Benefits of Having A Running Buddy

Is having a running buddy really necessary? Think of it as having someone to share your training with.. Someone to keep you accountable and vice versa. Especially in the morning when it is impossible to get up at 4:00 AM because your bed is too comfortable but you have no choice but to get up because you have to keep to your arranged time to run (just so you know, I am not a morning person). Having a buddy also provides extra protection from those wishing to cause you harm. I have a chaotic work schedule and sometimes I run at night. So what qualities should I look for and how do I get one?

PICK THE RIGHT PERSONALITY
I prefer running with a positively motivated person. Someone who will give you 101 reasons why you shouldn’t miss a training session and that encourages you to go tempo running every M.W.F. and do LSDs (long slow distance run) on weekends. Also not the kind who will weigh you down but the kind who will inspire you to go further and not give up until you reach your goal. This way, they can motivate you to train when you wouldn’t otherwise

I have a love-hate relationship with these two. #TempoRunners #SpeedRunners

DEFINE YOUR LEVELS AND GOALS
When choosing a running partner it is best to go for someone who is in the same fitness level as yourself or someone training for a similar distance as you are.  You can gain from each others experiences and be introduced to new running routes and races.

Endurance? Yup, these people are hands down running renegades.

Achievement, unlocked!

LIKES A CHALLENGE
Someone who isn’t afraid to try new things. How are you going to ‘test the boundaries’ if you’re training buddy is unwilling/unable to challenge themselves? For example, I told my running buddies that I will be having a 21km run, instead of training on  flat pavement or the oval, they dragged me to Mt. Balagbag in Batangas to practice on trails. I survived and I also blogged about it!

Survived 21km trail run, thanks to these badass runners
(Mt. Balagbag, Batangas).

THEY MAKE RUNS MORE FUN
I’m lucky that all three of my best friends and I share the same interests which includes running.  The more fun your runs are, the more likely you’re going to stay better committed to your training over the long-term. Pounding the pavement can be lonely, so just having that social contact—being able to laugh, support and push—will make your training more enjoyable and efficient.

My BFF and I run as a way to “catch up.”

I told myself that I’m very much capable of running alone and to tell you frankly, I am strict with my training routines. I was also hesitant at first but when I started running with my buddies (and got the chance to run with some professionals), I find it more effective and I improved a lot. How about you, how do you choose a running buddy? Do you also find it effective? 🙂

AND REMEMBER…

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time and burn nothing but calories!

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