Saturday, January 20, 2018

Group Running

By: Nicholas Hamakami

Welcome back everybody! I haven’t posted since last year, but I still want to share my experiences of running with the community. Running has always been an individualistic sport, but it is without a doubt more enjoyable in a group. Group running helps to keep me on track, and it is one of the main reasons why cross country is so fun! There are many advantages to running with friends, and I see these benefits unfold in my daily practice.

Nothing gets me motivated more than someone to compete with right by my side. While this happens to be true, the real motivator is having a reason to go out and run in the first place. As Amby Burfoot states, “When you know someone else is going to meet you somewhere at a pre-arranged time, you feel a responsibility to be there” (Burfoot 78). This is true for a lot of different situations. Simply having a practice scheduled is enough to get me out of the house, and knowing my friends will be there motivates me to be on time. Group running helps with motivation, but it also impacts the sport itself.

Meeting up to go for a run!


A run with my friends with my friends can often become the highlight of my day. While running in its own is fun, it’s always nice to appreciate those around me. According to Amby Burfoot, socializing is an added benefit that can make running much more enjoyable (Burfoot 78). As Amby states, having others around can transform running from a simple sport to a hangout where I can be myself. Running with friends is very enjoyable, and it is probably the main reason why I continue to run today.

Cooling off with my friends!

Group running continues to motivate me to work hard, and I sometimes wonder where I would be without all support that I get from my friends. I know that my favorite part of cross country are the people around me, so I must ask: what are all your favorite parts of running? Do you enjoy feeling fit, or do you like the people on the team, just as I do? I look forward to hearing what you guys think, and I will continue to write about my experiences as a track athlete.

Source: Burfoot, Amby. The Principles of Running: Practical Lessons from My First 100,000 Miles. Rodale, 2004.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Nicholas! Running isn't always my favorite, but I definitely do it often. I've never really ran in a group before, but after reading this blog, I see that it could be really helpful and motivating, which has never occurred to me before. I for sure want to try running in a group with some friends some time. I'm not a track or cross country athlete, but I'm a swimmer and we often run to compliment our conditioning, but I'd say I enjoy both feeling fit and getting to spend time with the people on my team. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Hey Gaby, thanks for commenting! Even if you're not a track or cross country athlete, I would highly recommend running in a group. Group running is part of what makes running itself so fun!

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