Running through the bad times

Running has given me so much but in recent weeks it has excelled and enabled me to keep going in bad times.

My younger sister battled with cancer for nearly four years and in the last month was told that it had spread to other parts of her body and time was limited. Less than four weeks later she is no longer with us and I find myself reflecting on what running has done to ease the tough times.

1. Headspace: When we receive bad news we all have different mechanisms to deal with this. Some like to talk things through with others but I prefer to grab some space and have those conversations in my own head. In recent weeks I've hit the trails more when running as I find this more conducive to reflection. Also, you often find less people around so get a real sense of being on your own. Within a few hours of receiving news that I was successful in getting a new job I was told about the troubles that my sister faced. As I got home my wife knew exactly what I would be doing next once I shared the bad news. My usual training sessions were out of the window and it was about spending time on my feet, often with speed bursts to help with feelings of anger. My wife feels I am dealing with things very well and I believe that time for headspace and the amazing support of family and friends enables this.

2. Charity work: There are many people that pick a race and gain sponsors as they train for that particular event. As a runner this didn't make sense in my circumstances so I decided to do something different. I've built a list of running events and have set up a just giving page to raise funds for Willow Foundation trust. It is a charity that helped my sister in the early days and provided her with a break away from things. The impact of this on my sister and her two children was remarkable so I wanted to repay this generosity. Multi-events became the challenge and I incorporated some different challenges into it that would definitely test me. The Hathersage Hurtle 20 mile race took me into new distance territory and was the most challenging race yet. The terrain and 20 miles mixed with over 750 metres of climb took my body into new territory. Knowing that I was doing it for charity and the thought of my sister going through so much more pain than this spurred me on to complete the race. I had IT band trouble and found the last 8 miles very challenging but external motivation really kicked in. After the race I felt little satisfaction in my own achievements but a great sense of achievement in reviewing the fundraising total on just giving. The focus on raising funds for charity has brought our family together and they have shared how it has helped them to keep busy. Lots of sharing on social media and with friends has put my current fundraising total at £1590 which is fantastic. If you want to learn more about my sister's story or give please visit www.justgiving.com/runforstacy

Finishing the Hathersage Hurtle

3. Motivation: Today I completed the Derby Ramathon for my sister. She passed away just four days ago and I was very close to pulling out of the event. I even had those thoughts driving down the A38 to the event today as my training hasn't been great and I have a minor injury. However, I went ahead with it, with the sole purpose of running it for my sister. Niggles, high temperature, sore legs meant nothing as I was so driven to complete the course. By running at a slower pace I was also able to take in the atmosphere and fully appreciate the event. I've received lots of wonderful well-wishes on Facebook but the ones I have paid particular attention to are those which share people's wonderful memories of my sister. I'd usually put my time up on Facebook and a few selfies but today I simply posted this image:

Very proud family members (Spot the photo bomb!)

I gave my medal to my niece and my T shirt to my mum for memories. I know this meant a lot to them but it is a simple gesture to provide a positive memory in tough times. 

These thoughts are just some of the ways that running has helped me and my family in recent weeks. It is infectious and can bring everyone together in the most challenging of times. My niece now wants to complete the Race for life in memory of her mum which is fantastic so it will soon be my time to be the supporter cheering her on. 

Change of pace

This weekend I raced the Derby 10k. I use the term 'raced' as it was a race against my own 10k PB and nobody else. Building up to this race, I focused on two key things within my training: 1. Maintaining pace 2. Three strength sessions each week since the start of February. 

Previously, I have neglected strength training but I decided to make a more consistent effort as I have included a range of longer races into this year's schedule. Muscle strength is key to maintaining correct form and reducing the risk of injury. Also, in previous races I've started off with a good pace and had to reduce it for the last three kilometres due to muscle fatigue. This usually meant the last 3km of a 10km race were torture!

My plan was to also focus on a consistent pace during my long runs and hope that the training and strength work would make a difference. It certainly did! I only run three times a week but with the steps identified above and quality training sessions, I shaved a further 11 seconds off my 10km PB, bringing it down to 41 minutes 35 seconds. 

