摘要：While it is common for competitive athletes to train with teammates or training partners and exercising with a partner is a widely recommended method to increase exercise intensity and motivation (Kravitz, 2011), experimental research on the potential effects of exercising with others is limited. A number of studies on various populations (Corbett, Barwood, Ouzounogluo, Thelwell, & Dicks, 2012; Grindrod, Paton, Knez, & O'Brien, 2006; Plante et al., 2010; Rhea, Landers, Alvar, & Arent, 2003; Rittenhouse, Salvy, & Barkley, 2011; Salvy et ah, 2009; Williams, Nida, Baca, & Latane, 1989; Wilmore, 1968) suggest a positive effect of the presence of others on physical activity behavior, which may be explained by the social facilitation and self presentation theories of Zajonc (1965) and Bond (1982). These theories respectively propose that physical performance is enhanced in the presence of others as a means to "look good" or project an image of competence. In athletes, the impact of the presence of a peer on exercise behavior is equivocal and focuses primarily on maximal performance in a competitive setting (Corbett et al., 2012; Rhea et al., 2003; Williams et al., 1989; Wilmore, 1968). Although competitive performance is the primary concern of athletes, they perform a substantial amount of training at submaximal intensity, yet the effect of a peer on submaximal exercise behavior in athletes has been largely ignored.
Competitive distance runners are a suitable population in which to observe the effect of the presence of peers on athletes' submaximal training, as they frequently perform training runs with other runners (Kolata, 2009) and train at variable intensities in a given week. Current training philosophy (Daniels, 2005; Galloway, 2002; Martin & Coe, 1999; Noakes, 2004) supports a work--recovery model characterized by high intensity workout days followed by light to moderate intensity "recovery" or "easy" days. Training sessions on such "recovery" days are typically unstructured and allow runners to voluntarily select a submaximal level of exertion (Daniels, 2005; Galloway, 2002; Martin & Coe, 1999; Noakes, 2004).
