Hitting a PR is hard!

I used to only work out alone. It felt nice to not worry about anyone else, and it is just me focusing on myself. Working out like this created a lot of discipline, and it was a good, steady way to improve. I was consistently pushing myself to learn new skills and get better.

Recently, I have been working out with friends, and it is unsurprisingly a completely different experience. It made working out become more of a social event rather than a dedicated, personal time to improve. It became more of a relaxed atmosphere, and I felt less productive in the gym. However, at the same time, being with others has allowed me to push myself harder than I would have on my own.

Once upon a blue moon, one of my friends called at 12AM to go on a 3 mile run. Because I am crazy, I will never say no regardless of how long or late a run is. I started to feel like throwing up nearing the end of the run, but I had to keep going at the same pace becuase I was running with others. By having others to worry about, I was able to push myself harder than I would have on my own. We completed a 3 mile run at a pace of 8:30-ish, which has been my fastest pace to date (granted, I usually do longer runs at a slower pace).

Today, I wanted to set a new PR for a super short 1 mile run on the treadmill. I have hit 7:10 on a 1 mile run before, but I never felt like I pushed myself hard enough and wanted to try for < 7:00. I was 2 minutes in, and I felt like I was completely about to give up. Physically, I could have kept going if I really tried, but mentally, I could not do it. There was no way. Why would I make myself suffer like this?

Sadly, I did not break 7 minutes. My conclusion is that extreme suffering is saved for bonding experiences with friends. When I am alone, I tend to be more reasonable with myself and focus on slower, more sustainable growth. When I exercise with others, it’s always on the extreme ends of the spectrum—either being completely unproductive or almost killing myself in the process of a grueling workout.