SubscribeI say in one line to run at your own pace, then I say find a training partner. What is Ted thinking? Ted is thinking about how great training partners are. When I do my long runs, I pick places where there are a lot of people out and about. People help me pass the time for my long runs. I often pick up running partners along the trails. When I am out for a long run of longer than 2 hours, my heart rate has a range from 120-130. It is easy to adjust to someone else’s pace if they are close. Most people enjoy company on a long run. 30 minutes of company is a great way to break up the monotony of the long slow run.
If you are out for a long fast walk, partners are especially good. Long walks create pain in unexpected places. If you are alone, the pain can get overwhelming and the temptation for Starbucks and bagels can win the day. When you have company, the time seems to fly by.
When you do speed work, partners can help you find the next level in your training. Our brains are amazing things. We can go to a track alone and find that our max heart rate is 171 bpm. We can go to that same track, with someone who is a little bit faster, and find that our max heart rate is 175 bpm. When you find that extra little something, it stays with you for a while. Find yourself a training partner or running group and be social about running. Exercise is not about punishing yourself. It is about being fit and having fun. Just be careful that you do not try to keep up with the speedy group who has been at it a lot longer than you have.
Be social and have fun.