Loving the Derby 10k race bling

In the past, I've tried starting races nice and steady with the aim of increasing the pace for the last 40% of the race. This was an approach I used when I started running as it was new territory and I always feared a breakdown. During my first ever half marathon, in 2014, I completed the Great North Run in 1:57. I felt a great sense of achievement as I'd finished my first half marathon but there was a sense that I could have gone faster as there was still plenty left in the tank. This became a similar pattern for the first year and a half of running. My thoughts then shifted to started quickly and then easing off later in the race. This is very difficult and I did not enjoy those races for two reasons. 1. You get overtaken a lot. One race I was in 5th for 3/4 of the race and ended up finishing 14th. 2. Your breathing and muscles are not your friend. 

Half a smile after the 2014 Great North Run

As I've become more experienced, fitter and have a greater sense of what my body can do, I am more able to maintain a consistent pace. I know that good quality training, supplemented with strength work will ensure that I can maintain a good pace. 

Here are my km splits for the Derby 10km. 

Time to finish with something else...

After I finished this weekend's race, I sat and watched some of the runners coming in. After around 20 minutes, two ladies stood at the side of the run waiting for their friends to come in. Whilst waiting, they started to cheer the runners on and offer words of encouragement. It was remarkable to see what this did to various people. With less than a km to go lots of runners were pretty tired but these two superstars managed to squeeze a little more out of so many runners. It got me thinking a little more about pace and what can often cause us to speed up in a race or training run. Here are my top 10 speed boosters that cause any sense of pace to go out of the window:

1. Gems. Finishers cheering on the other runners
2. Spitters. A guy that likes to spit. There's nothing worse than feeling spit mist across the back of your calves
3. BO. Bodily odour 300m into a race is bad news. I get a whiff of that and it means time to speed up and find a better pack to run with
4. The stalker. Every time look over your shoulder you notice the same face. You can see it in their eyes that they will beat you no matter what.
5. Werewolf. Clearly running beyond their comfortable pace and making noises that half resemble a growl
6. Bowels. Say no more
7. In da hood. Running through a dodgy neighbourhood usually results in a Rocky type speed increase. 
8. Oasis. You foolishly set off too quickly but you can now see the finish line. Time to over-stride and think you're picking up the pace
9. Home straight. You're nearly there and you're so tired but it is the part of the race with the most spectators. Some call it a sprint finish. 
10. Canine. Dogs love runners. When they're off the lead you can become something to chase. I certainly know how the fake rabbit feels in the greyhound races! Also, I once ran a with some canine cross runners; a massive dog drooling over my ankles definitely helped increase my pace.  

I'd love to hear yours. 

If you have enjoyed reading this blogpost and my others at runtimebegins.blogspot.co.uk why not visit my Facebook running page. I share lots of other content and signpost runners to great articles and videos that are out there to support running: facebook.com/runtimebegins 

Happy running. 

Check your running: Mindfulness

I've just been out for my first run in two weeks. A delicate op and some doctor's orders resulted in a bit of time off so I couldn't wait to get back out there. I treated myself to an earlier finish from work and managed to get out running in the light. What a great feeling.
In just two weeks I'd put a little weight on and soon started to feel a few muscles tire during the run. I kept it at 6km and maintained a pace of 4:40mins per km and really focused on my breathing rate. For me, my breathing rate is an indicator of how hard I'm working and today it was better than expected. You don't lose a lot of fitness in 2 weeks but your mind plays tricks on you. I headed out the door thinking I would struggle to complete the run and would no doubt need to slow right down.
This wasn't the case.

My heart rate monitor identified that the ticker was happy beating at just over 150bpm even though I was halfway through the run. Breathing ok...heart rate ok....sorted- Not quite!

