The Benefits of Joining a Running Club
I started running in the summer of 2013, and in the summer of 2014 I became a member of the Paradise Running Club. I was a member in name only until the 2016 running season, and since then I have discovered that being part of a running club is a tremendous experience that I would highly recommend to anyone. In this post, I'm going to list just a few of the many reasons why I would make that recommendation.
(1) You've always wanted to be a runner, but you're unsure how to start - What better way to start then to join a group of people brought together through running? Joining a running club is a great way to learn to run. In fact, our club offers a Learn to Run program a few times throughout the year where you can meet other runners at the same stage in their journey, and each session is led by one of our existing club members.
(2) You are already a runner, but you don't have any running buddies - This was me for 3 years. I ran thousands of kilometers on my own. Every step. And I really enjoyed it. Then I started attending group runs with our club, and I saw a whole new side of running. Running with a group not only makes the runs less monotonous, it also provides you the opportunity to learn from the experiences of those around you. And the encouragement/guilt you get from your running buddies will get you out on those days when you would really rather do anything else!
(3) You are interested in improving your physical fitness - In a way, this is obvious. But there is more to it than just the running. Within a running club, you are bound to find people with interests and education in many other areas of physical fitness. I've had conversations with club mates about strength training, yoga, nutrition, massage, chiropractic care....you get the picture. A group centered on an active lifestyle is a good place to gain access to all kinds of great information.
(4) You want to give back to your community - This one may be surprising to some people, but most running clubs are quite active in their communities. Aside from hosting races, they will organize fundraisers, food drives, community clean-ups, and a host of other events that help make the communities we live in a better place.
(5) You just want to meet some really amazing people - I left this one for last, because to me it is the most important. Running releases endorphins, so naturally you'll spend lots of time around a bunch of happy people! Whether it's enjoying a coffee after your run, or partaking in one of the social events that take place throughout the year, if you bring a positive attitude and a willingness to meet new people, it's hard not to have a good time with a bunch of runners.
On the more serious side, you may find that your club mates are there for you when you need it the most. Some days, running with a buddy can be like therapy; you leave and know you've got nothing else to do for the next hour or two but run and talk. And in the short time I have been in the club, we have dealt with some of life's more difficult moments more than once. It is inspiring to see how completely our club rallies to support its members when they need it the most.
That covers some of the big reasons why I would encourage anyone interested to check out a running club, but there are certainly many more. If you are on the fence, why not check out the Learn To Run program that our club is putting off starting in a couple of weeks (Paradise Running Club LTR Program), and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment or send me a message privately.
Weekly Summary (January 29-February 4)
Mon. (Lunch): 6 km [treadmill] @ 7.2-8.4 mph, 28:50, 4:48/km pace
(Evening): 10 minute Yoga - Bedtime Routine
Tue. (Lunch): Strength Workout - Chest/Back/Arms
(Evening): 3 km warmup, 8x200m (39/41/40/40/39/40/40/39) w/ 290m jog, 2 km cooldown (Workout total: 8.92 km, 39:25, 4:25/km pace)
Wed. (Evening): 15 minute Yoga - Full Body Restorative Stretch
Thu. (Lunch): Strength Workout - Shoulders/Core
(Evening): 10 minute Yoga - Neck and Shoulder Stretch
Fri. (Evening): 10 minute Yoga - Bedtime Routine
Sat. (Morning): 10 km, 47:01, 4:42/km pace
Sun.: Off
Total: 24.92 km
More of the same this week. Sunday was my first day with no running/yoga/strength for the year, thanks to a busy day and the Super Bowl. I also eased back my yoga this week a little, and I definitely feel worse because of it. Hoping to get at least 20 minutes a day in next week.
The workout on Tuesday night was a little different this week. We decided to do all 200m intervals, then a lap jogging back to the start line (nominally 200m), and each interval starting 2 minutes after the previous one began. Our plan was 40 seconds for 200m. In theory, that meant a 3:20/km pace for the interval, and then a 6:40/km pace back to the start. The problem with that is the track at the Field House is 245m in the outside lane, so we had to cover 290m at our easy pace instead of 200m to get back to the start. That meant our "easy" recovery pace was actually about 4:35/km!
We were originally going to do all 8 consecutively, but after 4 we had to take a 1 minute rest. Even then, I was barely getting back to the start line by the last few intervals, and that was even after moving in a couple of lanes to shorten the recovery laps. Haha Needless to say I was in pain by the end; I just keep telling myself those will pay off when I'm pushing myself towards Bannerman Park in July!
