How Do I Keep Up with Another Person?

[Alaiyo]

After watching me run for 3 months (and going out once in a while with me as a cheerleader), my partner J has decided to do the program himself for real, from the beginning. I am thrilled beyond words! And I would love to support him and/or share some of this with him.

Here's the problem: he is naturally fast, and I am super slow. He has always been able to keep up with me on my runs by just walking alongside, or perhaps falling behind a little bit and jogging a moment to catch up - while I run continuously. I haven't any hope of running fast enough to keep up with him, and he wants to actually run at his natural speed. And it isn't a small difference - he could possibly be fully twice as fast as me, or nearly so.

Any ideas how I can participate or support his efforts? Unfortunately, I don't think I can bicycle alongside, because I tend to have frequent bike accidents. (And I can't ask him to slow down. The point of this is that he wants to learn to run himself.)

[tantrumbean Graduate]

Maybe you could use a fairly short circular route and do laps going in opposite directions, you'd probably end up crossing several times, but each of you could go at their own speed and you'd still be doing it together (sort off)... Not perfect, but I can't think of anything else...

[sfb350 Graduate in reply to tantrumbean]

I like this idea

[Anonymous36 Graduate]

Get some bike stabilisers!

[Tinyrun Graduate]

I am on Wk 6, though it's taken me a lot more than 6 weeks to get here and I feel the same about my speed. I am so slow that if anyone was walking very fast they would pass me! If he is starting from scratch, could you do the same runs as him, but with him doing them twice as fast as you? May be after a few sessions he could do the programme on his own? The idea of starting in opposite directions is a good one.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

I just love tantrumbean's idea of opposite short laps, I think that would be great fun and interesting too. Nice one.

[shelleymcb Graduate]

rollerskates!!

I run with my children & as they are much faster than me they run little circles in front of me while I catch up. saying that, they do slow down to a similar pace to me when they run longer runs (30mins).

perhaps his speed will slow down once his running time builds?

fantastic that he has caught the running bug

[Alaiyo Graduate]

Thanks everyone! It *is* really awesome that he has the running bug. I will discuss with him finding a route we can run in opposite directions, and keep my eyes peeled for some skates. Failing that, even starting with him to get him out the door, and praising him for a job well done is still valuable. I tried going out with him last night - I figured I could keep up doing week 1 run 1, but I wasn't even close, so I just waved at him a lot and when we got home I told him how proud I was.

[KANdoit]

When I first started OH kept me company (he's currently injured) after the warm up walk we ran in the same direction and then he would turn around and walk back towards me.

[Alaiyo Graduate in reply to KANdoit]

That's a good idea too. I will see if he likes that. Thanks!