WHEN THE RUNNING GETS TOUGH, GROUPS CAN GET YOU GOING

WORDS: SANDISH SHOKER

RUNNING GROUPS

The social aspect of group running makes it much more appealing for many

“The distances never seem quite as far when I’m running with other people”

Running with someone transmits the message, ‘If she can do it, so can I’

Going out running alone to get in your miles or to train for a race can be a lonely experience. And while it can help to clear your head and dust off cobwebs, the rise of social running, or being with a group, is becoming more popular. The number of people taking part in their local parkrun continues to rise; there are now enough races to keep you occupied every weekend of the year; and the number of people joining running clubs is growing, too.

But how can running as a group help you become a better and stronger runner? Is it the group motivation, or the pressure to keep up and not be the one holding everyone back, which keeps us working hard?

Women’s running groups, in particular, are booming. For women who might have felt too self-conscious to run, or struggled for motivation on their own, there are now groups of likeminded women gathering to run together and spur each other on.

“Running with someone else offers support without even having to say anything,” says sports psychologist Professor Andrew Lane. “Running with someone who is similar to yourself transmits the key message that, ‘If she can do it, then so can I’. This mantra is transmitted across many stages of the run – the decision to start, the pace and the difficult parts. It’s why it’s really important to run with people of a similar ability.”