The Store of a Lonely Runner

THE STORY OF A LONELY RUNNER
- a commentary from Leslie

I went for an early morning run the other day. This is the first outdoor run I've done by myself in several months - almost a year even. I've run most of my mileage at the Health Club on the treadmill or with my running buddies from the HHC running club out at the Red Bud park.

Running solo instead of with my friends was perhaps one of the loneliest feelings I've ever had. I got it done, but when I was finished, I told myself that I would never do it again. I don't care how torturous the treadmill seems, at least I am surrounded by people I can wave at or harass into running with me. I can watch the staff in progress as they help the members and train their clients. I can enjoy the thump of the music from the Art of Strength class going on behind me and the yell as the members encourage each other on. I can scope out the members as they walk through the door and predict which class they are visiting that day.

It makes my heart happy to see the life that goes on inside the club and to work out amongst others who are investing in themselves.

My lonely run, on the other hand, was made even more solemn as I was passed by car after car driven by poor souls who wore scowls on their faces as if they were driving to doom's day. I thought how sad it was that perhaps they didn't have such a great group of people as those at the HHC to look forward to sometime in their day. The only part of my training that I had any sort of company in was the last little bit on the outskirts of town as I passed a field with cows in it. You know what's sad? I was comforted by their presence. I had to chuckle to myself, and as soon as I made it to work, I emailed my running buddies and told them that I was never going to run without them again - and I haven't!

I bring this up because my experience reminded me of the power of working out in groups. Running, is of course, by nature, a pretty lonely sport. Most inspirational running posters are those of a lone athlete on the edge of a massive city or on the crest of some beautiful landmark out in the middle of nowhere. I have to admit that being a part of the Health Club with the group exercise department, the training team, and the Art of Strength classes has kept me honest about my workouts. If it wasn't for the friends that I look forward to on a daily basis, I might not be as consistent with exercise as I'd like to claim.

There is strength to numbers. I've reported on multiple occasions that eighty percent of people prefer to work out with others. Our group Exercise check-in's are a great example of this fact. Last month, over 60% of the people who walked through the doors attended a group exercise class. Others worked with a trainer, did Pilates, participated in an Art of Strength class, or - even more simply - came in with a friend and exercised together.

Scan through the Internet, and you'll find report after report of how exercising in groups increases the changes that a person will stick to their exercise program. One study I found the other day talked about how lab mice who ran on a wheel alone on a regular basis had higher physical evidence of stress (higher heart rate, blood pressure) when exposed to stressful situations than those who ran on a wheel with others in the same cage. So the mice who exercised in groups had lower stress levels and recovered from the stressful incident (such as putting the poor little guys in icy cold water and making them swim) than the mouse that exercised alone!

Interesting, isn't it? Studies are now suggesting that not only does exercising contribute to good health, but exercising with others has an even greater effect on health improvement.

So, thank you to the members who work out in with me in classes, to my running buddies, my clients that I run and work out with, and to the others who push me to work my best in Art of Strength. You make me healthier!

There are individuals who thrive on working out alone. For some, it is a chance to escape, to have an opportunity to turn their thoughts inward and focus on their bodies. As long as they can stick to their routine, I applaud these strong souls. As for me, I don't trust myself to go the journey alone. One Runner's World contributor is known for ending each of his stories with the phrase, "Waddle on, Friends, waddle on." Whether going fast or slow, cycling hard or doing my best in Step, grunting with buddies in AOS or woo-ing my Chi in Flow, I will waddle on with Friends. Together, we waddle on!