Couples who sweat together may stay together longer, so some Squamish people suggest it鈥檚 time to hit the gym instead of indulging in Valentine鈥檚 chocolates and flowers this weekend.
Training together has all the benefits of exercising separately 鈥� including less stress, better sleep and a sharper brain 鈥� as well as many added extras, such as increased motivation, improved cooperation and the enjoyment of a shared passion, according to studies. It鈥檚 also a great opportunity to shake off the stress of day-to-day responsibilities and has been shown to enhance performance in more ways than one.
Trainer Jen Segger of Challenge by Choice says she frequently sees couples working out together. Sometimes the workout even becomes a date. 鈥淲e have some people who make it a night. We know that on Wednesday nights they come to class together and then go for dinner after.鈥�
If you鈥檙e single, working out can also lead you to the perfect partner, she adds. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e doing what you love, you鈥檙e going to meet people doing that too鈥� it鈥檚 going to be an easy click.鈥�
One couple who met this way are Kelly Franz and Katy Holm, who have been climbing partners for more than 10 years after meeting through the sport. 鈥淲e were both into climbing already, so it was easy. It was natural,鈥� says Franz.
They now have a daughter, Ruby, and although life is busy, they still make a point of trying to climb together. 鈥淐limbing is our passion, so the more we can do that, the better. If it鈥檚 together it鈥檚 even better,鈥� says Franz.
Achieving this was easier when Ruby was an infant. 鈥淲e would carry her in a backpack to the base of the crag and then set her down in a little baby tent and hang out with her. When she was happy, we鈥檇 get in a pitch or two, and when she needed us, we鈥檇 just take a break.鈥�
Now that she鈥檚 two years old, it鈥檚 sometimes easier to go bouldering or climb with other families, explains Holm. While one adult watches the children run around, the others climb. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e having fun because they鈥檙e playing, and we鈥檙e having fun because we鈥檙e playing,鈥� she says.
As well as being fun, climbing can be emotionally intense due to challenges couples have to overcome together. 鈥淭here can be high stress鈥� intensity and fear, which can make communication between couples challenging,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also relationship-building, though, because you need to somehow figure out how to work together in a situation that鈥檚 emotional and stressful.鈥�
There鈥檚 also a great deal of trust within the relationship and an understanding of each other鈥檚 need to climb. 鈥淗aving the common interest is beneficial in that way, because we both want to do the activity to the same degree,鈥� says Franz. 鈥淥ur common goal is to support and enable each other to climb as much as we want, in whatever form that may be.鈥�
Another couple juggling childcare and training is Julie Miller and Ryan Letchford. Miller is a world champion triathlete who trains between 25 and 30 hours a week and runs a successful business.
With everything going on, finding quality time together isn鈥檛 always easy. Last year they ensured some time together by signing up as a husband and wife team in a grueling, seven-day mountain bike race. It felt like a honeymoon, Miller recalls. Letchford took the lead for the training, showing her trails she鈥檇 never ridden before.
鈥淗e鈥檚 more the mountain biker and I needed to train with him to see a lot of the routes. He was able to show me all the places we were going and was able to give me some tips and hints.鈥�
That wasn鈥檛 always easy, Miller admits, because they both have stubborn streaks.
Outside of training together, Letchford is a huge support in every way, she explains, and she finds his belief in her inspirational. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I could do the things I do without his support.鈥�
There鈥檚 occasionally some friendly competition, though, especially when they both race the Test of Metal. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like this little rivalry. I鈥檝e only beaten him once, but it鈥檚 always there, and other people egg that on a little because they know.鈥�
It鈥檚 a busy lifestyle but one they have chosen deliberately. 鈥淚t brings us together 鈥� it鈥檚 how we spend our spare time. If we can find time to go skiing together or biking, that鈥檚 what we prefer to do,鈥� she says, adding that they鈥檇 both rather forego a late night than a day of activity. 鈥淲e both want to get up in the morning and go do things. That鈥檚 the lifestyle we want to live. That鈥檚 what makes us so compatible鈥� It鈥檚 what brought us together and what keeps us strong.鈥�
Sheena and Rob Harris were also brought together through sport. They met while Sheena was enjoying a coffee in Starbucks right after cycling to Whistler and back.
鈥淲hen we first got together, we knew she was signing up for Ironman,鈥� says Rob, 鈥渟o my commitment was to support her and stick with her as long as I could. For me the training part was all about her as she was the one competing. I just got the benefits of doing the training with her.鈥�
Rob is no couch potato, though, and plans to do a 鈥渃ouple of Xterras鈥� some half-Ironmans and the Squamish triathlon.
They both train five or six times a week, and there are few activities they don鈥檛 do together, including rising at 5:30 a.m. for an early morning swim. 鈥淲e鈥檙e spending good quality time together, so we get to know each other better,鈥� says Rob. 鈥淎s always with training, we have good days and bad days so we get to support each other through that too.鈥�
Sheena is training for another Ironman this year and admits that, having trained solo before, she much prefers having a partner. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done it last year without Rob鈥檚 support... it鈥檚 nice to have someone to get out there with.鈥� Sheena鈥檚 goals also help keep them motivated, Rob explains.
Getting out to train together isn鈥檛 always easy, but you can make it work, says Segger. 鈥淧arents often do the tag thing in a lot of our back-to-back classes鈥� so you get dad in first, tagging the mom who comes in next.鈥�
If a shared love of the same sport doesn鈥檛 come naturally, though, don鈥檛 sweat it, she says. Just keep an open mind and embrace the journey of discovering something you both love. 鈥淲hatever it is you鈥檙e doing for training, you have to enjoy it, or else it becomes a slog and what鈥檚 the point in that? Life is too short. If the gym isn鈥檛 working for you, don鈥檛 do it. Find something that you do like to do and then, even better, do it with your partner.鈥�
