This week has gone a bit crazy and gotten away from me. I went into it thinking that it would be slow and I would be super productive. That was a nice thought.

Work went crazy starting Monday morning and I’ve yet to even accomplish half of my Christmas shopping. I’m going to be a busy lady this weekend!

It was the perfect time to begin training with a coach though; it completely takes the guess work out of it for me! That’s one thing I don’t have to worry about each day!

My training and my husband’s training are completely separate. I can’t run with him, and poor guy would be jogging if he ran with me on most of my runs, but even though we are at very different levels we’ve always found was to support one another.

This goes with any marathon runner or athlete. We have to support each other to really reach our dreams. It is individual performance that gets the results, but most of us couldn’t do it on our own.

What are some of the ways we support each other during training?

1. I can’t run with my husband but I can bike. During his really tough marathon training seasons I often will get up early and get my run done and then hop on the bike and help carry water for hiim.
2. One of the most stressful runs for me has always been tempos. My husband knew this, especially during my last training cycle for Chicago, so when his schedule allowed he would help pace me during these runs. Having someone there with you makes all the difference.
3. My husband usually will run the first mile or two with me on runs when we start together. He uses this as his warm up, and if it is early in the morning he knows I’m a little timid running alone up our road so he runs it with me to make me feel better.
4. We take turns picking each other up at various locations to avoid always having to run out and backs. This can really help when you are having a mentally challenging day.
5. My husband usually has a little more time some months in the morning than I do. Since our gym doesn’t open until 5:00 AM, he will pack up his stuff and allow me to use the home treadmill so I don’t have to rush.
6. Sometimes one of us has a really hard long run, and we will pack up everything and head an hour or so away to use a new trail when we can. There is a wonderful one near where my in-laws live and sometimes it means sacrificing a nice weekend at home to help the other get in their workout.

The point of this is to show that it isn’t always easy. Training and living with someone who is at a high level can often be frustrating. It requires sacrifice, but what marriage doesn’t?

I love seeing him succeed his dreams, and he does mine. That is what makes us work. We support each other when we need it. He’s never made me feel like less of a runner because I could never keep up to his marathon pace. We are all at different levels, but we all put in the work.

Even if your partner is a runner, and you aren’t, it still requires sacrifice.  This is often achieved through support, forgiveness, and time. It may not make sense to you, it may be crazy, but helping them chase after their dreams is so worth it.

Do you or your significant other play a big part in your training?