Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned runner, group running has some surprising benefits. Become a better athlete by running with the pack…

Words Claire Chamberlain

The thought of running with a group may seem alien if you’ve only ever run solo or if you’re a beginner. What if your paces don’t match up? What if you don’t want to chat constantly? And the one many runners fear: what if you get left behind by everyone else?

However, many of these concerns will be allayed once you find a like-minded group and start running together. And what’s more, there are so many brilliant benefits of group running: benefits you miss out on if you only ever head out to train by yourself.

The accountability factor

One of the biggest bonuses of group running is the fact that you have people holding you accountable for your running. Even the most dedicated runners have days when they experience that little voice in their head telling them to skip a session, simply because the thought of staying home is more appealing. But when others are counting on you to show up, it’s far easier to mute the internal voice and get out there.

“If you make a commitment to other people to turn up, it’s much harder to back out,” agrees Mel Bound, founder of This Mum Runs (thismumruns.co.uk), a peoplepowered, community-first organisation that holds weekly group runs across the country. This motivation to get out there can help to power you through even the bleakest winter days or dark evening runs – no-one wants to be the person to let the rest of the group down.

Then there is consistency. Juggling work, family, a social life and running can mean something has to give, but when you’re part of a running group and have that weekly session firmly in your diary, you know you’ll get at least one run in per week, even if you’re forced to skip others sometimes.

Beginner benefits

As a beginner, joining a group can seem daunting. But if you make sure you join a group that caters for beginners (either specifically or as part of their wider community), it can work as a huge source of inspiration.

“When you’re first starting out, there are so many unknowns and things to think about – what to wear, where to run, how far to run and thoughts like, ‘Why does this feel so awful?!’” says Mel. “Joining a group means meeting others in the same boat, who are facing a lot of the same challenges – kindred spirits who make you think, ‘Oh, maybe I can do this.’ When you all start out together and overcome the same hurdles together, you both give and receive encouragement, and the overall experience is so much easier.”