Discussion: Training w/ Teammates

I was just curious how many people train in a group or how many prefer to train solo? I have not really trained in a group for about six years now. I kind of miss having partners to push and pull me along. Still, it's pretty nice to train when and where I want instead of trying to mesh with another person's schedule.

Frank, where do you usually train? Do you do map technical trainings, or mostly road and trail runs.

I also miss having someone to urge me to go out for a run. And I'm kind a lazy to sit down, select a mapped park draw a course and go out for a O-training run by myself. I think we should organize some informal weekend trainings that will be benefitial and fun for all of us.

On weekdays I ussually train alone, but on weekends it's quite nice and much more motivating to have several people go running, orienteering, etc...
Pushes you to not to be lazy and of course much more fun :)

i like both. but if i had to choose i would definitely go with group, but it all has to do with the size of the group too.
big groups it can be fun but sometimes there are people that just are not motivated for some reason or another and tend to drag the group down. but i feel best when i train with one or two other people about the same or slightly better physical condition for running i feel the best because they push me to run faster but not enough to exhaust my self. but as of lately there is no one around me that wants to run more than 5 miles daily so i have been running solo.

I train alone, but I strongly advise everyone to engage in a death match.

Nikolay, I mostly do road/trail running, but I would be up for some map training on the weekends...

death match can we do it in claymation

what is deatch match?

I think we should organize some informal weekend trainings that will be benefitial and fun for all of us.

Eric has been talking about setting up some semi-regular trainings in Seattle soon.

Oh my, claymation could give new and exciting meaning to the Deathmatch.

On topic: I train both ways. I think it depends on what you want to achieve with a particular training session. I tend to train solo when I want to push myself hard (although observers might argue that's a lack of pacing as well!) In-forest training to improve map reading/route choice tends to be solo, since I prefer to concentrate while doing that. Intense cardio workouts are another solo affair.

I find group training is better for LSD-type workouts. It's far easier to cover the miles while talking with friends, and easier not having to worry about who can do a 6:00 vs. 8:00 mile. Orienteering technique training is another good candidate for group workouts, especially if the group members have comparable skill levels.

Terry, Frank et al: around October of last year a group of us in MN started a regular "Tuesday Night Training." Each week one of us would organize an event - some with setup, some not. It varied from informal night-O courses to long trail runs. We kept it up through the holidays but slacked off a bit after the New Year. If you can get even a few weeks in with 5-6 people, it's a real motivator through the long winter months, and well worth trying even if it doesn't last as long as you'd hope. One day a week wasn't too difficult to coordinate, although we certainly supplemented it with solo training.

I find that I can push myself at least 5% harder when I train in the group even if it happens that I am fastest in the group. On average I aim for at least two group training sessions per week. Since we are on subject I realized that even when I go for solo runs I choose locations, routes where I would run into people. Up till recent years I used to listen to radio or tape while running (pre-MP3 player and early CD Player days) then one day had to leave portable radio at home because I run out of batteries. Interestingly enough I found that I enjoyed “quieter” run lot better compared to runs I was listening to music and since then I almost never listen to any music while running unless I am using treadmill at gym.

I almost never train with others. My most common training is to run in the woods by myself, preferably in places where nobody else ever goes. When I have trained with others, I haven't found it particularly more pleasing.

...cue the banjo music...:-)

i find it fun sometimes to go train in a group and take the group to a place that they would not normally go aka cliffs (1 to 1.5m). and then just run off of them like a normal o course and see what the other people do

when i said claymation i was thinking of celeberaty death match which was a claymation wrestling match where atleast on of the celeberaties died in the end

Gil, I'm with you on the lack of headphones. I like to stay aware of what's going on around me. On an urban/street run (although I try to avoid those), it's probably safer too. Plus, you don't miss any of the "colorful" comments and training suggestions from motorists.

I had forgotten about Celebrity Deathmatch - only saw it a couple times.That's not quite what I had in mind...

What is deatch (sic) match?

Well, I don't think I'll go too far into the Buckley-Frei death match here. You can search my training log for "death match" if you want the history.

On a serious note, before David and I started going after each other, we were both pretty average competitors. I suppose we're still a ways from "elite", but we certainly hold our own against the 40+ crowd. Usually one of us gets a bit ahead, the other goes nuts training to catch up and then cruises right by. After 20 or so such cycles, there's some pretty dramatic improvement.