Track and Field Blogs - Nate Jenkins

The question of whether to join a team or to go it alone is probably the most fundamental question that the post collegiate runner faces. It is a question that has many facets and to which the correct answer depends largely on the specific situation of the athlete and the athlete him or herself.

For me this question has been rolling around in my head for a bit. When I came out of college the choice was pretty easy to make. Frankly there were no teams in New England that was developing guys to a national level, except what was at the time reebok boston and their coach had just left to start Team USA Monteray bay. I'm glad to say they have continued to develop athletes but either way that played into my decision at the time. Also I wasn't good enough to join any of the national level clubs, plus I had another year of grad school to finish up in lowell.

So I decided to go it alone. It has been a good choice so far. I struggled at first in terms of finding a system that worked for me but all in all the results were solid. That said for the vast majority of the time it is important to note that it was pretty much my only option.

After the success of last year I have been able, be it good or bad, to revisit a lot of my choices, including this one. Also at times like this, when my performance is struggling, it is very easy to want to make big changes or at least examine what you are doing.

The pro's to what I have going now, first don't mess with what works I have come a huge way doing just this and I have had down periods before many times but overall the climb up has been very good. I have complete control of my training and am able to follow a system that very few americans follow and tailor it to myself completely. I'm never someones training bitch but also I have gotten to know myself very well and have a good sense of what works and what doesn't. I can make changes when I want and run the races I want. Also as an alpha male type I don't butt heads with anyone while doing my own thing. I'm also learning a ton as a coach. Learning by doing. Also I have learned a lot about the sport in acting as my own agent, manager and support crew as well. My rent is only 450 a month, also a positive.

cons to my current situation, no medical support, cash for everything. which my current need for a blood test has shown can be a disaster. (as a side note if you are or know a dr. who is in the boston area and would see me on short notice and draw some blood sent it to a lab ect.. let me know that be awesome!), I run alone almost all the time, and during all hard efforts. I often have to learn by screwing up. I have only a loosely thrown together support crew. I have no means of training at altitude (excluding carl mease's couch) or some place warm in the winter to train ect. I do have the use of the uml athletes gym which includes treadmills and a pool and that is huge.

Pros to joining a group, people to run with, regular blood work, less stress in terms of being the end all on every decision, support group, fellow athletes to talk with and hang out, I could really use some help setting up a cross training routine right now I'm learning by doing which often turns into learning by screwing up. Groups are cool, I'm serious i think they're cool I admit it. Also I'd really like to have some help getting water bottles on the long run, either someone on a bike or in a car or whatever, its a pain in the ass. I might get a chance to try running at altitude.

Cons I'd be giving up a ton of freedom and control, two things I very much like. I'd be hurting my experience as a coach, though could help my overall learning process by learning from my new coaches and teammates. I'd be leaving a situation that has worked for me. I'm not sure how coach-able I would be its been a long time and I really do have a good sense of what works particularly in marathon training and I'd be hard pressed to make big changes in my specific phase of marathon training. Depending on how the group is run I'm not sure I have the financial resources to be part of them.

What would be ideal at the moment would be to join one of the looser groups, ie the team usa model and still take an active roll in writing my own schedules, maybe I right the first draft and then the head coach approves it. But I can still run with team members and get the use of there doctors, physio's and training resources, and hopefully help finding a cheap place to stay. Heck if that type of opportunity came along and included room and board I'd happily sign over my whole annual salary. But I very much doubt that Terrence Mahon or mr. Baker or any of the others are going to agree to that sort of a set up.

So what is ideal in my current situation. Step one get blood work, get back to running respectably. Step two do a better job of self maintenance, eat better, better cross training, more consistent active stretching, ect.. Step 3 get some running partners, so to start that, I live in lowell, rent in my house is cheap and I know some people around here so I maybe able to find you a roommate if we don't have an open room. I'll coach you, or Gary Gardner will your choice, if you can't get a shoe deal we'll buy you saucony real cheap with my discount. I'll do my best to help find you a part time job to make ends meet. you must be decent to good, like big miles and hard work, be self motivated and able to handle a sometimes annoying very very talkative training partner. If this isn't you but you live in the area and want to just run real hard a time or two a week, let me know and you can join me for workouts.

But to get serious. I don't have an answer at the moment. To be honest I think I can run real well from here on in a group or on my own as long as the situation is right for me and at the moment I have more control over the solo run and as such the ability to make that the right situation for me. Its not my ideal but its the way I know I can make happen and make work so barring some change that is where i"m headed. How about you?