Is it common to do all of your running alone?

pogpff wrote:

and sometimes you want to be alone, but the pair of runners up ahead or a half mile away are talking so loud, the peace and solitude of the woods are gone.

You could just wait for 3 minutes so they get far enough away to not matter or even briefly run in the other direction to add extra distance if you don't want to stop.

This is really only a problem if you have some obsessive compulsive need to cling to your routine.

I also frequently eat alone and when I worked nights, went to matinee movies alone. These are other things that seem to terrify other people.

IndyJ wrote:

I get up at 4, hit the door at 4:30 or so, alone before work, and that's that. I wouldn't even know who to run with if I wanted to.

I'm not quite as early as you--I normally hit the road at 5:00 am--but same here. I live in a small city, and in the course of a 90-minute run I rarely see more than 2 or 3 other runners, who are usually much slower than I even in my present state of decrepitude. The people I know who might be appropriate to run with either live some distance away or can't imagine running that early. So I go it alone

amkelley wrote:

IndyJ wrote:

I get up at 4, hit the door at 4:30 or so, alone before work, and that's that. I wouldn't even know who to run with if I wanted to.

I'm not quite as early as you--I normally hit the road at 5:00 am--but same here. I live in a small city, and in the course of a 90-minute run I rarely see more than 2 or 3 other runners, who are usually much slower than I even in my present state of decrepitude. The people I know who might be appropriate to run with either live some distance away or can't imagine running that early. So I go it alone

I'm a little later out the door in the summer, because my wife's a teacher and not working. During the other seasons, I have to be finished by about 6:30 to take over kid duty, except on Fridays the last few weeks of training, when the long runs reach the 18-22 mile stage. She gives me a little extra time.

I run alone exclusively. I like the ability to just get up and get out the door, without having to liaise with anyone. Plus I run early morning usually (5am-6am ish) so as to not take away family time... I don't know anyone around this neck of the woods that does the same. Oh and I actually like the time alone!

i run with other people occasionally (former teammates, run club etc) but id say at least 90% are solo. i miss some of the easy days shooting the breeze with people, but honestly prefer workouts by myself compared to when i was on a team. even though it's much more on me to be disciplined, and a group for sure pushes one another.... i've found that i only need to worry about my workout and hone in on what's best for me.

and on the rare polarizing workouts - great days nobody is holding me back (or saying i'm going too fast), and on bad days i'm not pressured to "race" to hit a pace that isn't meant to be that day. i was never one to race workouts in college, but the solitude is freeing.

I used to always run alone, and I still love running alone versus running with a group. However, my oldest daughter is now 13 and likes running, so I try to run with her as much as possible. I do not run as fast and as far as I would on my own, but I would not trade the experience of running with her in a million years.

Deer Runner wrote:

I used to always run alone, and I still love running alone versus running with a group. However, my oldest daughter is now 13 and likes running, so I try to run with her as much as possible. I do not run as fast and as far as I would on my own, but I would not trade the experience of running with her in a million years.

Forgot about this. A few times I have run a mile or a mile and a half with my 8-year-old son, although about half the time he quits mid-run because "it hurts so bad."

+1

Mostly I trained alone. Then you learn to hold your best individual paces.

I run alone in the off-season, and with my HS team in-season, and have found I get injured way more often when training alone. This is typically because I get bored running recovery miles without the company, and end up running everything too fast, then skipping stretches and strength work cuz its boring/inconvenient to do it by myself. If I had more self-control running solo might be a good option, but as of now it's rough.

I loved training with the lads in high school and college.

Everything from repeat 200s to repeat miles is easier with the group. UMass XC /track late 70s, geat esprit de corps.

Now, I prefer running alone. I do tempo runs for my hard workouts, and don't want to be bothered with anyone else's program. I'm a geezer who enjoys the solitude.

For several recent years, I did weekly runs with an ultramarathoner friend who is also a coach. I admit to really enjoying it. He helped me go from lifelong mid-D guy to half marathoner. Recently I moved away from the mountains so can't do that anymore and I do miss those runs.

I joined a club in my new town but have been too busy with family / work to do much with the club.

I enjoy the solo run every now and then but I prefer to have company whenever possible. Unfortunately,with my schedule, that is only like once or twice a week.

Deer Runner wrote:

I used to always run alone, and I still love running alone versus running with a group. However, my oldest daughter is now 13 and likes running, so I try to run with her as much as possible. I do not run as fast and as far as I would on my own, but I would not trade the experience of running with her in a million years.

Based on my observations, girls who run with their dads generally end up as better-adjusted women, are less likely to have eating disorders, etc. So get out there with her.