A workout partner is helpful in a number of ways.

Working out with a partner helps create a commitment to stay on task and create a positive habit-forming routine. Once you commit to working out with a spouse, friend, teammate or family member, you are more apt to do the workout, because someone else is counting on you. After a short time of roughly 14 workouts, you will have created a habit, and your body and mind will want to keep this new-found positive sensation going.

A workout partner is more apt to encourage you. People help each other reach common goals with encouragement. We all need encouragement along the way, and when you are with a partner, you gain strength to reach that goal. Someone else needs you and your help while they help and encourage you.

Perfect examples of how teaming up works is the Valdosta State cross country men’s and women’s teams. Each team is full of individuals who train by themselves during parts of the year. However, during their season, they improve greatly when they train together. It is hard to put on the shoes to run, or do the weight workout by yourself. But when you are meeting your teammates, the work is easier, more enjoyable and more effective.

The VSU men’s and women’s cross country teams traveled to University of Tampa for a Friday evening meet. Both teams came home on Saturday with impressive individual and team performances.

The men started the evening off at 6 p.m. at the Syndney Dover Trials in Brandon, Fla. running a 4-mile event. The team placed fourth out of 11 teams. Leading the team for the second week was D.J. Smith (22:40), who placed 19th out of 101 men. The pack of Alan McGough (24th, 23:12), Chris Rice (27th, 23:24), Steve Cary (29th, 23:55) and Brandon Joyner (31st, 23:43) closed very strongly for the team. The top five were followed by Juan Tejada (39th, 24:14), Cory Stejback (49th, 24:37), Austin McDonald (53rd, 24:46), Marc Kaiser (73rd, 26:03), Patrick McGough (80th, 26:30) and Daniel McCormick (88th, 27:22).

In this event, with the entire men’s team competing, there was also an intersquad competition between the returning team members versus the new faces on the team. The returning members of both McGoughs, Cary, Joyner, Tejada and McCormick won by a mere 19 points. Another intersquad meet is scheduled for October.

At 6:45 p.m., all attention was on the women’s race, with a 5K distance ahead of them. The Lady Blazers finished sixth out of 11 teams, just a few points away from finishing fourth. Jordanne Helton, a freshman, led the team for the second week in a row with a near-personal best of 20:08, placing 16th out of 84 finishers. Lady Blazer teammates Tiffany Zuganelis (29th, 21:43), Ashley Hiott (31st, 21:49) and Alecia Beck (36th, 22:03) all packed very well. Andrea Smith (76th, 26:06) finished with a personal best and passed a number of competitors in the last half mile to improve her position, and therefore the position of the team.

The hard training that these young men and women endure weekly would be nearly unbearable if they did the work by themselves. These teams train together, encouraging each other to higher levels. They are not finished; they have more hard work and much more improvement to come through conference and regional NCAA competition. Their next meet is Sept. 20th in Huntsville.

Find a teammate or partner; your improvement will most assuredly be on its way.

See you at the races! September 20 is the Brooks County 8K event for walkers and runners. Come by the Get Active — Running and More store to get registered.

There are weekly, free activities for the runners and cyclists in the area. Runners can show up at Get Active on Saturday and Sunday morning at 7 a.m. for runs from 1.5 to 8-plus miles. Thursday morning is a women’s only run, but the other runs are all-comers. Cyclists can meet for rides on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information, check out the web page at www.azaleacitycyclists.com.

If you have questions about your walking, running or other training, drop me an e-mail and I will do my level best to answer your questions. Check out www.getactivevaldosta.com to get connected. Listen to the Get Active South Georgia radio show on Wednesday evenings from 6-7 p.m. on NewsTalk 105.9 FM WVGA to receive additional information or to ask questions.