Serious marathon training takes a
single-minded approach to running. Marathon
endurance will require many considerations; running a mile in 7 minutes, pace
training, cross country endurance, muscle memory, food intake and running
times. All this training requires
commitment, as your shape your body into becoming a carriage of your dreams. The right partner could take your training to
the next level. A partner who is roughly
equal to your level of fitness would enhance your training and ultimately bring
out your competitive nature, ensure accountability, apply consistency to your
training, and motivate you when you need it most.
Competition pushes our training further
Running alone and beating your
own time is helpful but running against a partner will stir in you a desire to
win. Although a marathon requires a
black belt of endurance, the beginning and end of a long run needs more of a
brawler to separate yourself from the others.
Busying your mind, in the moment,
to winning will benefit you by taking your mind off the conversation in your
head. If you’re an avid runner you may
enjoy running alone to work off stress, however, marathon training may cause
more chatter as your endurance improves.
Focusing on winning against your partner, especially if you’re feeling
competitive, will quiet the chatter in your head.
Accountability for our fitness
Goal setting is an important component
to training and requires benchmarks to ensure you’re on track. A partner will help you to stay the course
and provide feedback conducive to improving your level of fitness.
It isn’t as easy talk your
partner out of a 5:00 am run as it is yourself.
When it is time to train you are not only accountable for your time but
for your partner’s time as well. Ideally
when you’re feeling stagnant you can rely on your partner to crack the whip to
keep the two of you moving.
Consistency in our workouts
Running with someone else will
help you to run consistently. When you
run with someone else you naturally run together keeping each other even rather
than slowing down and speeding up. Your
partner and you will keep each other moving at a consistent pace.
Your partner can provide an
objective perspective about your training.
We are subjective and often blind of our own flaws or overly
critical. A partner will provide you
with an objective look at yourself. You
will be able to identify more clearly where you need help and where your
strengths lie.
Motivating our partner and ourselves
Hearing, “you can do it”, will
provide a great deal more motivation than, “20 more minutes? I just can’t, maybe just 10, that’ll do it,
think I will stop now”. Hearing encouragement
from your partner and saying it to your partner can provide that extra push you
need. Motivating your partner will
motivate you.
Picking a partner who you can
inspire will only motivate you to work harder.
The goal is push yourself to the next level to give you a fighting
chance at finishing the race. If you are
like most then you are your own worst critic.
You and your partner can celebrate each other’s victories regardless of
how small.
Training with a partner can be
the difference between a mile in 7 minutes or a mile in 6 minutes. Regardless of what happens in the marathon at
least training with a partner means you are sure to have more fun. Ultimately, isn’t that what life is all
about?
