Training Style Survey - alone or with Partners

scott dinhofer

Dino's comments in the Coach R departure thread (and my snarky attempt at a humorous answer) got me thinking about how most of us train. I know I do most of my training alone, Swim, Bike & run, for a number of reasons. 

• Swim - just quicker and easier to get to the pool on my own, get it done, get out. That said, there are a fair # of tri folks at the pool and I've become good friends with a number of them. 
• Bike - I have three different groups to do group rides with, some are just hardcore recreational riders, others are tri-folks. I have not found any that get the idea of riding steady power and that live close enough. When I do my long rides, I like to get out 30 minutes after the sun is up (which this week is 5:30 am) so I can still do things with the kids or Jill after my ride.. Thus, I often go alone, possibly hooking up for an hour or so with the group.
• Run - Again, particularly for the daily run, I live 200 yards off of a bike path and it's easier to just go out. I also don't have to deal with my pace vs their pace and can get my legs to do what they want when they want.

I am curious what others do in these situations. 

the other interesting thing socially is that most of my bike groups started as different groups of people and I've actually seen the swim and bike groups collide organically out there, so the social aspect is there on strava, the pool & get togethers. when not in IM prep mode, I will do a lot of group rides, which is great and can join plenty of post ride BBQs.. 

Paul Hough

Almost always alone.  I may ride with others perhaps 6 times a year at most.  It is just too hard to arrange schedules and abilities.

Al Truscott

• Swim: more with others than alone. Sundays, I always swim with my wife, and on summer Sundays, we join another couple who have a tiny house on a small lake.
• Bike: trainer intervals alone. I make an effort to join or create multi day group rides (like BRC), Tuesdays evenings there is a couples group ride we do, although it can be. 90 minute hammer fest. Summer Thursdays, I'm with a group of OFs who ride in the Washington Cascades.
• Run. Recently, I've started "running" with my wife (out n backs at our separate speeds), but basically I hate running and hate running with other people.

I've learned how to get the training I need without sacrificing some social interaction. Climbing mountains is a great way to do that, along with swimming around a lake. It's expected everyone will go his own pace in those situations, and the social stuff comes before and after.

Derrek Sanks

Swim: This year I've been doing 1-2 swims a week with Masters Swim and 2 solo swims per week. I find that I swim faster with the Masters group.  OWS is with an organized group ($).
Bike: group rides early season and post tri season, riding like a roadie. Solo long rides during tri training on the TT bike.
Run: all solo. 

Stephen Cogger

I'm 95% solo. Although I do enjoy a ride with company from time time. My run is my "alone time" and I cherish it.

Patti Thompson

My workouts are 99% solo mostly due to scheduling. I see a lot of tri peeps at local OWS so that is my social workout though we all do our own thing.

Kellie Moran-Jones

99.9% on my own.  I find it hard to follow the plan and coordinate with others because almost everyone else is not doing workouts.  They have a 6 mile run or a 2 hr bike.  They just run or bike either usually all fast or all slow with no goals or sets in mind.  I don't want my training to interfere with family life so I am working around them 100% of the time.  
Swim-ex D1 swimmer so hard to find a lane that works and they usually practice when I can't.  
Bike-I ride only on my Computrainer.  I don't like biking alone, too many people hit by cars in my area, nobody is going to do sets with me, get a better workout on my trainer. 
Run-I get it done when I can right our my front door at my speed and can do my workout.  

ABBEY BONNER

This is an interesting discussion.  I do all the running and cycling on my own because I basically can't find any groups or people that have the same workout goals or pace as me; and it is also very convenient going out from my front door at the time I want to go out.

I try to do my long runs with my husband but this hasn't worked out so far this year as we're training for two different events at different times of the year.

In the summer I swim in my local lake with my husband and attend Masters swimming in the Winter.  

In general I prefer training on my own.  I am in control of the session and it is my de-stress time.  However it can be hard getting out of the door, but once out I love it.

I always thought I was a minority doing most of the training on my own, but it appears this is not the case.  This is good to know

Francis Picard

I prefer solo, I hate to depend on someone or them to depend on me etc

When I ride with friends its mostly for fun

Satish Punna

Swim: alone 95%.  very occasionally squad swim
Bike: alone 99%.  occasional group rides in the fall and spring
run: alone except for occasional easy runs with SO. 

I enjoy being social but its just too difficult to coordinate what I need to do (either easy or hard), and when I need to do it, with other people's agendas. 

Joseph Lombardi

99.99% alone....unless you count having to split the swm lane at the y....lol

Jeff Kane

95% Solo as it gives me the most flexibility!

KARL BONNER

Swim - Masters, but half lane to myself (quite often with a set for me & another triathlete who shares the lane)
Bike - Alone, like others, I can't find anyone who wants to a) do the work, b) do the milage. Ill maybe do 1 or 2 group rides with my local tri club but these tend to be "ego fests", so don't get involved that often.
Run - Alone, last year managed to co-ordinate my long runs with my wife, but this year we're on different schedules.

To be honest, I don't mind my own company & pretty happy training on my own 99% of the time as I can go straight from my door, at time that suits me, usually very early in the morning so I can have the afternoon with my wife & dog.

Leslie Knight

I do virtually all of my "training" alone for all the reasons listed above. I sometimes do a weekend ride with a friend. I do ride and run events throughout the spring- fall with friends. I've actually cut back on triathlon racing and since I had to bail on Rev Quassy, may not do one at all this year. There are a few short course I'm interested in locally, but if my foot doesn't heal, I'll only be biking the rest of the year. Why couldn't I get hurt over the winter???

