[QuixoticNotions]

I have decided this goes here. It might go elsewhere. Feel free to move it if it does.<br><br>
Do any of you run with groups for part of your training?<br><br>
Should I go run with a group?<br>
Will they all be way too fast for me, except the beginning groups (who are going too short a distance for me)? Will people point and laugh? <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
What do you like/dislike about running with a group?<br><br>
I saw this <a href="http://atlantatrackclub.org/at08002.htm" target="_blank">http://atlantatrackclub.org/at08002.htm</a><br>
I'd be more likely to showup if I could email questions. I hate the phone. Ech.

 

[The Divine Miss M]

I LOVE my running group, the New York Flyers. <a href="http://www.nyflyers.org" target="_blank">http://www.nyflyers.org</a> It's not only been good for my running, but I've made a bazillion friends through the club. We do tons of activities outside of running and the club is huge, so there's never really a problem finding someone to run with regardless of pace.<br><br>
The only way to know if Atlanta TC is the right club for you is to give it a try. Definitely contact them with your questions. The contact page has a load of email addresses if you don't want to phone.<br><br>
Good luck - hope it works out for you.

 

[Floridaboiler]

There are a group of us at work that try and run together depending on our work schedule. We all seem to head out at the same pace but as people get warmed up and depending on each persons training plan they might speed up and do something else.<br><br>
I have found that running with the group makes me work harder and even though they were faster at the start there were a few that were my pace adn I slowly worked my way up to the main pack.<br><br>
Go For it!!<br><br><img alt="headbang.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/headbang.gif"><br><img alt="surprised.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/surprised.gif">ccasion5:

 

[equinox marathon 43]

I don't run with a group. Have often considered it, but I'm too much of a tight-wad to join a running club. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[Tithers]

There's always my club...<br><br><a href="http://www.getfit-atlanta.com/page5.html" target="_blank">http://www.getfit-atlanta.com/page5.html</a>

 

[roots]

I have a regular road marathon group that meets every Tues/Sat. They are an integral part of any or all running success I may have had. I also have a less formal trail running group on Sunday morning. We met through our local store.<br><br>
Running a season with a group towards a common race goal has been lots of fun. Friends discovered, for sure. Part of the fun is the post-run socializing, such as breakfast, or a dinner after the group run.<br><br>
The most beneficial aspect of group training, for me, is that quality workouts (interval or tempo) are easier with others. Its easier to push harder or further when others are suffering along with.<br><br>
That track club sounds cool. The first running club I joined put on a series of road races. Volunteers always welcome and that's how I met most of the people in the club.<br><br>
Good luck. I hope you find your group. Admittedly, not everyone is a joy to run with. Keep looking. Once you do find your group, its a beautiful thing.

 

[sierra]

Heather, I moved this to the "The Race" forum. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[merigayle]

I run with a group one day a week, but only because of my work schedule, I would love to run with them more often.<br><br>
At first i was always getting left behind, but i found a few folks who ran my pace and we run together. I know there is another local group and their *slow* group runs 8 min miles. Just contact the groups and ask them how thier group runs work and the average paces run.

 

[sistergoldenhair]

I run with the group I co-lead once a week. Sometimes a few of us informally meet up on weekends -- we did that more when we were training for the Shamrock races. This group is mostly made up of very casual runners, and I think I'd benefit from finding a group of slightly more serious or advanced people. That's the large running club based an hour away, but I'm considering joining in once a week.<br><br>
Good stuff: I've made a few good friends through my small group and it's definitely helped my running to work on tagging along with the faster people. It's a lot of fun to see fellow members finish their first Half or full marathons! I also had a great long run partner for Shamrock and we both benefitted from doing most of our long runs together.<br><br>
Bad stuff: When I'm training for marathons, the weekly runs get to be a chore. The distances aren't long enough for my typical training, and the runs start later than I'd like. Some of the people get on my nerves a bit, but that's with any group. The person I co-lead with has more or less bailed on being a run leader due to a change in her husband's schedule, so now I feel like I'm at every group run w/no backup if I'd need to miss or something.

 

[rhody92]

I belong to a running group and there's no question it's helped my running. I have to drive 30 minutes to any of the group runs, so I don't make it more than once a week (usually for a weekend long run and not very often for the weeknight runs). It's great to have company for long runs and to have other people to train with who are targeting the same races. The biggest help is that most of my usual running partners are much faster than I am, so I like to run with them to push myself.

 

[Alex]

That's the sad thing about living in small towns, missing out on cool stuff like this. I would run with team mates but I don't think really any of them run when not told to by the coach. <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"><br><br>
Besides I run with them enough in practice, but it would be cool to run with other people that I don't see all the time.<br><br>
Alex

 

[Grizzly]

Been asked to lead a running group by a local store. Will be training them for Melissa's Road Race, a local favourite held in Banff in the fall. All newbies. Should be fun.<br><br>
Otherwise, well, I run alone. I used to do that because I felt self-conscious about pace, but that isn't the issue anymore - scheduling is.<br><br>
Also, I enjoy the peace and quiet of long runs on my own. Not that I wouldn't have welcomed company - I've offered that for people training for marathons and ultras - but it just wasn't available.

 

[Flounder]

We have a wide variety of runners in our Sunday group - Although sometimes the really slow don't partner up.<br><br>
Tuesday - It is a really slow group - I do this as a recovery run<br><br>
Just need to find the right group.

 

[GaRebelRunner]

The big advantage of being part of a running group is the motivation they give you to get to your running venue for the run. In the winter time I really struggle to get out of a nice warm bed to go running.<br><br>
Nevertheless I'm back to running on my own now so weekends will be at Stone Mountain beginning between 6am and 6:30 for 10 plus mile runs.<br><br>
I have to run in the afternoons so with the current smog level I may be forced onto the treadmills at LA Fitness Tue, Wed, Thur. Otherwise about 6:00pm you'll find me at the Tucker High School track.