A key part of running, in my opinion, is mindfulness. Being in the moment and thinking about your body and mind. I have a typical routine to go through in my mind which enables me to consider the current state of play and then think about anything that could be better. Within this blog I thought I'd share my toe to top checks:

1. Which part of my trainer is hitting the ground? If it's the heel I know my cadence has dropped and I need to sort it. I quickly count 1,2,3,4 in my head at 180 tempo and check my feet are hitting the ground in time with the counting. Check out my cadence blog for more information about this here  
2. Have I tied my laces correctly? For me, I have two clear signs if there is a problem. Firstly, I get achilles pain if my laces aren't tight enough. Secondly, my foot feels like it has duct tape around it and I get a cramp feeling in my feet if I've done them too tight.
3. Can I feel the muscle on the front of my shin? Back at uni I suffered with shin splints and was cautious about getting problems again when I took up running a few years ago so I did some reading. Shin splints are caused from over working the muscle in front of the shins and is usually caused by lifting the toes during running. I make a very conscious effort to be relaxed in my ankles and really focus on not raising my toes. It's worked so far.  
4. Any sign of the IT band issue returning? Due to previous IT band issues I'm always alert to the dreaded pain at the side of my knee. If I start to feel anything there, it usually means I'm not using my glutes to power the movements. If I ever do get issues I stop and do leg swings to get the glutes firing. I also have an awesome IT band stretch which loosens things up nicely. Finally, I check my trainers when I get back as I previously noticed more IT band trouble when my trainers were starting to be worn out. 
5. Did I put my shorts on? You can't go running in just running tights. It's not cricket. In summer this check changes to: Are my running shorts running too high and am I scaring people? 
6. How are my hips? I check for any hip tilt (forwards, backwards and sideways.) This can happen as muscles start to fatigue and you lose some form. If hips are an issue and it's not addressed you are at risk of injury. If there is a hip problem, I also notice I am worker harder for less results. 
7. Have I got good posture? For this I think about my head position. I should be looking ahead and picture a hat just above me that I'm trying to fit my head into. This stops any slouching.
8. Are my shoulders relaxed? It's very easy to tense up. When I race in half marathons I do this check 4-5 times. I straighten my arms and give them a shake to loosen things off if there is some tension
9. Are my arms fairly still? Some people have pumping arms when running. I see this as a waste of energy and keep my arms in a bent position at the side of my ribs. I make sure they aren't swinging in front of my chest too. 
10. Are hands relaxed? Could I hold a crisp between my thumb and finger without breaking it? 

These ten points provide a useful routine during a run, particularly a longer one. For me they are the areas I've identified from problems or reading various material. 

Don't forget to check heart rate and breathing as this is often an indication of how hard you are working. The key question is: Does my breathing and heart rate match the effort levels I wanted to apply in this run? If not, do something about it. For me it often means slowing down. 

I hope my little checklist is of some use and look forward to hearing about your checks and thoughts when running. In today's run I thought about putting a mindfulness blogpost together: Voila! 

To stretch or not to stretch

After this weekend's race I decided to grab a cup of tea and a biscuit at the race headquarters and sit down. I'd only half dunked my bourbon when BANG calf cramp struck. I'd never really struggled with cramp before and this was a whole new feeling I didn't enjoy. I explained the cramp to someone I know, who was also there, and they asked if I'd stretched and my answer was no. A couple of calf stretches later and I was able to return to my cup of tea to dunk another bourbon without being rudely interrupted by calf cramp.

Cramp obviously identifies an issue and my first thought was that I hadn't cooled down or included any stretches in my post run routine. It was a particular muddy and uneven surface throughout the run, which obviously resulted in the calf muscles working much harder than usual.  Anyway, I thought I would take the opportunity to share a few of my thoughts about stretching, warming up and cooling down.

I must warn you that there will be very little science in this post and a few things I put could be frowned upon. E.g. He took two bourbons when there might not have been enough to go round for all runners. 

Why stretch?

During A level PE lessons back in the day, it was made very clear that static stretches were needed to lengthen the muscle and reduce the risk of injury. Every practical session would start with a range of stretches and we all had to contribute one to the routine. Hold it for 10 seconds and then repeat on the other side; start from the top and work down the body so you don't miss any areas; concentrate on the areas you will be working on. 

