understand is that every workout doesn't have to be completed alone. And you can choose to run any race with a friend. If you choose to run with a friend or a group you may find that you can help improve your performance, making the sport more fun, and even help you learn a thing or two. I have run with Amber numerous times in training and I find that it makes the miles go by faster no matter what pace we are running. If you are contemplating running a race or training run with a friend here are a few reasons to do it.
First and foremost, if you agree to run with a friend how much harder would it be for you to bail when you know they will be out there waiting for you to show? Making a date to run with a friend creates accountability. I hate disappointing my friends, so I never miss a run if I agree to run with someone. This was definitely the case in this race. My quads were still pretty sore when I got up to head to the race. I had received a free entry to the race through work (I work at Sprouts). If I blew off the race, it wouldn’t cost me anything. But I knew Amber was going to be there and I couldn’t let her down no matter how sore I was feeling.
Second, even though Amber and I had no plan to run this race at our best pace, I have found that running with a friend who is faster than me helps me get better. If you read my blog regularly, I do a speed session and a tempo run every week. Even though these workouts have helped me increase and maintain my speed, when I run with a faster friend, I actually work even harder. This is usually because I can’t keep up with their pace completely. But working to keep up with my friend pushes me outside of my comfort zone. It is there that real improvement happens.
Finally, this was a day that my legs were feeling heavy and sore. As I headed to the race, I knew that my heart wasn’t really in it. And I knew that if I had to run the 13.1 miles alone it would feel like a never-ending slog. The best part of this race day was that I knew no matter what happened out there, Amber and I would be there to support and encourage each other. I knew that the time would pass quickly. We would provide each other the morale boost we would need as we approach the last few miles of the race. That is exactly what happened. We chatted our way along the course. I don’t even remember passing the mile markers. The next thing I knew we were approaching the finish line.
Amber and I crossed the finish line together. I ran the 2020 Sprouts Mesa Marathon in 2:25:26 which was a leisurely 11:07 pace. The surprising thing was that I actually felt great as I collected my medal and walked through the finish line shoot. This was not even my worst half marathon performance. The race proved that running with a friend makes the whole experience that much more satisfying. The best part was that the day after the race I felt great and even went out for a 3.2 mile recovery run. So go out there and find a friend or friends you can train and race with. It will definitely improve your running in so many ways.
Feb 10 – 4.60 miles (50:02, 10:52 pace) – Hill Repeats
Feb 11 – 8.40 miles (1:12:57, 8:41 pace) – Tempo Run
Feb 13 – 3.10 miles (22:11, 7:09 pace) – Speed Work
Feb 15 – 7.10 miles (1:06:13, 9:20 pace)
Feb 16 – 7.30 miles (1:08:20, 9:22 pace)
Feb 17 – 5.20 miles (54:18, 10:27 pace) – Hill Repeats
Feb 18 – 6.30 miles (51:51, 8:14 pace) – Speed Work
Feb 20 – 8.30 miles (1:10:40, 8:41 pace) – Tempo Run
Feb 21 – 5.10 miles (45:27, 8:55 pace)
Feb 22 – 7.10 miles (1:06:00, 9:18 pace)
Feb 23 – 8.30 miles (1:17:16, 9:19 pace)
Total Miles: 70.80 miles
2020 Total Miles: 276.90 miles
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