Marvin Karlow

Pool swims and runs (outside and treadmill) are solo.

OWS with a group for safety.

Rides - I've made friends with my trainer and TrainerRoad so I do the interval workouts there.  For long rides, I enjoy going with a group although I have the same issues with power.  I have decided to just ride with the group and treat the workout more like a long interval session.  The final few weeks of race prep I do the long rides on the trainer at constant power.

Tim Sullivan

Alone due mostly to time and reasons above. Much easier to just go out when I can.  I do enjoy the virtual races and TeamEN rides on Zwift.  The other virtual riders that are in the same event do motivate and push me 

Shaughn Simmons

S/B/R alone due to schedule unless it is a BBW, Race or CAMP.........

Phil Mills

Solo for all training.  I work my training around my family's schedule. In four years, I have trained with a partner 7 times: 3 OWS, and 4 cycling workouts.  

The majority of cycling is done either in the early AM or late PM (into the earlier AM) when my family is sleeping.  The majority of my running is done during my lunch break at work.  I'll sometimes sneak in a run in while the kiddos are at dance classes on a Saturday. 

Swimming is a work in progress.  Pool time will be either in the morning or at home on the VASA this season.  

I completed a big bike week last week: 23 hours for 395 miles all solo on the trainer (at home and in my office) or out on the road during my lunch break.

Jason Leonard

Indoor swimming:  Always alone and prefer it.  OWS:  There is a huge group swim every Sunday morning at the lake.  I prefer that simply because it's supported with kayaks/paddleboards and there are varied paces/distances. I am still pretty much in my own little world though.

Cycling: I lead a short (25) group ride every other Saturday but I train alone. I don't mind the occasional partner but I really vary in my training depending on how I'm feeling or if/how much running follows. I don't like holding up others and I don't want to feel obligated to alter my pace to avoid dropping someone.

Running:  100% alone and I wouldn't want it any other way. I don't like chatting while running.  Running is my escape from all the craziness in my life so it's "me time."  Earbuds go in, pace is set and sometimes, I don't even have a defined route.  I just go and I know the area well enough to turn where I need to, to add on/cut short.  

Al Truscott

Phil Mills said:

Solo for all training.  I work my training around my family's schedule. In four years, I have trained with a partner 7 times: 3 OWS, and 4 cycling workouts.  

The majority of cycling is done either in the early AM or late PM (into the earlier AM) when my family is sleeping.  The majority of my running is done during my lunch break at work.  I'll sometimes sneak in a run in while the kiddos are at dance classes on a Saturday. 

Swimming is a work in progress.  Pool time will be either in the morning or at home on the VASA this season.  

I completed a big bike week last week: 23 hours for 395 miles all solo on the trainer (at home and in my office) or out on the road during my lunch break.

I'm continually amazed at the ingenuity, dedication, and discipline shown by those of you who are in your working years. Looking back, I can;t quite comprehend how I did all the training needed for the races I did. Seeing posts like this reminds me of the commitment and persistence required.

Juan Vergara

95% solo / now and then bike rides with friend (mostly MTB out season)

Daria Matthews

solo - easier, faster, less dramatic

Jeremy Behler

Common theme consistent with my experience.   Majority alone driven primarily by the challenge of finding others with both the same schedule, workout formats, and pace/power/speed.

I do prefer training with others but in this busy world of competing priorities I choose to focus on quality and ROI of my training time and sacrifice the social/enjoyment factor.   It does make the few infusions of social training each year (e.g. Aspen Camp, occasional group rides) even more enjoyable, however.   

Mark Lane

Alone, for the same reasons. However, I mostly ride the Capital Trail here, and there are many "roadies" and "tri-folks" out, so it frequently gets social.

Gordon Cherwoniak

@Phil Mills That's more than a mental 6 pack, 23 hours and 395 miles for a big bike week on the trainer.  I'm just getting out for my 1st ride this weekend and thought I was nuts doing my 4.5 hours followed by 90' on Sunday. 

As to the question I train pretty much alone as I like to just jump on my bike or go out for a run.   My wife will come on the occasional run or she did in 2015 when we did not have a kid.  Now it's 100% alone. 

Scott Alexander

SWIM:
-inside almost always alone. I should be swimming with a group, for help and accountability, but hasn't happened yet.
-outside (OWS) with at least one other person, usually via a group/local club workout, don't think it's safe otherwise.

BIKE:
-inside both by myself and with others (ex, winter/OS).
-on-road both by myself and with others (ex, long rides and interval days).
-off-road (mtb) with at least one other person, don't think it's safe otherwise.

RUN:
-inside by myself (dreadmill).
-on-road outside mostly by myself.
-do track sometimes, usually via a group/local club workout.
-off-road with at least one other person, don't think it's safe otherwise.

Bill Bejin

Swim - 99% with my wife.  We swim at 5:30 am.  She loves it, I get out of bed, she drives.
Bike - 99% alone.  Maybe meet someone before / after but skillset isn't there to ride with too many others.
Run - lately, with one or more others.  I have found some faster folks and a friend has moved a few miles away.  It sure makes the hard workouts a bit more bearable.  Like the old saying goes, "misery loves company".  Sometimes, I do need to run alone.  I enjoy the meditative state.