Running alone vs running races

firlena227

Hi all, hope you're well just wondering what people's feelings are on running either on their own or with others - I mean things like parkrun/run clubs/organised races. I've been running on my own for a while, started with a walk/run/walk programme & built up to running 10k (slowly!). I don't really have a problem motivating myself to run and am a person that enjoys solitude anyway, plus we're lucky to live in some lovely countryside so I can always find a nice route. Today I did my first 10k organised race, and although I finished and got my medal, I've gotta say I kinda felt a bit underwhelmed! I don't know if I missed the point or what, I just thought I'd feel more of a sense of achievement from crossing that finish line, but I think I've actually felt more achievement when running on my own. My partner, who runs a lot more than me, says he feels like running in races motivates him to be more competitive which is what drives him, just wondered how others feel about it? Personally I think I'm just gonna keep trying to progress and improve on my own, but it was nice to have the experience of running in a race for a change

lekkerrun

Different strokes for different strokes . If you are happy doing your own thing then that's fine. Out of interest what was your time?

lorrpb

I am a slow runner and always get a thrill in the final push to the finish line! It's the one moment I feel close to a "real" runner/athlete! But mostly I like to run by myself.

firlena227

Haha slooooow... 1h 14mins! No walking though, I'm a tortoise not a hare!

SoDamnHungry

Whatever works for you. Initially, I would sign up for 5Ks because they would motivate me to run to train for them, and it was something fun to do with my sister, as we weren't very close. However, now I can slog through a 5k any day for my health, and my sister and I spend our time and money doing other things together.

MeanderingMammal

firlena227 wrote: »

Hi all, hope you're well just wondering what people's feelings are on running either on their own or with others - I mean things like parkrun/run clubs/organised races. I've been running on my own for a while, started with a walk/run/walk programme & built up to running 10k (slowly!). I don't really have a problem motivating myself to run and am a person that enjoys solitude anyway, plus we're lucky to live in some lovely countryside so I can always find a nice route. Today I did my first 10k organised race, and although I finished and got my medal, I've gotta say I kinda felt a bit underwhelmed! I don't know if I missed the point or what, I just thought I'd feel more of a sense of achievement from crossing that finish line, but I think I've actually felt more achievement when running on my own. My partner, who runs a lot more than me, says he feels like running in races motivates him to be more competitive which is what drives him, just wondered how others feel about it? Personally I think I'm just gonna keep trying to progress and improve on my own, but it was nice to have the experience of running in a race for a change

Motivation depends on many different things, and to an extent races can provide you with a reasonably objective assessment of how you're developing.

I quite enjoy races where I'll catch up with friends, probably not in the race itself but at the campsite and around the event. Races also give me a structure to my training. I know what my goal races are and design my planning around those. Whilst most of my mileage is on my own, that has a shape to it that's built around the events.

I'm not generally going to go and run for 12 hours for the joy of it, but I will in an endurance event. That also justifies when my long runs are.

Fwiw I've only done a handful of 10Ks and I'm not sure I get a huge amount from them. I treat Parkrun as a training opportunity, and a benchmarking exercise. I much prefer HMs and upwards and probably feel most satisfaction from marathons. I've got eight booked for next year.

TavistockToad

I run on my own, and absolutely love races for the sense of achievement.

Recently I ran a race with a friend which was loads if fun, we chatted the whole way round, but a totally different experience to racing to get a PB.

girlinahat

I guess it depends what you're after. I run most mornings on my own, but some occasionally run with my club - the runs are social and never fast, they're more about exploring the countryside and chatting, followed by the pub.

My first race was a 7.5k, on a really hot and humid day. I didn't enjoy it as I didn't know anyone there. The next couple of races (10ks) I found people to talk to. I don't race for speed, I do races for fun, and find people I can joyfully moan about the hills to. I'll never be a fast runner, but at least I AM a runner.

I tend to sign up for off-road races with generous cut-of times. That way I know it'll be a social event. Sure, there'll be people 'racing' but everyone else will get the same level of cheering getting to the finish.

