what has your running club done for you?
mitchyinge
Posts: 196
so I'm a bit nervous about joining a proper club but am hoping it will help me with Project Run Consistently, especially in the winter, and am hoping to read lots of Good Things about club running :-)
0
Replies
-
My running club costs $25 a year for membership (and that includes a tech shirt).
No real downside, they met for two runs a week. They ramp up big for our local marathon & half marathon every summer (mid October race). We get 100+ people out for some those runs.
Lots of nice people, but I don't run with them all that often (based on my schedule).0 -
Everything.
Before I joined my running group I weighed 225 pounds and was a 9-minute-miler who ran roughly 15 miles a week.
Now I weigh 184, can crank out sub-6-minute miles, run 50-70 miles a week, and have qualified for and run the Boston Marathon.
The biggest keys are just having people with experience who share their wisdom, and having the peer pressure to actually show up for a run. Also, I've made the best friends of my life, all in less than 3 years.0 -
I am new to my running group. I have run with them 4 times now and I really like it. There are a ton of people each meetup, they meet Sunday mornings for the weekly long runs and they do interval training on Thurs evenings. This group mostly trains for the LA marathon but they do some smaller events as well. Also they host runs every year. Its really kind of neat.
I personally chose to join a running group because I needed the support and needed to be running with someone on my longer runs or I just was not going to do them.
One thing I don't really like about my running group though is that they only meet August - March officially. But some runners say they continue to meet all year long, So I will be looking forward to that,0 -
wow, I think Dave wins!
thanks all, am in an unaffiliated unambitious group now which has been helpful in its way but it will be so good to have a lot of people to go on long runs with - especially now everyone is starting on their spring marathon training plans
I will be happy if it only helps me to run consistently (secretly hoping my pace will pick up a bit too but maybe that will take time)
also think I get a free t-shirt - easily pleased
0 -
I LOVE MY RUNNING CLUB.
The Memphis Runner's Track Club (MRTC), is a staple in the Memphis community. They have a hand in the majority of the races throughout the Mid-south region. Membership is only $25 a year, and you get a 10% discount on a lot of races, 10% at Breakaway (the local running store), they hold member's only races (usually at the parties or BBQs), and you get a quarterly magazine (The Roadrunner) that tells you all about the happenings coming up, the running groups through out the area, and one of the members is a coach over at the University of Memphis and offers free coached speed work at the UofM track.
MRTC offers a Women's Run/Walk program during the summer, and it ranges from walker's to advanced runners, which has won several RRCA awards. They also do a children's running program in the fall. They hold the local race records for the area and keep track of where members run and print marathon times in the magazines.0 -
that's great
I just made a physio appointment and discovered it is now £5 cheaper as a club runner if only I'd thought of this earlier (I did think of it earlier but was intimidated by their superior running powers, actually there are supposedly lots of people like me) 0 -
-
now I want to join your club, apart from all the smiles it looks SO SUNNY
mine was great fun but it's cold and muddy all year round!0 -
I have been a member of the Rocky Mountain Road Runners since March of 2013. Not only did they give me the confidence I needed to run competitively (30 races from Mar-Dec of 2013) but they introduced me to the racing company that I am now a sponsored runner for as well as an Ambassador. I completed my goal of running a half marathon (twice) eight months ahead of schedule and PR'd my 5k, 10k and HM distance in 2013. I only started running in June of 2013 in intervals because I weighed 300 pounds and 1 mile was about long enough to make me wish I was dead. I took that momentum and a huge leap of faith and joined RMRR in March after losing 100 pounds. I've shaved off 11 minutes of my 5k, 8 minutes off my 10k and 8 minutes off my HM times from the beginning of 2013 to the end of 2013. I will absolutely renew my membership in March this year. As far as "tangible" swag or benefits my membership includes entry for one race per month ranging from 2-miles to 10-miles, we also have a raffle after every race and have won tons of shirts, bags, etc. In addition to the monthly races they offer free weekly track practice and marathon training for a small additional fee. Love love love my running club!! If you live in or around the Denver metro area I highly recommend it! ????