I was particularly lazy back then and never really stretched properly. I had poor flexibility, didn't like the feeling and in most sessions never planned on working too hard. But my laziness highlighted that I was still able to take a pretty active part in sessions and not pull a single muscle even though I hadn't stretched effectively. 

When I started running in 2014 I thought that I better improve my stretching attitude. Basically, I was the wrong side of 30 and didn't want to snap. I stretched the quads, calves and hamstrings and would head out of the door. No muscle pulls and no snapping so all was good. However, as I got into running more I read that stretching muscles can actually result in a lower power output. Great! I'd just got back into stretching properly and read that it isn't necessary. As I was older, wiser and more mature than my A level PE days, I decided to do the right thing: stop stretching. Well in terms of completing a stretching routine before runs anyway. I took that decision about two years ago and haven't looked back. The only time I might stretch before a race is if something feels tight. During my time recovering from IT band syndrome (If you do struggle with IT band syndrome I have some great advice so feel free to get in touch via Twitter or Facebook and I can share it with you) I did complete one really good IT band stretch before running but recently have stopped that as I believe it's more important to activate the glute muscles (bum cheek muscle) before running.

There are times when I do stretch but I focus on and around the area that feels tight. This might be before running, during (yes I do stop when training and spend time stretching if something doesn't feel right) and after. I believe that this approach and using the foam roller gives my muscles what they need. I guess more stretching would improve my flexibility and therefore help my running but I haven't developed this yet. 

Foam roller use

Instead of focusing on stretching after a run I recommend walking for the last 200 metres. I do this on all training runs and it really does help flush the lactic acid out of the system and enables a gradual could down. During the walking phase you could incorporate some dynamic stretches. (Click this link for further info.) This simple approach, supplemented with foam roller use has enabled me to stay injury and cramp free. Interestingly, the cramp issue on Saturday happened at a time when I hadn't included my usual 200 metre walk. I think I was more focused on celebrating my 13th place finish and grabbing a biscuit!

Anyway, to summarise, there is obviously a time and place to stretch and if it works for you and keeps you injury free-keep it up. I think stretching is less about preventing injury and more about your muscles being able to produce their full range of motion to allow good running form. If I do stretch a certain muscle, I will hold the stretch for 30 seconds and gradually increase the force (over three stretches) each time. My other key message is to make sure you warm up or take it steady during the first 2-3km of your run and definitely include a walking phase at the end. Throw in a bit of foam roller use and all will be good* 

(*This is not true. You can still get injured when you least expect it!)

Cadence

When you think of 180 you might be like me and think of the dart scoring guy bellowing it out as a pro fires three darts straight into the treble twenty. Well in running terms 180 is often seen as a key number when you consider the term cadence. Today I set myself the target of running with a cadence of 180 during my long run, well during the second half of my run. I thought I'd blog about how you might increase your cadence and why it might be beneficial.

Cadence 

If you're fairly new to running your first question might be...Why is there a dart-board image on a running blog? Your second might be..What is cadence? 

Cadence in running terms is about the number of times your feet hit the floor when you're out and about working hard, specifically in a minute. It is quite common to find elite athletes with a cadence of 180 or higher. If you're ever lucky enough to see a live elite race take a look at how many times an athlete's left foot hits the ground in 12 seconds. Double it and multiply it by 5. That will give you an idea of their cadence.

I said 12 seconds as you will have zero chance of seeing them for a full minute in a road race. I guess you could do it on a track race? Anyway I digress. Most elite athletes have a cadence of 180 or better and will have a much longer stride length than us mere mortals. The idea is that a quicker cadence allows you feet to contact the ground for less time on each landing, therefore the breaks are not on for long.

Heel strike example

When I completed my first 5km 3 years ago I looked at the photos and noticed that I too looked like the lady above (much less hair and was carrying a bit more weight. Oh and I had some running tights on with no shorts. What was I thinking!) 

