With a Little Help from My Friends

When I moved to Saint Louis in 2009, I couldn’t run a quarter of a mile without stopping. After about a year of running (and hating running), I tried a 5K. It was the first time in my life that I ran 3.1 miles straight without stopping to walk. The only reason I was able to do that is because my running buddy encouraged me the entire way. As much as I loved that free T-shirt and banana, the camaraderie of running really got me hooked. 

The following year, I ran my first full marathon. My running buddy was injured, so I trained alone and I ran it alone.  It was hard.  I’ve now done seven full marathons and am training for two more this fall. Those subsequent races were so much easier, not because I had already run the distance, but because I joined a training team. 

When I started running with the Big River Running fall training team, I was terrified I would be the slowest person there, and that I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I’d also be running for miles with people I didn’t know, on routes I didn’t know. If you are considering joining a training team, either through Big River or through another organization, here is what to expect:

• Embrace the opportunity. The first day of training is a little chaotic. There are a couple hundred people planning to run various distances and at various paces. A lot of people already know each other, but there will also be a lot of people who don’t know anyone. If you have no idea where to go or what to do, ask someone.  Runners are generally happy people who love to recruit new runners. And talk about running.  And we want everyone to love running as much as we do.  Most of us are not superstar runners.
• Have an idea about what pace you run. Usually pace groups are broken down by minute or even by 30 second interval. So if you run 11:15 minutes per mile, join the 11-11:30 group. Groups range from super speedy to walk/run. There will be people running all distances in your group. If you over or underestimated your pace, you can switch to a different group next time. Some weeks you may be running farther or not as far as the other runners in your pace group. The different pace groups have “pacers” who help keep the group running the correct pace and they know the route ahead of time. 
• Don’t give up. You may not be able to make the first group run or two. Or you may miss group runs during the training season. That’s ok.  Come when you can. 
• You will probably make good friends. Runners can be kind of….gross. Sweaty. There is nose blowing and chafing and there are bathroom emergencies. Three hour runs often involve actual conversation rather than just small talk. And those conversations help the long runs fly by (well, almost). Some of my best friendships have developed on the trail. It’s also fun to have people to commiserate with, get advice from, and you can celebrate each other’s victories. Even between training cycles, I now have a group of great people to run with. 
• Enjoy the comradery! A lot of group runs are followed by going out for breakfast. Join us!

Dr. Amy Cyr is an assistant professor of surgery and breast surgeon for the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital.  When not working up a sweat with her running buddies, Dr. Cyr is part of the world-class, multidisciplinary team of Washington University medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and surgeons that specialize in treating all types of cancer at Siteman-St. Peters.  To refer a patient, or to make an appointment, please call the Patient Care Coordination Center at 314-747-3046 (toll-free 877-251-6485) or visit siteman.wustl.edu/refer.aspx.