It’s rare for couples to share an interest they are both very passionate about and dedicated to from the get go, which is probably why Runner’s World January-March 2012 cover couple Noy and Amale Jopson share such a strong relationship. They met at a college fun run and have been running marathons and doing triathlons together ever since—they became a couple a year after they met, then married seven years after that.

“We do fight sometimes, because he’s talking and talking, and I don’t want to hear somebody talking in my ear while I run,” says Amale. “Noy has the tendency to have a ‘Let’s just do this!’ mentality, while I’m more of a stickler, and I plan things.”

But they're very supportive of one another's goals. Noy recalls how Amale helped him while he was training for the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. "We would be doing most of our long runs together. It just gelled, because we were doing it at her goal race pace, which happens to be my goal race pace when I’m doing a marathon in an Ironman. We’d do our key speedworks, long intervals, and long runs together before Kona so it was just perfect."

And Amale and Noy have shared their love of running with their kids; in 2010 Amale ran the 3-K Loony Toons run with her son Rafa in a baby jogger, while five-year-old Mikele kept pace. Mikele later joined the 500m dash, and she continues to run with her parents, especially around the village.

Like Amale and Noy, have you and your guy found yourself bitten by the running bug? The Jopsons have shared some tips on training as a couple:



1. HELP ONE ANOTHER WITH YOUR RESPECTIVE TRAINING GOALS.

“It’s fun to run together, but before you start, decide whose program you’re going to follow so you can avoid fights,” says Noy. “Sometimes we run and just do things on Amale’s program, or sometimes we run and do things on mine.”


2. KNOW THE OTHER'S PREFERENCES.

“I tell Noy what I want him to do when he paces me, and we agree on that,” says Amale. It’s okay to run separately. “Maybe you can warm up together and then go your own way,” says Noy. “If you’re trying to achieve something different for a particular run, it doesn’t have to be that you’re always running together to have fun.”


3. IF SOMEONE IS FASTER THAN THE OTHER, CHOOSE EASY RUNS YOU CAN DO TOGETHER.

“It’s more enjoyable that way,” says Amale.


4. ACKNOWLEDGE EACH OTHER'S STRENGTHS AND SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP EACH OTHER.

“The way Amale helps me is through psychological sports training,” says Noy.

“She has mental techniques for me, which are very helpful, particularly in Ironman Distance Triathlons.”



To read the full story on Noy and Amale Jopson, pick up a copy of the January-March 2012 issue of Runner’s World, retailing at just P150 from leading supermarkets, bookstores, and magazine stands.

Also in this issue:

• Marathon Special: 4-Week Plans + Must-Run Races
• Pinoy Running Myths Busted
• Top Running Bloggers Spill Their Secrets
• Not Enough Time? 35 Workouts to Suit Your Schedule