The value of support

I got to thinking today "How important is support when you are running a race?"

To give a bit of context, I ran a race in January (as I started to write this...).  It was the Farnborough half marathon in Hampshire and it was good, f**king good actually.  I got a lift there so didn't have to drive or park, a bunch of my friends from Hook Runners were there running.

It was cold and wintry, really wintry. We were running in snow for a good deal of the distance and the air temperature was around 2 degrees.  It was the first half marathon of the year (it is branded as the "winter half marathon" and is organised by marathon hero Mike Gratton's excellent 2:09 Events company) so it comes hot on the heals of Christmas.

Now, I have run quite a few half marathons, 12 last year alone (see here), and probably 6-8 before that so maybe 20 in total.  Its sort of my primary race distance.

Some of those races have been solo efforts from start to finish - I've got up, driven somewhere, run a race and driven home afterwards.  Others have been a couple or a few of us, maybe even driving there together.

Lastly others have been club events where, as at Farnborough this year or Fleet last year there are a whole bunch of people from the club there - all different abilities, all different speeds, first timers, old hands, supporters who aren't running, kids, dogs, maybe even a great big banner flag thing!

Sunday 17th January at Farnborough was one of those big club days.  There were 4 of us at around the 1:40-45 pace, quite a few on their second half marathons aiming for around 2 hours, some making their half marathon debut - in a couple of cases having only taken up running a year ago and some that were running just for fun, or as part of a marathon training where the time mattered less than doing it and getting round in one piece.

I think most people had a good race.  I quite like running in rain (and snow) and I beat a previous PB that I thought was insurmountable - 1:43.43 might stand for a fair while.  There were a fair few happy faces with PBs or a sense of accomplishment too - too many to list, but they know who they are.

It did make me think though whether I prefer the big events where there is a whole group out or whether the quite races where you head off, do your thing, and then come back again is altogether simpler and perhaps less pressure to run well and achieve when there are others thrilling on the excitement?

Running solo can be good fun

I sort of don't mind running alone - I often do it in training, although on the long marathon training runs I do find it a bit tiresome.  BUT you can just get on with it, run at your own pace, change route, explore and stop for a wee if you want.  Races are similar; if you want to get there really early you can, if you want to cut it fine you can too.  If you want to celebrate with fish and chips on the beach (Bournemouth marathon I'm looking at you...) then you can.  Sometimes being master of your own destiny can be alright.

But there are some a big downsides - there's no one to chat to before hand (although you can often have a natter to other entrants), there's no one cheering you on: "Go Hookers!".
What would say though, is you need to be comfortable in your own company, be the sort of person who can think about and ponder stuff, likes looking around at things and, while music can help, enjoys a bit of peace and quiet.

In a race there are always people around cheering, handing out sweets, lining the streets etc. so it is not really that lonely - running solo races I really don't mind.  However, if you do succeed - a first time marathon or a PB on a familiar course; then it is really, really nice to have some people there that will say "Well done" and give you a pat on the back or a congratulatory (if slightly sweaty) hug or whatever.  In my opinion anyway.

Big group run outings

There are also those runs (or races) where there is a quote big group - in the Hook Runners calendar for example there are various cases:

• Local organised events - Often a whole bunch of people take part (Fleet half marathon and there Hook road races) - maybe 20-30 people.  As races there tends to be smaller groups running around, maybe one person pacing a couple of others - but the timed nature means everyone gets quite spread out and might not be very talkative anyway.
• Regular group runs - the big Sunday morning ones normally split into distance ability groups, but there can still be 12-15 people running the same route.  Much more social, these can be the makings of great conversations and deep friendships where actually you might be spending 2 hours in someone's company nattering about some random subject.
• Training sessions - these might have 20-30 people again, although the social space will tend to be a few snatched words during the rests and afterwards when everyone is trying to get their breath back without being sick.

These do have the advantage that both before and after you have got a good meet up period and often (certainly afterwards) a good chance to share the achievements of the day - whether it is a PB in a race, a nice consistent sets of splits or a particularly interesting encounter with wildlife.

Big vs Small (Solo vs Groups)

I've concluded that both are good fun, it can be nice to just head out alone with your own musings, or in a small group where there is someone to chat to about bathroom fixtures or what countries you've both been to.

If its a race where you are the only entrant that you know of, you can just get their in your own time, run it and enjoy it, get your medal and jump back in the car straightaway to get back (although after the Bournemouth marathon even driving an automatic was hard work).

However, it can also be nice to be "part of the gang" when your club or a larger group gets together and shouts and screams everyone else over the finish line - and the personal best you've just acheived can be celebrated properly by people, themselves struggling to remain standing up, giving you a hearty pat on the back!