Teamwork in individualized sports

Running, triathlon, cycling, and swimming are all very individualized sports. Ultimately winning, losing, or simply finishing a race depends only on one person: you. So why do so many endurance athletes seek companionship during training? Joining a team can have many advantages.

1) Social time: Combining social time and working out kills two birds with one stone. Many triathletes put their social lives on the back burner during the season. Joining a team can bring the social aspect into training. This is especially important when you move somewhere new or don’t know many people. You are bound to make new friends and you already have at least one thing in common.

2) Train harder: Teammates can help push you during training. When you find people to train with that are at your same fitness level you can work off each other to get a great workout. It can be easy to blow off a scheduled interval workout or hard ride in favor of something easier when you train by yourself.

3) Accountability: We all have those days that we just don’t want to go out for a run or get to the pool for an early morning swim. When you are meeting people for that workout you are more likely to get out of bed and go.