Running alone vs. running with company

Since graduating high school and after my brief stint with the cross country running club Freshman year of college, I have been doing all of my running alone. Just me and my iPod.

Since I began to seriously train for the LA marathon around this time last year, I've only done a whopping THREE runs accompanied by a friend!

Lately one of my high school team mates and superstar marathoner (2:50 marathon!) moved back home and we met up while I was out on a run. We were both excited to see each other again after such a long time. She said we should run together. I said, YEAH RIGHT! I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH YOU EVEN FOR 200 METERS!

But of course, amazing girl that she is I think she was just excited to see a familiar face again and be able to hang out while we do what we love. So of course I was excited to meet up with her and hit the pavement. It's been 3 weeks since then and we've only managed to get one 10 mile run together. We live only a couple of miles away which is great because we can just run out and meet up halfway and go wherever our feet will take us. But of course my stupid schedule has gotten in the way of us getting together again for another run.

Plus honestly, I don't even know how I feel about running with another person. It had been so long since I last ran with somebody else that it felt difficult to run and hold a conversation at the same time. I'm so used to just listening to my music and thinking about life stuff when I run. Plus I think that knowing that holding my pace for her probably feels like walking, kinda brought me down a little. Like I'm such a slow poke =/

On the one hand it's great obviously since it helps me push myself. Plus it's great to be able to talk to someone who is a competitive runner and ask for training tips. But it's also kind of stressful mentally for me because I can't seem to relax. Maybe it's just because I'm not used to it anymore. I just have to get over it and allow myself to have fun running with friends.

So this weekend if it all goes well, I might either do a long run with her or with another friend from college. They're both much faster than me...I have to get over that fact and just hope that some of that speed rubs off on me! Haha...