HOW TO CHOOSE A TRAINING GROUP/COLLEGE TEAM
I get this a lot question a lot. And considering I just make
serious life decisions all willy nilly and this has seemed to work out, I think
this makes me an expert in helping you make life changing decisions!
Answer these simple questions. And don’t answer them with
how you want to be, answer them with
how you actually are. For example, I want to enjoy really deep movies, but I
don’t. I enjoy those crappy, superficial, mind numbing movies. Like 28 weeks
later. And this is embarrassing for me when people are all like: Hey Phoebe.
What did you think about the character development in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly? And I have to say: Well. I fell
asleep for the middle hour and a half. And then turned on Cloudy with a Chance
of Meatballs.
But I know this, and have accepted it, and now excuse myself
from any super deep movies. Especially ones with subtitles.
1.
Do you want a training partners?
Really
think about this! There are serious perks to training solo. You get a
guaranteed individualized training plan. You can tailor workouts to how you
feel. You get one-on-one time with a coach. You don’t have to worry about your
ego being destroyed on days you don’t feel well. If this is you, that’s great! You want to choose
a team that lacks people in your event specialty.
Personally I find that being on a team is
awesome. Mostly because I am an emotional basketcase solo. I can make a 6
minute mile feel hard without people to witness said mile. I need bodies around
me to keep me relaxed. Not only that, but who the heck would I talk to during
the day if I didn’t have teammates? I’d probably be at home, alone, discussing
religion and politics with my dog. If
this is you, that’s great! You want to choose a team where there are other
people with your stats or stats slightly better than yours.
2.
Do you jive with the team?
There are two times in your life
where you get to choose your family. The first: Marriage. The second: Your
team. Could you spend weeks with them talking about your deepest secrets in
between games of Charades? These people become your lifelong friends. Most
college kids have college friends. And then the college friends turn into
college memories. In running, these college friends turn into your adult friends.
The type of adult friends that you tell your deep dark secrets to in between
games of charades.
3.
Do you jive with the coach?
Your coach not only is going to
(hopefully) make you ridiculously fast, but they are going to be with you as
you grow up. Running exposes all your personality weaknesses. It forces you to
be patient--mostly by being incredibly frustrating at times. It forces you to
let go of that intense ego of yours. You coach is your personal cheerleader and
advisor during this process.
Also, coaches see it all. So you
have to be comfortable enough to have really embarrassing and/or hard
conversations with them. Like, “Hey coach. I am having explosive diarrhea, and
need to miss today’s practice.” Or “Hey coach. I got mad at Sally, and punched
her in the face in my emotional rage.” They see you at your best and worst. So
make sure it’s someone you are okay with doing that.
4.
Do you believe in the training system?
Hey! If you believe doing 1000
pushups is the key to success and your coach thinks that doing one pushup would
lead to your demise as a runner, you should probably reconsider that plan.
5.
The environment.
Most of the environment is dictated
by your coach and training partners. But the other part of the environment,
i.e. the trails, the track, the facilities, the training room, the city, and
the weather, should be taken into consideration. Do you hate cold winters and
treadmills? Minnesota might not be your jam. Do you have one of those bodies
that in hot humid climates shrivel in dehydration while you run geriatric pace?
Florida will probably be your mortal enemy.
Quick list of questions to ask on a
recruiting visit!
1.
Where do you run?
2.
What is a typical day like?
3.
Are a lot of people on your team injured? If "yes" ßRED FLAG
4.
Do you hang out a lot outside of practice?
5.
Do you train together as a team?
6.
Do you get along with your coach? If the
majority says “no”, ßRED
FLAG
7.
What are the coach’s training philosophies?
8.
Why do you think I would be a good addition to
this team?
9.
How bad is the winter/summer?
10. What
are your interests outside of running?
