Competitor - June 2017

The DownsiDes

You can push yourself too hard

“There are pros and cons,” Jermyn says.

“Certainly, competitive people can risk

pushing themselves too hard.”

That’s especially true if you show up for a

group run not quite ready for what you’re

getting into or you try to keep up with

people you have no business keeping up

with. That’s why Tuhabonye has people fill

out questionnaires about their fitness and

recent results, and even do a test to find

out where they’re at with it.

One size doesn’t fit all

Both CARA’s programs and Gilbert’s

Gazelles workouts are coached in-person,

with many of the athletes training for the

same race. That means the plan is both

created by a certified coach and struc-

tured for the specific race, with the ability

to make adaptations for an individual’s

paces or needs.

But not every running group has a coach;

many are simply informal collections of

friends. And even if there is a coach, it

doesn’t necessarily mean the workout or

the plan is the best one for you. (Although

it’s still better than no workout and no plan.)

Plus, by definition, along with doing a certain

workout, a group meets at a certain time and

place. All those things might be convenient

or right for you, or they might not.

You won’t learn to suffer alone

Training with a group is fun and pushes

you, but when it comes time to race, you

have to race on your own. There’s a school

of thought that sometimes you need to get

out there on your own and learn what it

takes to battle through the tough days.

All those issues are real, but Jermyn points

out that most elite athletes train in squads

precisely because they want the support

and company. The day-in, day-out grind can

be hard, and a group makes it easier.

“The best marathoners in the world all train

in a group,” Jermyn says.

GeTTinG sTarTeD

Before you lace up your shoes and

set your alarm clock, “do your home-

work,” Tuhabonye advises, to figure

out what group is right for you and

what is expected.

You can search for groups on the web-

sites of Road Runners Club of America

or USA Track and Field. You can also

ask at a running shop, talk to other run-

ners, or check out local race and expos.

Then you’ll want to talk to the person in

charge to make sure you know what to

expect—where will the route go, do you

need to bring food or water, what kind

of gear is necessary for this workout.

And it may take a couple tries to find

the group culture that’s right for you:

some are more performance oriented,

some are more laid-back.

If you do it right, “joining a group is

like joining a family,” Tuhabonye says.

That comes with all the good and bad

of a family.

Training 45

first lap

CM0617_T_FIRST LAP.indd 45 5/11/17 11:04 AM