After a bit of research I found out I was a heel striker. My heel hit the ground (causing breaking) and then the whole foot would contact the ground. This meant that every hit of the ground would be slowing me down and making my runs even harder. Further research also indicated that the heavy heel landing was also putting me at a greater risk of injury. 

I didn't do anything about it until I suffered from IT band syndrome. (Basically a long tendon running from your bum cheek down the side of you thigh and attaches near your knee. The muscle at the top got tight so pulled the IT band. The IT band then rubbed on bone at the side of the knee and caused great pain and no chance of running.)

Once I suffered from this I started to think about running technique. Plenty of Youtube research brought me lots of ideas. I recommend the following two videos to support your work on technique if this is something you want to work on: Video 1 Video 2 

Video 1 looks at the pull of your feet and supports the idea of decreasing the amount of contact with the floor. It also has some good drills.

Video 2 focuses on landing and reinforces the idea I raised about heel striking. The man in the vid does a much better explanation than me so I hope it is useful.

Since I worked on my technique I have been lucky in terms of being injury free: 2 injuries in 3 years. I've had a calf issue from playing five-a-side football (which I no longer do!) and IT band syndrome again which was a result of worn trainers. I don't want to bore you with these details but it's important to consider the impact of an injury on your training. An injury normally stops us putting in the training hours so has quite a big impact on progress. Injury free = more time to run. Simples!

After working on technique I carried on training hard and entering events. My times kept getting better and things were all good. However, I'm not someone who is happy settling for something as I like a fresh challenge. Further reading and research brought me to the term 'cadence.' After viewing various videos it was clear that higher cadence usually meant the runner used less energy and made things look easy. I liked the idea of that. As mentioned earlier, it also meant runners made less impact on their bodies so reduced the risk of injury.

Over time my cadence has steadily improved and I feel that this gradual approach is important:
Late 2015 my cadence was around 154. Throughout 2016 I pushed it up to 168 ish by working on technique. I then plateaued around 170 recently.

My suggestion to push yourself further and get up to 180
Step 1: To take my cadence up further I installed a simple metronome app (MetroTimer) on my phone. During my long run I ran out for 5 miles (as I would normally) and really focused on how my body felt: Where the aches were, what was my breathing like and which muscles felt like they had worked hard.
Step 2: I then switch on the metronome app and the beeps began. I found the jump from 170 to 180 really does push you. I soon began increasing the steps whilst maintaining the same speed. I found it really useful to just focus on my left foot hitting every other beat and before long I had the speed of counting 1-2-3-4 to the 180 tempo.

MetroTimer

Step 3: Turn the metronome off and rely on your counting "1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4...."

Step 4: Turn the metronome back on and see if you have maintained the tempo

Step 5: Metronome back off and get your counting going. Then count how many times your left leg hits the floor in a minute and double the total. There's your cadence. I managed to maintain 178 for the rest of my run and also keep my speed exactly the same. I did three checks during the last 5 miles of my run and all three were 178.

Step 6: Again, at the end of your run think about how your body feels, particularly your muscles. I noticed a real decline in muscle tension and aches. It might have been because I was fully warmed up at that time but I'd like to think that the improved cadence was the real reason. 

If you've been running for a few weeks, months or years I'd definitely recommend looking into running technique. If your brave enough, do what I did: Start off by getting on the treadmill and film yourself running. It made very entertaining viewing for me! 

Good luck with it and feel free to drop me a comment to share your thoughts or progress. 

The long run

As I've mentioned before, I like running for many reasons and one of these is the flexibility it brings. With a busy lifestyle and workload, I usually manage to get out for three runs a week. During busy weeks this can drop down to two runs. 
If I maintain three runs a week I often see bigger improvements but know that this is not always possible. I once tried four runs a week but my body didn't respond well so three will do, however one thing that has always slotted into my weekly routine is the long run. 
In this blog I will share some of the ideas behind my weekend runs in the hope of giving you something to add to your routine. 

