No Need for Speed

In the No Need for Speed column of former Runners World columnist John "the Penguin" Bingham, he'd often write about the benefits and joys of not pushing the pace.

When I think about his articles, I'm reminded that we're all slow pokes, but also that we're all speedsters, in the context of other runners.  And so I find it curious that so many of us, me included, sometimes label ourselves as too slow.

Too slow to run with certain runners we know.  Too slow to join a Flyers group run.  Too slow to join a relay race team.  While at the same time we encounter others who feel that we're too fast for them to run with us!  Although many runners are perfectly content with their pace, I suspect that's not the norm.

Seems to me there are big benefits from running with those who are faster, those who are slower, those who are same-paced, and from running solo.  So, that's what I'm writing about today.

APOLOGETIC RUNNERS

I bet that most of us, no matter how "fast" or "slow" we think we run, have had others tell us that they're too slow to run with us.  While they're intending to be considerate, it's kind of annoying to be told that, right?

Yet, likewise, I bet many of us have felt that same self-consciousness about running with another faster runner.  I have.  Runners often seem very apologetic when it comes to speed, I think.

Sure, many of us are very focused on our training, and look to run a particular pace during many, most or even all of our runs.  Yet, I know that for me, I'm often very interested in running with both faster folks, and slower pokes.

TRAINING AND RACING BENEFITS

One reason I actively seek out and try not to be apologetic for running with faster Flyers is for the training and racing benefits.  Running with someone speedier, or with a group of faster runners, helps to push me to work harder.  For example, one of the reasons I love joining Flyer Francine's flock whenever I can make it out for the Flyer Tuesday and Thursday morning group runs at 6AM is to get to chase after other runners.

Sometimes I can't keep up the whole time and fall back with some less speedy folks, and sometimes I fight through it and hang on.  Either way I know I gain from the fitness benefit of working harder than I likely would otherwise when I push to keep up with Flyers John W, Jack H, Sean J and others.  Maybe I'm slower than them, at least on some days, but they don't seem to mind.  And maybe I help to push them, too.

I also like to seek out faster Flyers to follow during races.  Last October, during Grete's Great Gallop Half Marathon, I spotted Christine M. who dragged me along for about 4 miles until I could no longer keep up.  She seemed to like (or at least not mind) my company, and running with her gave me a surge during the race that I likely wouldn't have undertaken alone.

Here's Chris, with no sign of this blog post author still in sight!

At last year's Brooklyn Half, I chatted with friendly Flyer Amy W. at the starting line.  She announced what I thought for me was an impossible intended race pace.  But I figured why not chase Amy for a little while (my wife and her boyfriend likely wouldn't mind :)  And, go figure, I tailed her all the way to a PR as we crossed the finish line just shy of the crazy goal she'd set for us.

Here's Amy, again with no sign of this blog author in sight (I'm just a few yards back!)

HOW SLOW CAN YOU GO?

I've also benefited from, and enjoy, running with slower folks.  For example, one Flyer who helped inspire this blog post very recently announced to me their expectation that I surely wouldn't want to run with them because I'd lose patience after 1/4 mile.  No way, Flyer J.  This is a Flyer with whom I enjoy talking and trading emails, but I don't otherwise get to see very often.  Of course I want to run with Flyer J!

Like many (most?) other runners, I tend to take my recovery runs and long-runs faster than prescribed.  Meeting up to run with a slower runner helps me to put on the brakes.  It's something I should do more often.

A week after my most recent marathon I was feeling pretty good, but had made plans to run with Flyer Lydia D. who made me promise I wouldn't push her to run faster than her 10 min/mi pace.  And although we ran mainly on the soft bridle path, during the last mile I felt a bit of foot pain.  Had I gone out alone or with someone faster, I'd surely have run harder, maybe on the asphalt, feeling the hurt sooner, and maybe even forced an injury.  And I'd have missed out on the fun of running with Lydia.

Then there's the Flyer who took me on a long-run via an interesting route through boroughs and over bridges.  Although I believe this Flyer may still think I didn't enjoy our run together, I surely did enjoy their company and our run.

No, I don't want to run with slower runners every time I go out.  Nor do faster runners want to run all of their runs with me.  But for me, running compatibility and fun can be found with slower runners on recovery runs, at the beginning of long-runs before I may go on ahead to speed up during the last few miles, during periods when I'm not training for a race, on fun-runs, and on adventure runs such as relay races.  For relays, I'd sure rather be cooped up in a stinky van for a day or two or three with a slower runner who I like a real lot than with a speedster who drives me nuts!

I also enjoy pacing people, whether it be as a guide for Achilles athletes, or during a race, or as one of the many Flyers pace-leading at the NYRR Long Training Runs.  Here's the link to sign up for LTR #1 scheduled for July.

For example, it felt great to offer encouragement to Flyer LK as we ran the last few miles of the Philly Distance Run together before LK crossed the finish with a PR.  And instead of racing a 2008 marathon, I paced a non-Flyer friend the entire distance to a Boston Qualifying time, which is something I know other Flyers such as Brian H have done for friends.  In Brian's case, that included shouting and swearing at his running partner when he came to a standstill about 100 yards from the finish!  Brian was likely nearly as elated as GW when the shouting worked its magic and GW found his inner strength to push through and get his BQ!!

I'll caveat that I don't always want to run with someone faster or slower, or with anyone at all.  I enjoy running alone, as I generally enjoy my own company.   And I nearly always manage to keep up with myself when I run alone (ha!).  I find it very meditative, and run alone fairly frequently.  But I also greatly enjoy running with others.  That's an important reason why I joined the Flyers, and why I now can't imagine not being a Flyer.

I don't plan to stop working hard to try to get faster, but I hope to keep in perspective that there are many times when there is No Need for Speed.  Chances are that no matter how hard I work, I'm not going beat Meb or Geb or Paula Radcliff in a foot race anytime soon.  So, my unsolicited advice to us Flyers, including myself, is to not be shy about running with faster folks, to reach out to slower runners who may feel uncomfy inviting themselves to join for a run, and to enjoy each run whether solo or with Flyer friends.  What do other Flyers think?  - Dave K.