They always say a problem shared, is a problem halved. It’s a shame this doesn’t apply to exercise. If that was the case, I and many others might suddenly become socialites of the running world. Running in groups of hundreds to share the load. While not a reality, running with a friend can be really beneficial. Here are our six top ways to find a running partner if you don’t already have one…
Find a local running club
Your local club will be full of like-minded people. Whether you’re looking to get into better shape or prepare for your first race, it’s a good place to start looking for someone with similar goals. Half the battle is won, your new running partner has already shown they are determined and serious by the pure fact they’ve shown up to a club.
Check out the local running store
Your local running shop is the second home of your local running community, after the club itself. The staff are sure to be aware of people who are training for certain events, newbies trying to get started, etc. and can give you a guiding hand on where to go or who to speak to.
Find a charity group
A shared goal can often be the hardest quality to find in your new running partner. If you’re running for a cause, be sure to check with the charity. They’re may be aware of someone looking for a running partner or existing groups of people who are already working together and would welcome another member.
Some charities even help organise practice runs before the big day, so showing your face there and making some new connections will make sure you hit the ground running.
Fitness dating/buddy sites
Yep. It’s a thing. There are fitness dating sites.
You might find a running partner to hit the track with but also your partner for life. Fitness dating sites allow single people to communicate with other like-minded health conscious singles. If you’re not in the search for love and it’s strictly business, try sites like sportpartner.co.uk. It gives people access to a database of local athletes looking for company.
Try social media
Connectivity through social media now doesn’t only apply to our working lives or friendships – its completely limitless. A great way to engage and interact with people with similar drives is through hashtags. They can be as simple as #myfirst10k or #girlswholift. It’s a great way to interact with people all over the world to share tips, take inspiration and keep motivation. It’s also a fantastic tool to narrow down the vastness of social media to a more local proximity or niche of fitness.
You can search for local groups and pages too. You can get a feel for the people taking part, build a rapport and already have a friend or two by the time you come together and meet everyone.
Forums
Forums are often where you’ll find your do or die athletes. Dedicated alumni sharing their passions for sport. Local forums are a neat way of being able to chat with people with a lot of knowledge and a competitive streak. Most have some sort of leaderboard where runners can boast about their new PB’s on a certain track and work to climb up the table. If you have a gauge of your ability, this data can be a really useful way to match yourself up with someone. Whether you want to challenge yourself and compete with the top dogs or maybe not get completely blown out the water.
However you choose to find yourself a running partner, it helps to have a running event in mind – something to work towards. Check out our Events Calendar to see what’s coming up near you!