The big one
Every weekend I complete a longer run and focus on one of two things: 1. Longer and slower or 2. Longer and tempo (More detailed information about tempo running here)
What we define as a long run depends on where you are in your progress. If it's early days then your long run could be 5km. Depending on the time available my long run varies from 10km to 10 miles. Most articles you read say that the long run is often over one hour. For me, the log run is time on your feet to build up your aerobic capacity.  It's a chance to get out there and cover some distance and really think about your pace. If I've struggled to get good training sessions in during the week I'll run the longer run at a tempo pace. However, one of my greatest challenges is to slow things down and run at a much steadier pace for the long runs (For greater detail about this and for some science behind the long run I recommend reading this answer to a runner's question- Link)

My thoughts

Tempo run- 11 miles

The above run is a longer run roughly at 30 seconds per km slower than my 10km pace.

Here's another tempo run for 10km

I would still class the above run as a tempo run but it's 20 seconds per km slower than my 10 km pace. Both of the above runs are slightly different in pace but would put my heart rate around the 155bpm mark. I also picked up the pace for the last 2km in both runs. I once read that Mo Farah always recommended lengthening your stride at the end of your runs. If Sir Mo says that- I'm in! I think it's because of muscle memory. I always like to finish a run feeling like you've really pushed yourself as that is exactly what it feel like when you race, except the feeling is for much longer. 

Loop or out and back

The majority of my runs involve the completion of a loop. I have a few local runs stored up and pick one depending on the distance I want to cover. Most people do this- Set off and complete a nice loop- Job done. 

I would suggest that you consider an out and back run( I'm not sure of the correct terminology but it works for me.) I have a trail run near me which takes me exactly 5 miles from my home. It's hard going due to hills and the terrain but being 5 miles away from home gives you the push to kick on and return home for the full 10 miles. 

What I also do at the 5 mile mark is stop my watch, grab a drink, take on an energy gel, take a selfie (sometimes,) enjoy the scenery and complete a few stretches. I'll then start the watch and head back home with one aim: Beat the time it took to get out there. This then gives you a positive split and enables you to get a feel for the different paces. The positive split is what I also replicate in races so it makes sense to practise this when you can. 

I also find the out and back approach works well when I'm away on holiday due to not knowing the locality. I set off with a distance in mind and keep track of my running watch to see how things are going. Once I hit half way it's once again a good spot to stop and enjoy your holiday locality. Stopping isn't going to drastically impact on the run but does enable me to take in my surrounding and get a feel of how the body is doing. The important point is to not stop for too long. 

Other pointers:

1. Get to know your pace for different distances: I'm currently at 4 mins per km for 5km, 4:10 for 10km and 4:25 for half marathon. Knowing these is important as you can then tell how hard you are working on your runs. You can then alter your training pace to target different areas of your fitness. 
2. If something feels tight, stop and stretch.
3. Finish faster
4. If you are in a new place and want a loop why not use Google maps or the maps on the Ordnance Survey website found here.
5. Hydrate correctly and find a balance for your energy intake. I use a High5 energy gel per 45 minutes. Others often use isotonic drinks, sports drinks with electrolytes in them, sweets etc
6. After your run, don't go wild with the treats. You've worked hard but that does't mean you can use up those calories with junk. I often grab a glass of milk as I've read that it's a good option. It's also important to then have something for your protein intake to aid recovery. This doesn't need to be a protein supplement!  
7. Finish with a walk. I find that a 200m walk at the end lets everything flush out of the legs and gives your body a window to cool down. (Stopping at the door then entering a house with the heating on isn't much fun.) 

You will read lots of advice about the long run. For me, it's important that there is variety in whatever you do. Track your pace and enjoy the scenery and progress. Keep running. 

Running alone or in a group

Running alone or running in a group? It's not something I worry about too much but I wanted to take the opportunity to share what I feel are the benefits of both. 

