Is it common to do all of your running alone?

No, it's not common. My training partners and I laugh at you for running alone every time we pass you.

I probably had a stretch of 5000 miles run without a training partner. Pretty normal for post college runners.

I have run every run alone except races since I started back running 2 years ago. I prefer it.

I would not worry about it. Some might find it helpful to have others push them in workouts, but it is not necessarily needed.

However, I do all my running alone so I might be biased. I do remember once reading a quote that, paraphrasing, went - " Whenever I see six runners training together, I see five runners training at the wrong pace". I feel that when I was younger especially it was easy to fall into the trap of racing workouts, so training alone works for me in that way too.

Another solo runner here, at least 99% of the time. It would be nice to have a group for things like track work but otherwise I kind of enjoy it.

I primarily train alone and have since graduating from college. In grad school I would occasionally run with a classmate or my roommate. Now a days (I am in my early forties) I will do an occasional weekend run with a group, some work friends, or some folks I've met trough running local races. But, my work / life schedule is such that I do all my runs so early (6 am on weekends, 4 am on weekdays) that most people don't want to get up that early. Initially after college, I missed training with other people. Now I am use to it but I do enjoy my occasional run with friends. It's also nice to have company / some one to chase / chase you during interval sessions or tempos--but, unfortunately, I wind up do my most intense workouts alone the majority of the time.

Sasquatch wrote:

However, I do all my running alone so I might be biased. I do remember once reading a quote that, paraphrasing, went - " Whenever I see six runners training together, I see five runners training at the wrong pace". I feel that when I was younger especially it was easy to fall into the trap of racing workouts, so training alone works for me in that way too.

This x10000. If your'e good enough, your interval or tempo training is dialed in enough that anything more than +/- 5 seconds from your pace is poor training. How many people do you know that are exactly at your ability?

The only time it makes sense in a larger group is easy running since the pace of an easy run can be as wide as 60 seconds for some runners.

I run and train alone. It's no big deal.

I do all of my running solo as well. I can get in my groove and just go. On the rate ocassion that I’ve run with someone it has stressed me out.

Runnerchx44 wrote:

I do all of my running solo as well. I can get in my groove and just go. On the rate ocassion that I’ve run with someone it has stressed me out.

I do feel like I can relate to this, in terms of getting into your own groove. I've had some long runs where I've felt like I shut my mind off to the point where I pretty much blacked out and then came back to, when the run was over; kind of like Will Ferrell in "Old School" during the part when he finishes the debate. This would never happen with a running partner. However, it would be nice every once in a while to have somebody to keep you company.

Karl Hungus wrote:

I run and train alone. It's no big deal.

And then you immediately go on Craig's List to post your latest "missed connection"

I have been a runner for about 40 years, running pretty much every day except when injured, and I'd say I've done close to 99% of those runs alone, and more than half of the other 1% were races. Like other respondents, I don't think this is at all unusual for adult runners who are serious, i.e. who train to try to get better rather than as a social event. And by the way, I'm female.

if you are an adult with a job it just seems like the stars have to align to be able to have a training partner: schedule, pacing, compatibility, etc.

I used to train alone and do races with others. Mostly because the guys I knew didn't have the same schedules. When I raced competitively I liked to train alone. When I got slower, company helped.

I do all my training alone and actually prefer it. My job requires me to talk 10 hours a day non stop to people, so running is a time where I can just relax and shut my brain off. Sure it's nice to run with people every now and then, but I like running alone.

John Utah wrote:

if you are an adult with a job it just seems like the stars have to align to be able to have a training partner: schedule, pacing, compatibility, etc.

This is true. I do most of my runs at 6am and it's just too hard to make everything work. Track workouts would be easier to coordinate but it's hard to find people running the paces as me. I have some faster and slower friends but none at my pace. And I really like running alone for the most part.

Once every few months I'll do a 10-12 miler with some friends that are usually marathon training and those runs are awesome. The run ends up feeling like a 5 mile jog. It's a nice way to occasionally break up the solo runs.

Let's be honest wrote:

And then you immediately go on Craig's List to post your latest "missed connection"

I'm not on trial here.

It's been 13 years since I have went in a run with someone.

This is right wrote:

This is true. I do most of my runs at 6am and it's just too hard to make everything work. Track workouts would be easier to coordinate but it's hard to find people running the paces as me.

The beauty of track workouts is that no matter the speed, distance, or purpose all my buddies finish at the same place, at basically the same time.