Edited to add: Membership is $35/12 month term.0 -
Good luck with your club! I usually run solo but have joined a few clubs. One is a bit too far from me and then the local one that just started is so new and so small that they don't have a variety of runners yet. I went with them on a trail run and they all ran at a pace that was faster than my road pace! Come to find out they all run at paces that are considerably faster than mine. I haven't run with them since.
I know of larger, more established running clubs that have people at all levels. I'm waiting for my local running club to grow so I can easily run with people at my level.0 -
I am so nervous about joining my club. I don't run fast, even when I get really in to my training cycle, I am still only a 10mm racer. What happens if you are the SLOWEST runner at a club run? I have been thinking about joining the local one here in Fayetteville as it seems to have a lot of members on meetups.com and I would love to meet some people in the area that share my love of running. Is it awkward going th first time? Are there information sessions I need to go to first????0
-
I saw a local running club online but it was difficult to tell how active it is. The one member who organizes everything is way faster than I will ever be, so I wonder why I should bother going to the runs.
I think I would be the slowest runner there--so would end up running by myself. Which is not the point of a club.
Still thinking about it...0 -
I am way too slow to do a group run. They say "all levels", but they really mean 11:00 is as slow as they go. Maybe one day.0
-
I got a cool singlet and free admittance into races they sponsored and a discount at a local running store. And I attended one really awkward Christmas party.
I ended up quitting because I was obligated to volunteer at one race a year and I could never get on with any of the cool races like the trail ultras - instead I'd be stuck working at little races where the roads weren't closed and angry drivers would scream at me and try to run me down with their minivans and not respect the authority of the orange vest and flag. F**kers.0 -
I am so nervous about joining my club. I don't run fast, even when I get really in to my training cycle, I am still only a 10mm racer. What happens if you are the SLOWEST runner at a club run? I have been thinking about joining the local one here in Fayetteville as it seems to have a lot of members on meetups.com and I would love to meet some people in the area that share my love of running. Is it awkward going th first time? Are there information sessions I need to go to first????
I was worried about this, I phoned one of the coaches and talked it all through and they slotted me into a session with mixed abilities where even I wasn't the slowest and I rarely break the 10 minute barrier!0 -
I'm in two clubs:
Club Northwest. This group has formal training runs with people who are much faster than I so I don't usually participate. They sponsor a couple of larger fun runs around Seattle, several run series, and also have a Masters meet each year. I mostly maintain membership for race discounts and their magazine with local running events. I also get a 10% discount with several local running shops for being a member. One of the cooler things that they do is have local track meets during the summer for all ages. I took my boys last summer and they participated in a lot of events and got very interested in running. Cost: $75 per year for me and my kids.
Richmond Beach Running Club: I wish I would have found them sooner! I remember when training for my marathon last winter I would see them running and wonder who they are. My son and I joined a couple months ago. We meet every Saturday and do runs together - there are people of all paces. There's a Sunday run too. There are also weekly clinic series several times per year. Sometimes i can't go because I have other events and my 10 year old son will go by himself and someone always runs with him! A few weeks ago he went almost 9 miles with another member. This is the most friendly, supportive group of people I have ever met. Cost: $0 (though I'd gladly pay)0 -
I'm glad I went because each week there will be something different that I would probably never do by myself, like timed pyramid sessions, hill repeats, fartlek, sprints/shuttles and various interval sessions from 400 to 2 miles (I think we did 2 mile intervals on Tuesday, my Garmin gave up trying to pause and resume after a while). There are social runs too and lots of informal unofficial long runs and a cross country team and lots of things I feel quite enthusiastic about 0
-
In my last club (Black Hills Runners), I was the "expert," so go figure haha. I just joined the Ohio River Road Runners Club and will get back to you. Seems like they have a lot better membership and more "options" than my last club, which was mostly old folks who got together to shoot the breeze and occasionally run.0
-
I'm in a tri club, so it's more expansive than just running, but... wow. Find the right club, and your workout life will suddenly consume you.
