The Benefits of A Training Partner

Coach Rich and Rob at Chisago Lakes 2010 - a MUCH warmer day!

Friday was the last day of my training week.  I was feeling pretty beat up from a new cross-training endeavor (racquetball).  It was C-O-L-D.  Around 3 degrees with a brisk 10-15 mile an hour wind out of the north.

Earlier that week Rob and I had set up our usual Friday morning, kids are on the bus, meet up and run.  I hadn't really paid attention to the weather until Friday.

No turning back now, I told Rob I'd meet him so that's what I did.  I grabbed extra layers, spread on some Warm Skin (a product I got some free samples of ), loaded up the dog and off we went.

The first mile absolutely sucked.  Into the wind.  Hands turned to blocks of ice.  Neither of us were talking much (that usually doesn't happen until the end of a run).  Finally we turned away from the wind.  Hands warmed up.  Conversation, well, it didn't exactly flow, we're still guys.  But there was some conversation.  The miles went by.  Challenges were made.  "Top of the hill before we turn around."

We finished the run, exhilarated by our time in the frigid air.

Would I have headed outside Friday morning and done that run on my own?  I like to think I'm a disciplined trainer, a 2x Ironman finisher blah, blah, blah.  I don't like running when the wind chill is in the negatives.  I probably would have grabbed my ipod and headed to the gym.

I probably would not have gone as far and I definitely wouldn't have enjoyed it so much.  Training partners (and coaches) can help us keep the commitments we've made to ourselves and make it fun along the way.