Tips for Training and Racing With a Running Partner

Training and running with others has plenty of benefits, such as increased running motivation and improved race performance. But it’s important to talk about and carefully plan your training and race goals with your running partner. Here are some tips for having a successful experience training and racing with a running partner.

First talk about your goals.

If you both hope to run all or most of your training runs and the race together, you and your running partner should have similar goals. Whether your goal is to simply complete the race or run a specific time, you should talk about goals beforehand, so you’re both starting out on the same page.

Your goals don’t have to match up exactly, but they should be close enough that one person is not always struggling to keep up with the training.

Agree on a training plan.

Once you have a target race and a goal, choose a training plan that works for you both. Check out race training schedules for 5Ks to marathons.

Discuss “what if” scenarios.

Talk about what you’ll do if one of you gets injured during the training period. Does the other person still run the race, or defer to next year when you can run together? Do you pick another race that you can do when you’re both healthy?

Decide how much you’ll train together.

Discuss the training plan and decide how realistic it is for you to get together for runs. Maybe you’ll decide to run 2-3 runs per week with each other, or just do your long runs together.

Establish ground rules.

It’s good to set up rules, such as whether or not you can listen to music while running with each other. Are you always going to stay together during runs and races? Or will one person go ahead if the other person is not feeling it?

If you’re running with a very close friend or family member and you’re worried about potential conflicts, you may want to set up rules such as no criticizing, no blaming, or ignoring.

Be willing to make adjustments during the training and the race.

Once you get into your training, you may find that you need to make changes to your initial training and race goals. Make sure your goals still match up and, if they don’t, discuss what kind of changes you’ll make to your training and race plans.

How to Leave a Running Partner During a Race

At some point, you might find yourself in that awkward position of wanting to run faster than your running buddy during a race. So what’s the proper way to leave your partner behind without feeling like you’re abandoning him or her?

Here are some tips on avoiding hurt feelings and a messy race day break-up with your running partner:

Have a race plan.

Before the race, make sure you talk in detail about your race goals and strategies. If they don’t match up, don’t force it and change your plans just so you can run together.

If you’re on the same page, talk about how things may change during the race. Make sure you’re both open to the possibility of splitting up.

Be self-sufficient.

Don’t rely on your running partner for anything you’ll need during the race, such as energy gels, a running watch, or hydration. Make sure you’re both carrying everything needed for your race, so you won’t be without necessary items if you split up. You don’t want your partner to guilt you into sticking with her because she doesn’t have pockets to hold her gels.

Communication is key.

During the race, make sure you communicate openly with your running partner about how you’re feeling. Don’t be afraid to say, “This pace is too fast for me. You go ahead” or “I feel really good. I think I’m going to pick it up.” Before you take off or slow down, let your partner know what you’re going to do.

Enjoy the race together in other ways.

Running side-by-side in the race is not the only way for you and your running friends to experience the race together. Go to the race expo together, hang out at the starting line, and make sure you meet up to celebrate after the race.

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Running coach, avid runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.