Coach Jo’s Rant #2: Principles of Dating (a Parody of the Coaches Clinic)

All the Single Ladies (all the Single Ladies)! Put your hands up!

Lord knows there are lots of us single ladies in the Team In Training program. And as we spend time at the beginning of each season talking about training, I thought it would be apropos to spend some time relating the principles of training to the world of dating.

Dating Etiquette/Safety: When preparing to go on a date, make sure you have both the rules of etiquette and safety under control. For instance, just like when you go running, don’t wear headphones on your date. You want to be attentive to what is happening on the date. That’s hard to do if you’re rocking out to some TSwift or Party in the USA. Also, make sure you have a safety plan. Akin to the TNT Hotline, make sure you have your own dating hotline. Call a girlfriend to let her know where you’re going, who you’re meeting and what time you plan to return home. Tell her you’ll call or text her when you get there, so that she knows your safe.

Stretching: Just like on your training runs, it’s a good idea to stretch before a date. You want to be relaxed and ready to enjoy your entertaining evening.

Dating Specifics: The purpose of dating is to find a person with whom you may want to spend extensive time with. In order to do that, you need to follow a dating schedule. This is not as specific as your TNT training schedule…in fact, it’s slightly more challenging. You have to GET OUT THERE. Make sure you are scheduling dates at least twice a week. Do not be concerned with how long each date lasts…it’s not the length of the date that matters, it’s the quality. On your date, you want to keep your heart rate at 60-70% of its maximum. (Interpret that as you wish…ahem.) Remember to dress appropriately. You must be careful to neither under-dress nor over-dress. Don’t forget to keep your toe nails trimmed. And remember, your REST day is as important as your Date Nights.

Nutrition: Nothing new on Date Night! Do NOT try food you haven’t tried before…what if it doesn’t sit well in your stomach? You certainly don’t want intestinal upset to interrupt your magical encounter. You should eat a good, full meal. Don’t pretend that you aren’t hungry in front of a new man. We run as much as we do so we can EAT. Do it!

Injuries: So you went on a FANTASTIC date, and he hasn’t called. What do you do? When it comes to potential injuries (including heartbreak), remember that LESS IS MORE. You can seek the advice of your injury support team (read: other TNT girlfriends). They will provide you with endless support, a good venting run and probably some Ellwood’s after.