Accountability and Partnership

Working out with a partner or at least having someone to encourage your efforts really does make a difference.  I've been running alone for about six weeks now and can definitely see a difference in the effort I put forth.  I don't need to impress or compete with myself so I tend to have what I call "sissy runs."  A sissy run starts out fantastic.  I can conquer the world and win marathons (ok, maybe a 10K). About half way through, I lose steam and want to stop. I make deals with myself--"if you go to that lamp post, you can walk to the next drive."  This is where my partner would encourage me to keep going and feed me lines about how great I'm doing and how I'm going to PR on this run.  I know he's full of crap, but I love him for the encouragement.  It works and I miss it. 

No one can force us to work out, go for a run, or eat healthy.  We have to do that for ourselves.  But we can ask our friends and/or family to hold us accountable.  We can ask a friend to be our partner in exercise or nutrition.  A colleague asked me the other day to be her accountability partner.  That isn't what she called it, but that's what it is.  She asked me to check up on her to make sure she was going to the gym.   I am more than happy to be an accountability partner. This is actually a huge compliment to me.  It means she trusts me enough to share this journey with her. When  you ask someone to hold you accountable, remember YOU are the one that asked.  Don't go getting all pissy when they do what you asked.  And when your person rolls her  eyes at you for making lame excuses, remember they are just helping you.  Also, quit making lame excuses.  (I was once the queen of lame excuses so I can say this)

Having a partner to workout with makes coming up with excuses difficult because you've set a time, date, and place to meet.  It becomes a commitment.  Making an excuse won't just affect your own workout anymore.  It will affect someone else's. Having a partner also gives you someone to compete with (if you're into that, which I am), someone to encourage, someone to share struggles and successes.   I used to prefer solo workouts.  Now I crave the companionship, the shared journey.  

Here's the thing though; no matter how awesome your workout partner or accountability partner is, only YOU can be responsible for YOU.  It isn't up to my running partner to get me on the running path every day.  It isn't his fault that my solo runs are embarrassing.  It is my fault and mine alone.  I am perfectly capable of pointing out that I can run harder, faster, longer.  I am more than capable of pushing myself through that last half mile.  While I miss having someone to set my pace for me I know that this is something I need to learn how to do on my own.  So this week I'm setting goals for my runs; no more making deals with myself.  No more excuses, no more blaming the lack of partner, no more sissy runs.