As the training runs get longer, it gets harder to motivate and stay motivated when running on my own

spiriteagle99

Most of my runs are solo. I only race a few times a year, but I like having a goal to work toward and the event to look forward to. I enjoy racing because I discover the competitive side of myself when I race. I push myself much harder during a race than on my solo runs. I like getting new PRs and I enjoy getting age group awards. (I do small races and there aren't a lot of older women.) As Meandering Mama said, it also gives my training more focus. Instead of just going out and running whatever and skipping runs when I'm not in the mood, I run to get faster and to do better at my long races. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't do 2 and 3 hour runs if I didn't have a race to motivate me. I also like the social aspect of racing, since I do so much running on my own. I have a group that does 4 miles once a week, but otherwise I rarely see anyone when I'm out on the roads. I like being part of the running and racing community.

Pamshebamm181

I only run races. I could run alone but I don't like it, so I sign up to do some sort of race pretty much every weekend.

GottaBurnEmAll

I did one race and realized they just weren't my thing.

Everything I love about running has to do with it being "me" time early in the morning in my neighborhood or maybe at the local park. I just didn't feel the same way about it all in the race environment.

amtyrell

I need a goal to strive for. So I need races as goals. Now you might not need that in order to go train hard but it helps me.
They might not be your thing.
That is fine you should do you.

AnvilHead

Some people thrive on group/competitive environments, others prefer solitude where they can do their own thing. Nothing wrong with either, and no reason to feel like an anomaly because you prefer one or the other.

swebb1103

I can go either way. I love being on my own, just me and my music, but I also love being part of a group run, too. Whatever works for you!

JoLightensUp

I'm another one who just enjoys the solitude. I can't run at the moment - I miss it and hope to get back to it - but when I was, the idea of running races didn't appeal to me at all. I just loved getting outdoors and running. I couldn't even tell you my pace or times as I didn't keep track.

I enjoy the meditative aspect of it, if you know what I mean. I enjoy other exercise but (for me anyway) there is something unique about running.

dewd2

I can't remember the last time I ran alone. I almost always train with friends. It keeps me motivated (some are faster than me) and it keeps me accountable.

Now it is a different story when I race. Even though I'm in a crowd, I put my headphones on and ignore everyone. I'm usually there to go as fast as I can. I save the socializing for the after the race.

bendyourkneekatie

I run to be alone and clear my head and for fitness and so I can eat more.

But I love the challenge of a race, designing a training plan, and the feeling of accomplishment having completed it. So out of the hundreds of runs I go for each year, a handful of them are races.

ContraryMaryMary

I really enjoy running alone, however, I can never push myself quite as hard as when I do an event - especially the longer ones, so I do a handful of 10ks and a couple of halfs a year for that reason.

jjpptt2

There's no right or wrong answer here... run however you want to run for whatever reasons you want to run. Personally, I agree with both of you, and like both aspects of running (solo is great because I can zone out and decompress mentally, racing is great because of the competitive atmosphere).

Jthanmyfitnesspal

I bet you could get your 10k time under an hour!

(This sort of thinking is where the motivation comes from.)

DX2JX2

I enjoy running alone but do sign up for races every now and then to help give my workouts focus. It's also nice to get into an environment that forces you to your limit every once in a while.

That said, one of the things I love about running is that it's all self-motivated. I have the freedom to run as fast (or slow) and as long (or short) as I want on any given day. This basically means that my workouts are never chore because I do what I want when I want (which just so happens to be a fairly regular 20-25 mile per week schedule).

Races ruin that for me a little bit. While running a tempo 5K or an easy 10 miler can be a joy to me during an informal workout, having a 'set' event on my calendar that has to be done can be annoying. Sometimes I don't feel like tapering before a race, sometimes the weather really sucks, or sometimes I just don't feel like running at pace on race day (and if I don't run at max pace, then why not just run for fun (and for free) on my own?).

