Buzz
You may think of yourself as a slow runner, but that shouldn’t be the case. No matter your pace, your achievements deserve to be celebrated. Talk to other runners, and you’ll likely discover that even the ones you look up to consider themselves 'slow' at times.
I began my running journey as a slow runner. Even after winning my first age-group medal, I still saw myself as slow. I steered clear of running groups, convinced they were all faster than me. I’d often say to my friends, 'I’d love to run with you, but I’m slow.' Or they’d say it to me first. As pro runner and coach Jeff Gaudette points out on Competitor, many runners fall into this mindset:
Every runner I coached would introduce themselves by saying, 'I’m probably the slowest person you’ve ever coached' or 'You probably don’t work with runners as slow as I am.'
It didn’t matter what their personal best times were—nearly all of them began the conversation this way.
Many runners, whether they are beginners or seasoned athletes, often feel hesitant to join local running clubs or participate in online communities. The primary reason, as most will admit, is the fear of being embarrassed by their pace.
As Gaudette points out, everyone has a different pace. Yet, all runners share the sense of accomplishment that comes with pushing themselves to achieve personal records. Whether you complete a 5K in 15 minutes or 30 minutes, that improvement is a victory.
Slowness should not prevent you from running with others. In fact, many runners are happy to slow their pace to accompany a friend, particularly since slower runs play a crucial role in training. Finding a group that matches your pace is not as difficult as overcoming the self-imposed embarrassment.
Photo credit: Ramnath Bhat.
