Sharing is caring...except when it's about unasked for training advice

I am a self proclaimed student of marathon running…I read books, I spend my days at the office listening to podcasts on marathon running, I read articles and scour all online sources for any little tidbit of data that will make me a better runner. I ask questions of anyone that I know that is faster than I am or has completed races that I hope to complete. I look for that person that is where I want to be with running and I learn about them and from them. That being said, I admit that I get frustrated when I am given unsolicited advice on training.

Regina inquired about my long run over the weekend, I replied that we did a little over 10 but walked a bit more than either one of us would have liked. To which a fellow classmate decided to provide me with her take on how walking will improve my marathon and that I need to work on increasing my walking speed. I politely explained that I need to increase my running speed, not my walking speed as the pace we completed on training on Saturday would not get us to the Bridge in time.  Unfortunately she was insistent that working on walking speed would help with my running speed. I was trying to be polite and not blow her off, especially since initially I felt as if her intentions were good. However, I became increasingly frustrated that she chose not to listen to what my goals/needs/desires were and instead focused on walking.

I don’t dismiss walking as a key part of a marathon…I have walked more than half of the last two I have completed….which is EXACTLY why I need to work on my running speed. My strength training. My stretching. My mental game. These are a few key factors that I need to work on to achieve my goal. I think what frustrated me was the assumptions made about me and my talents/abilities without asking.

I admittedly made assumptions about her talents and abilities based not on her age or her appearance but on the amount of grumbling she does about exercises we do. Personally, I assume if you regularly grumble about the number of lunges you have to do that you aren’t going to have a desire to push yourself to complete a marathon with a serious goal in mind. Also, if you don’t let me finish my sentence when explaining why walking isn’t the goal I’m personally going for, I’m not going to listen.  

 I  guess I need to remember that not everyone has the same thought process as me…that it is better to inquiry about the persons training plan and learn what works for them. And if the conversation warrants it, then share your training plan not as a “this plan is the end all be all” but more in terms of a “hey we’re both doing this whacky crazy thing, here’s what works for me” exchange of ideas.