The only other thing of note this week was me getting outside again on Saturday. I even ran in the snow! I don't know if this will become a full-time thing, but I'm slowly turning into a winter runner. Yet another benefit of running with a club I guess. :)
That's all from me for this week. Cheers!
(1) You've always wanted to be a runner, but you're unsure how to start - What better way to start then to join a group of people brought together through running? Joining a running club is a great way to learn to run. In fact, our club offers a Learn to Run program a few times throughout the year where you can meet other runners at the same stage in their journey, and each session is led by one of our existing club members.
(2) You are already a runner, but you don't have any running buddies - This was me for 3 years. I ran thousands of kilometers on my own. Every step. And I really enjoyed it. Then I started attending group runs with our club, and I saw a whole new side of running. Running with a group not only makes the runs less monotonous, it also provides you the opportunity to learn from the experiences of those around you. And the encouragement/guilt you get from your running buddies will get you out on those days when you would really rather do anything else!
(3) You are interested in improving your physical fitness - In a way, this is obvious. But there is more to it than just the running. Within a running club, you are bound to find people with interests and education in many other areas of physical fitness. I've had conversations with club mates about strength training, yoga, nutrition, massage, chiropractic care....you get the picture. A group centered on an active lifestyle is a good place to gain access to all kinds of great information.
(4) You want to give back to your community - This one may be surprising to some people, but most running clubs are quite active in their communities. Aside from hosting races, they will organize fundraisers, food drives, community clean-ups, and a host of other events that help make the communities we live in a better place.
(5) You just want to meet some really amazing people - I left this one for last, because to me it is the most important. Running releases endorphins, so naturally you'll spend lots of time around a bunch of happy people! Whether it's enjoying a coffee after your run, or partaking in one of the social events that take place throughout the year, if you bring a positive attitude and a willingness to meet new people, it's hard not to have a good time with a bunch of runners.
On the more serious side, you may find that your club mates are there for you when you need it the most. Some days, running with a buddy can be like therapy; you leave and know you've got nothing else to do for the next hour or two but run and talk. And in the short time I have been in the club, we have dealt with some of life's more difficult moments more than once. It is inspiring to see how completely our club rallies to support its members when they need it the most.
That covers some of the big reasons why I would encourage anyone interested to check out a running club, but there are certainly many more. If you are on the fence, why not check out the Learn To Run program that our club is putting off starting in a couple of weeks (Paradise Running Club LTR Program), and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment or send me a message privately.
Weekly Summary (January 29-February 4)
Mon. (Lunch): 6 km [treadmill] @ 7.2-8.4 mph, 28:50, 4:48/km pace
(Evening): 10 minute Yoga - Bedtime Routine
Tue. (Lunch): Strength Workout - Chest/Back/Arms
(Evening): 3 km warmup, 8x200m (39/41/40/40/39/40/40/39) w/ 290m jog, 2 km cooldown (Workout total: 8.92 km, 39:25, 4:25/km pace)
Wed. (Evening): 15 minute Yoga - Full Body Restorative Stretch
Thu. (Lunch): Strength Workout - Shoulders/Core
(Evening): 10 minute Yoga - Neck and Shoulder Stretch
Fri. (Evening): 10 minute Yoga - Bedtime Routine
Sat. (Morning): 10 km, 47:01, 4:42/km pace
Sun.: Off
Total: 24.92 km
More of the same this week. Sunday was my first day with no running/yoga/strength for the year, thanks to a busy day and the Super Bowl. I also eased back my yoga this week a little, and I definitely feel worse because of it. Hoping to get at least 20 minutes a day in next week.
The workout on Tuesday night was a little different this week. We decided to do all 200m intervals, then a lap jogging back to the start line (nominally 200m), and each interval starting 2 minutes after the previous one began. Our plan was 40 seconds for 200m. In theory, that meant a 3:20/km pace for the interval, and then a 6:40/km pace back to the start. The problem with that is the track at the Field House is 245m in the outside lane, so we had to cover 290m at our easy pace instead of 200m to get back to the start. That meant our "easy" recovery pace was actually about 4:35/km!
We were originally going to do all 8 consecutively, but after 4 we had to take a 1 minute rest. Even then, I was barely getting back to the start line by the last few intervals, and that was even after moving in a couple of lanes to shorten the recovery laps. Haha Needless to say I was in pain by the end; I just keep telling myself those will pay off when I'm pushing myself towards Bannerman Park in July!
The only other thing of note this week was me getting outside again on Saturday. I even ran in the snow! I don't know if this will become a full-time thing, but I'm slowly turning into a winter runner. Yet another benefit of running with a club I guess. :)
That's all from me for this week. Cheers!
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