Ten Reasons To Run With A Group!

Have you recently gotten the motivation to start running but you're not sure where to begin? Have you been running for a while but need some motivation to keep going? Are you looking to get more excited about running?

If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions above then keep reading. If you didn't answer 'yes', keep reading anyway, you've gotten this far, might as well.

Just a few of the awesome people who I run with! Notice the smiling, happy faces. :)

10 Reasons to Run with a Group!

1. Safety
 'Safety in numbers' isn't just for when you're camping with a machete-wielding psycho! I actually run with a friend who is known to wield a machete from time to time so I feel extra safe with her. True story.

2. Socialization
Life long friendships are often formed while running. Plus, runners are usually happy people who, oddly enough, won't judge you for drinking beer at 9am after a race.

3. Motivation
Positive peer pressure is a good thing. Running with others can give you that extra bit of motivation you need to keep going the next mile. When you run alone it's easy to quit before you really need to.

4. Accountability
When you know people are waiting on you, expecting you to be there, you are less likely to skip your run.

5. Statistics
Statistics show that when you have a group of support, you have a better chance of achieving your goals. Did you know that 78.3% of all statistics are made up on the spot?

6. Anti-boredom
Running can be boring at times. Especially if you are just getting started. Running with a group tends to make the time and miles go by much faster.

7. Knowledge
You learn so much from other runners. More experienced runners have a wealth of knowledge to share. Everyone is different, has had different experiences, ran different races, maybe experienced different running injuries. Soak it up!

8. Inspiration
You never know who YOU might inspire. Trust me when I tell you that it is incredibly rewarding to have someone tell you that you have inspired them in some way. It's really a great feeling.

9. Faster Pace
According to Fred: "It's like race car driving. Drafting. If you get close enough to the person running in front of you, you can use the air to pull you along." Of course he was joking but it cracked me up when he said it so I put it in. There is truth to the speed part though. If you run with someone who's pace is a little faster than your's you will often run faster too.

10. FUN!
Running with friends can turn exercise into a really fun experience. I can't think of one single group run where I didn't laugh along the way.

If you don't have anyone to run with, find a running group in your area. You can do this by doing a quick internet search, checking with your local park district, or asking at a local gym or running store. If all else fails, grab some friends and start your own!

Peace, Love, Happiness!

~Bekah