GROUP RUNNING
In my late teens I lived and breathed Karate. This, though,
lasted no more than two years due to the fact I grew tired of
having to drive to a venue and I also became wary of the lack of
quality clubs. I was supplementing my Karate with running and
soon found the latter to be more personally rewarding and time
efficient. Eventually I shelved my plans to be the next Bruce
Lee and transcended into a Forest Gump like character.
I welcomed the solitude
Running solo was never an obstacle. I welcomed the solitude. Not
everyone welcomes the "loneliness of the long distance runner"
and preference is often given to the camaraderie that a running
group provides.
There was a controlled study a number of years ago. This
involved a group of athletes training at sea level, a group in
Canberra and a group at Thredbo (altitude).
A Time Trial was performed by all runners, at sea level, before
and after the 3 month study. Intentions from the study were to
try and identify if any particular group had significantly
improved more, therefore identifying the ideal training environment.
Results found that all three groups improved at the same level.
End result (and God knows how many dollars spent later) being if
you train in a group you are more likely to improve. Wow,
that's rocket science at it's very best!
As my Brisbane running group
(details here) continues to grow I have become
aware of the many positives which a running group can offer.
My guys are extremely positive and supportive
There is the obvious social aspect in spending an hour or so
with individuals who share a common interest. Fortunately I have
managed to attract individuals who are positive and extremely
supportive. We all play a small role in each others achievements
as it is often the spirit and friendliness of the group that
keeps bringing us together and developing those red blood
cells.
Apart from asking members of the group to be honest when
applying themselves I have no other requests, except, of course:
NO LEANING.
Sitting down or leaning up against a fence whilst waiting for
your next fast effort, to me, portrays a soft side of ones make
up which needs to be exorcised.
Recently a member of the group was caught leaning midway through
a session and was punished accordingly two days later. I made
Matt carry a giant version of Nemo on the warm up and warm down.
On this day we were doing hill reps up the Goodwill Bridge and
Matt ran his last effort with Nemo tucked firmly under his arm.
Ian, a fellow leaner, was also reprimanded and looked cute the
next week in a pleated hockey skirt.
I still enjoy the odd solo run however, there is no doubting
that training with a healthy mix of people void of any
overpowering ego's is rewarding. If you are in Brisbane you are
welcome to join. We meet Tuesday and Thursday @ 6.am, South Bank
end of the Goodwill Bridge.
Success breeds Success.
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