MAY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 019WO
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WA R M- U P S MIND+HEALTH
SPLIT
TIMES
Can running ruin
your relationship?
YOU MAY BE WILDLY EXCITED about your
upcoming spring marathon, but have
you paused to consider how your
partner feels about it?
Recent research^1 suggests that
marriages in which one partner runs
marathons and the other does not
may hit the wall. The study suggests
that when one runner becomes
immersed in the running social world- Facebook groups, Twitter, blogs etc
- they may undergo a process of
identity transformation that leads to
the non-running partner feeling
alienated. So, what can you do to
keep your relationship fit and
healthy? ‘Create shared goals with
your partner so that you retain a
focus on your life together,’ says
Sam Owen, relationship expert
and author of Anxiety Free: How to
Trust Yourself and Feel Calm (Orion
Spring). ‘This can be as simple as
dining out or a weekend away after
the marathon.’ Meanwhile, encourage
your partner to make some time for
socialising or a hobby of their own;
research has shown that socialising
and taking up a hobby are activities
that can help boost happiness.5 RUNNING
COMMANDMENTS
Repeat after me: ‘I, the
runner in the relationship,
promise to always...’1 Express sincere gratitude
for the support my
partner is giving me.2 Share some (relevant)
details to include my
partner in my running.3 Create shared goals with
my partner.4 Encourage my partner to
enjoy their own hobby.
Maybe running? No?5 Be attentive when I am
with my partner so they
don’t feel second best.YOU SAID IT
31%
They
love it60%
They
tolerate it9%
They
resent it94
Percentage of couples
who stick to a
workout schedule
when they do it
together, according to
a recent study.^2
Which of these statements
best describes your
partner’s attitude to
your running?YOU CAN
HAVE YOUR
CAKE...
But you may not
be able to eat it