Mostly of my friends and socializing now revolve around the club. I do anywhere from 1-4 workouts a week with them. It's incredible to have a group there to motivate you - it makes the workout pass faster, you feel like you can push harder. A big enough group is great because there are all sorts of ability levels and you are sure to have a companion.
My club has 600 members and has been voted the best women's tri club in America :laugh: so it's definitely a little different than your typical running club. But I have run with other clubs, and the camaraderie is incredible. You know there is a group of folks there waiting for you every week. Nothing like a little accountability!
ETA - I just read your update - it sounds fantastic! Speedwork is my favorite running workout with the club - I love struggling to catch up to the speed demons.
0 -
good to hear your experiences, mostly very positive!
but it seems extra cruel that after the excitement of the new running club I am supposed to sit around resting my strained soleus indefinitely0 -
good to hear your experiences, mostly very positive!
but it seems extra cruel that after the excitement of the new running club I am supposed to sit around resting my strained soleus indefinitely
It goes both ways. If your are close with your club and they know you have an injury they will actually help hold you back when needed. They know that injuries need time to heal and will help ease you back in.0 -
I definitely recommend a running club. First, it's fun. Second, they'll probably be the only people on the planet who will listen to you when you start talking PR's, hydration packs, marathon tapers and blah blah blah. It helps to have friends who share your obsession!0
-
I definitely recommend a running club. First, it's fun. Second, they'll probably be the only people on the planet who will listen to you when you start talking PR's, hydration packs, marathon tapers and blah blah blah. It helps to have friends who share your obsession!
yes! and only today did I remember that I have access to UK Athletics coaches and advice about recovering from injuries etc so it was great to get their input too0 -
Mine gave me a cool race calendar and secret membership card that gets me into their sponsored races for free
0 -
hmm nice calendar and secret membership card :huh:
but I do get: £1 to £2 off UK race entry fees, £5 off physio, membership of british triathlon something or other (this will be even more useful once I learn how to swim?) and I think that's it . . . except for discounts at local gyms and sports shops0 -
You are all so lucky in the US... My membership to my run club is AUD350.00 a year. What we get here is nothing like you have. It includes advice and weekly running sessions plus a running singlet. Anything else is extra and no discount... I enjoy the friendship I make and having a buddy to run with on my long runs...0
-
So, I'm in an old fashioned club in the UK and I get:
Affiliation to UK Athletics (subsidised race entry, some free coaching and training sessions)
Free entry to club races
Access to club facilities (training runs & "clubhouse")
Discounts at local running shops and Physio's
And most importantly I get:
Running and support of other club members which has changed my running more than I could have ever done.
The cost of this is £20 a year, given that we get 15% off in the local running shops this is soon recovered! I'm not sure how the club manage to do so much for so little but they do!0 -
I have been thinking about joining my local running club but the 2 runs they do during the week are at times I can not join them. Bummer.
0 -
We have a really informal running group in our town. There's no membership fee or list of members and any level of runner or walker is welcome. If you join their fb page or show up for a run, you're part of the group. All group runs are posted on fb, and the page is open to anyone. The more who show up, the better!
I'm nearly always the slowest one there, but that doesn't bother me. Telling others that I will be there for a run is often the motivation I need to stick with my planned run. And our runs usually start and end at one of the local bars so we can always refuel afterward! A cold beer always tastes best after a good run! I also bike, kayak and ski with running group friends.0 -
I love my running club, been running with them for 3 years. I had just completed c25k and not run anything beyond 3 miles. I took a brief break from running in 2012 and started running with them end of 2012. I got encouraged to sign up to a 10 miler and haven't looked back! ran five halfs last year and running two full marathons this year.
My club have helped me to get quicker ( from 12 mi/ miles to just under 9 min/mile) and I have made some amazing friends. I also joined the committee so help to run local races/ events/ train new people etc. All good fun. We also go on regular road trips for races etc.
You have to find the right club, try a few and see which ones suit you. If you have a bad experience with one, try another one. I would definitely recommend it!0