Couple that with having to run in crowds and I can take or leave organized races. I'll still do a couple a year to see how I'm progressing but they're not the joy in running for me. The story might change when I do a couple of larger races (more festival-like atmosphere) next year but organized races aren't a critical thing on my agenda.

jgnatca

I'm an introvert who likes being around people as long as I don't have to interact with them. So races are perfect.

fitoverfortymom

I like running races, and for a long time I was really into just running by myself for my own edification. I really do like the competition aspect of it, so I'll keep running races as I find the race distance I'm most comfortable with. I definitely run faster at races, so it helps me see the payoff to all the training I do.

@DX2JX2 Lol @ easy 10-miler.

Really it's up to you on what feels best to you. I'm not sure I'd have the confidence to join a running club or anything, although I do see the value in that. I have a bit of social anxiety, so the whole notion of making new friends when I'm 43 is completely terrifying.

DX2JX2

fitoverfortymom wrote: »

@DX2JX2 Lol @ easy 10-miler.

I know, right? I remember when 5K felt like an achievement.

That said, I haven't done an easy 10 in a while. I really do mean easy when I say easy and 10 miles seemed like it took forever, no matter how interesting a podcast I had loaded. About an hour (roughly 7 miles) seems to be my sweet spot for now since I'm not training for anything specific. Short enough to stay fun and long enough to feel like more than my normal daily runs.

firlena227

Thanks for all the responses guys, it's really interesting to see what different people's motivations are and how everyone feels about things.

Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »

I bet you could get your 10k time under an hour!

(This sort of thinking is where the motivation comes from.)

Haha this is exactly what my partner says! But he's super motivated by trying to get a new PB whereas for me the achievement was actually being able to run 10k in the first place, I do aim to improve my speed but am not in a rush, I'm pretty chilled!

dbanks80

I am not a fast runner but when I run races I am faster than running by myself cuz others around me pushes me. But I don't like run clubs or running with others because I enjoy the peace and solitude and I enjoy running at my own pace and not dealing with trying to keep up with others.

collectingblues

My training runs are solos but I love races -- not small ones, but really big ones with 10K+ runners. It's an amazing feeling to be part of something so large, and know that you've got something in common with all those people. I joke that the only reason I train is so I can do races.

I mean, I still do smaller things like our Y's Turkey Trot (but even that has 4300 runners), but I've found that the vibe at larger runs is just amazing.

MeanderingMammal

collectingblues wrote: »

My training runs are solos but I love races -- not small ones, but really big ones with 10K+ runners.

Argh, sounds horrendous.

The races I enjoy are 400-600 runners, but they are trail as well.

GottaBurnEmAll

JoLightensUp wrote: »

I'm another one who just enjoys the solitude. I can't run at the moment - I miss it and hope to get back to it - but when I was, the idea of running races didn't appeal to me at all. I just loved getting outdoors and running. I couldn't even tell you my pace or times as I didn't keep track.

I enjoy the meditative aspect of it, if you know what I mean. I enjoy other exercise but (for me anyway) there is something unique about running.

I totally know what you mean about the meditative aspect of it. Though I listen to podcasts or audiobooks, one half of my mind is always zoned it. That time spent zoned out is very therapeutic.

collectingblues

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

collectingblues wrote: »

My training runs are solos but I love races -- not small ones, but really big ones with 10K+ runners.

Argh, sounds horrendous.

The races I enjoy are 400-600 runners, but they are trail as well.

Eh, different things for different people. I hate the feeling of being isolated/isolating on long races. I'm not fast, so if there's more runners, there's a pretty good chance I'm not one out of 10 people going along at my pace.

That, and in my area, the big races tend to attract more community members who come out to cheer, and who stay the whole thing. That's amazing to me.

spiriteagle99

I've never done a really big race. My biggest was a little under 1000, and we lost 800 of them when the HM split off. I'm signed up for a really big one next spring (30,000) and I'm not sure how I'll do with that kind of crowd. People say the support and excitement are incredible. I'm a bit concerned that the sheer noise level is going to be overwhelming for someone more used to solitude and silence.