Reader To Reader: Social Life Or Training?

Your answers...

• That is entirely up to you, my running friend. If you want to do well in the GNR, just do the training and tell your friends you'll be back afterwards. Don't spoil all the hard work you've done so far. Be assertive and be positive. – Built for speed - Not
• If you don't want to go out drinking, even when you're not training, why do you go? You're an adult and you can make your own decisions. Alternatively, go out and don’t drink so much. I'm assuming here that your friends are not going to literally hold you down and pour alcohol down your throat. Once everyone else is drunk, they don’t notice if you're sober. – RacMac
• You know what? It's your life. Let them know why you're doing this. When they start moaning, just ignore them. Off they go, getting fat and unhealthy. Have your target and stick to it, no matter what anyone says! – pugheaven
• It may do you good to go out occasionally and relax. Have only one or two drinks and stick to orange juice for the rest of the time. Running is only a hobby and needs to mesh with all the other facets of life. – Johnny J
• Perhaps if you were sponsored for a reasonably small amount to complete the GNR, it would involve your friends and give a sense of purpose to the race? That might help. Otherwise what sort of friends are they? – B (Ewok's Mate)
• There's no law to say you have to do your long run on Sunday. Just juggle the mix until it works for you. Running should be part of your life, not all of it. – Tootie Applebuns
• I tend to do my long run on a Saturday, so I can go out on Saturday night and recover on Sunday. Just remember to drink plenty of water on the Friday and Saturday so that you’re not drinking alcohol while you’re still dehydrated. It can take 24 hours to properly re-hydrate. – shazza
• Do your long run on Saturday afternoon, come home, shower etc, go out and enjoy. Rest on Sunday. Don't be bogged down by a rigid training plan. Small changes do you good. – Tri Taffia
• Get them to join you! Failing that, turn up at the pub in your running gear – complete with the "118" ad wig, headband and T-shirt... – plodder
• Practical solution: take up fell running. Nearly all the races start or finish at pubs, so invite your mates and they can get well oiled whilst you go for a run. – Fell Running
• That happened again to me recently and I just snapped "PLEASE RESPECT MY DECISION NOT TO DRINK". That seemed to do the trick. – Alex Elferink
• People sometimes take your refusal to join is as being a criticism of their behaviour. If you can't pursuade them to see your point of view, then you just have to stand firm. To avoid alcohol, maybe you could tell people you're on antibiotics, or you're driving? – Wilkie
• Find alternatives to invite them to. In the nice weather, how about an early evening picnic, afternoon BBQ or a girls' pamper session during the day? You can still have fun and not drink. – Dog Leash
• Go out with your friends wearing your running kit, only drink soda water and lime, look really bored, and then leave early. They'll never invite you again! – Sarah Briggs
• I bet they are a tiny bit jealous of you anyway. – rebel
• Try a pub crawl in your kit, say half a mile between pubs, and see who can get the furthest. The winner gets all expenses refunded by the rest. I think true friends should be able to find a mutually agreeable compromise, don't you? – XL-man