It’ll support your performance whether you’re running a 5K or ultra.
Running provides some much-needed solitude for introverts and peace and quiet for parents of rambunctious little ones. But sometimes, it’s worth transforming an isolating running experience into a social one: Tackling your upcoming race — whether it be your first or your 15th — with a partner at your side can improve your training and performance.
In the weeks of training leading up to the event, a race buddy keeps you accountable, says Angela Rubin, a Precision Run coach at Equinox Chestnut Hill. New runners prepping for their first 5K, for instance, might struggle to get out of bed and head out for a run when their 6 a.m. alarm sounds. But having a friend waiting for you at the park will keep you from hitting that snooze button, she says.
A race partner can also make a typically tortuous training day feel like a walk in the park. “I had a good friend in California, and we would go and do, like, 20-mile training runs together,” says Rubin. “It would just fly by because we were just chatting about life — in some ways, it was kind of like a therapy session — and getting our endorphins flowing.”
And research backs this up: A 2022 study found that when a person has more running partners, they also participate in more running sessions ahead of a race. Plus, running with a person with whom you can self-compare is important for motivating running frequency, the authors stated.
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Come race day, a buddy — particularly a runner more experienced than you — can keep you motivated and on track toward your pace goal. Say you’re participating in your first half marathon and are striving to hold a 9:15-per-mile pace. Running alongside a friend who can easily manage an 8:30-per-mile pace for that distance can help you stay on track toward meeting that goal, especially as you begin to fatigue. Rubin has even had friends drop in and tackle a few miles with her as she competed in ultra-marathons, helping her hit the checkpoints on schedule and avoid being pulled from the races.
There’s a safety benefit, too. For newbies in particular, an experienced race partner can remind you to sip some water, munch on an energy chew, or dial back your intensity when you may not realize you need to.
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Logistics aside, training and racing with a partner — whether it be on a hilly, exhausting course, in perfect conditions, or on a 50-mile trail — creates bonds that can’t be formed elsewhere.
“For me, running is all about building relationships, it’s about that camaraderie with your fellow runners,” says Rubin. “Running is a very emotional journey, something that can make your friendships so much stronger. My running friends have seen me at my absolute worst. And it builds that bond even stronger because…when you're doing a race and you're physically exerting yourself, it comes to this point of being a survivor, [but you have] those people around you to help support you and experience it with you.”