Marathon training with partner. Straining our relationship. Advise needed!
My girlfriend and I are training for a marathon together. She’s actually the one who got me into running, and it became a big bonding thing for us. Recently, I’ve been progressing faster - my pace, endurance, recovery, everything.
We run together 5x a week, and the difference is becoming more noticeable. She’s been feeling discouraged, insecure, and frustrated. After runs, we end up bickering because she’s upset about her performance and I don’t know how to respond without sounding condescending or defensive.
I don’t want running to become a source of resentment or comparison. I want us both to enjoy this and feel good about it.
Has anyone been in a relationship where one partner improved faster? How did you handle the emotional side of it? Did you keep training together? Split some runs? Change expectations?
Any advice from couples who’ve been through this would help a lot