The solo runner (me!)
Since I started running in 2014 I've predominantly run alone due to the flexibility that it brings. Family life and a busy job mean that set training opportunities are not a possibility so running alone became a natural response.
Running alone gives me the freedom to get out whenever an opportunity presents itself and also gives me the thinking space I need. You will often read that both of these are common factors for many runners who train alone. I also believe that an additional benefit of training alone is the flexibility of exploring new routes. I might have a set route in my head but could act on instinct and change things mid-run. This has helped me build up a large bank of routes in my local area which cover a variety of distances.
Whilst sticking to solo running, I'm fully aware of the negative aspects, however, I keep these at the forefront of my thoughts so they help spur me on. For example, not pushing hard enough in training: My response to this is to keep a close eye on heart rate. My heart rate monitor clearly tells me if I'm working in the right heart rate zone. If it's been a tough day at the office I have occasionally taken it easy during a run, however it is easy to glance down at my watch to see how hard the ticker is working. Usually this helps me react and lift things but there have also been times when I haven't been able to do this but I don't get too disheartened. It's just the impact of a busy day.
More info on heart rate zones (The link will take you to the detail on this if you require it.)
I also maximise my running opportunities: What I mean by this is that each run has a purpose. I never just go for a run. I might be out on a long run with the main aim of building aerobic capacity with a fast finish or it might be a Fartlek session working on speed sections. I find that having a purpose to each session keeps me working hard whilst helping me progress as a runner.
More info on Fartlek training

Running in groups

Park run time

The closest I get to running in a group is when I enter a race or take part in the local Park run. I'm sure many of you have a Park run nearby or know what they offer. If you haven't heard of it I recommend visiting http://www.parkrun.com/about/. Each Saturday at 9am, the Parkrun takes place at various venues across the country. Once you've registered (for free) and printed your barcode you are ready to go. 

For most of us, running is about bettering yourself and not beating other runners. Park run harnesses this approach and gives you a timed event to enable you to see how your 5km PB is going. It isn't a race, but having other runners around you definitely spurs you on to push harder. There are a whole range of running abilities on display with the vast majority of runners embracing the event by fully supporting others. 

Some runners aren't too worried about the time and take part to enjoy the experience. For me, I often use the event as a speed session or to see how my 5km time is progressing. At our local Park run they sometimes hold pacers week which I find particularly beneficial to hitting a personal best. 

Staying ahead of a pacer guy in a chicken hat helped me get under the 22 minute barrier! 

In addition to pushing harder, you also get to have a chat with other runners. People often turn up early to have a chat or warm up which means the event is far more than just a timed 5km run. There is a sense of community about the group and it is clear that it has helped form some strong friendships. 

Let's 'Pootle' together 

There are many informal groups who meet to run together. They often focus on steady runs that can include everyone. It is clear that this approach could be beneficial to help motivate runners to get out there and maybe help find other like minded runners you could partner up with for other runs. The sense of 'we're in it together' will no doubt help keep you motivated and possibly add a social dimension to your running. 

One key factor about these groups is that they are often inclusive which allows everyone to run with others no matter what level they are at. I know that I was quite cautious about attending a group run as I thought I'd be the slowest there and would feel silly. I can promise you that this does not happen in these groups. It's quite the opposite. 

My local group Pootle Facebook page meet on monthly basis and have also included effort sessions during the week to add extra impact. I believe that this offers an ideal setup for those runners wanting to run with others without the need to join a local athletics/running club. 

Find your local run together group by clicking here 

Joining a running/athletics club might be what you need to take you to the next level. I've considered it a few times but as I stated at the beginning, it would be hard to fit training sessions into my working week and I've become so accustomed to training alone. I can't add much about running in a club but I'm sure that the structured training sessions and access to skilled coaches would bring many benefits. 

In summary, I believe that a mixture of solo and group running would benefit us all. I've become so used to running alone that it feels safe and I've always had the motivation to keep going. I feel I'm at a point where group running could help me improve at a faster rate but I can't see it fitting into my lifestyle at the moment. I'm happy flying solo and browsing YouTube for advice and coaching. I hope this has given you a glimpse into solo and group running and would love to hear your thoughts about the topic in the comments below.