May 2018 Running Challenge

lporter229 wrote: »

I have a question for those of you that run with a club or organized group, particularly one that is based in a local running store. Do you pay a fee for membership or training? How much and what is included? Do you feel it is worth your money?

I may have mentioned this a few months ago, but the local store that my running club is based from was sold in December. The new owner has another store in town that sponsors a "club" or training program where runners pay for organized training. There are a bunch of perks included with the plans, but they are a bit pricey, especially since our group has never had to pay fees. Furthermore, I think that a bunch of the members of our group feel that these "programs" are geared toward helping newer runners prepare for their first races rather than support the more experienced runner. The summer group training plan is for a 5K. Even though they offer pace groups up to a 7 minute mile, most of the members do not feel like they need this type or organized training. But if you don't join the group, then you can't be "included" in the weekly runs from the store. Needless to say, it is causing quite a rift among the group. The Facebook page has been completely blown up since it was announced after the Flying Pig that there would be no more Saturday runs from the store unless you were part of the paid group. I am just trying to figure out where I want to fit in what appears to be a newly divided group.

I think someone's a bit greedy. :-( Our local Fleet Feet store has training groups that you can pay to join. They usually consist of first-time 5Kers or HMers but they encourage others in the running community to join them and see it as supporting the new runners. With the experience and speed that you already have, it doesn't seem like it would be very beneficial for you to join the "club."

lporter229 wrote: »

I have a question for those of you that run with a club or organized group, particularly one that is based in a local running store. Do you pay a fee for membership or training? How much and what is included? Do you feel it is worth your money?

I may have mentioned this a few months ago, but the local store that my running club is based from was sold in December. The new owner has another store in town that sponsors a "club" or training program where runners pay for organized training. There are a bunch of perks included with the plans, but they are a bit pricey, especially since our group has never had to pay fees. Furthermore, I think that a bunch of the members of our group feel that these "programs" are geared toward helping newer runners prepare for their first races rather than support the more experienced runner. The summer group training plan is for a 5K. Even though they offer pace groups up to a 7 minute mile, most of the members do not feel like they need this type or organized training. But if you don't join the group, then you can't be "included" in the weekly runs from the store. Needless to say, it is causing quite a rift among the group. The Facebook page has been completely blown up since it was announced after the Flying Pig that there would be no more Saturday runs from the store unless you were part of the paid group. I am just trying to figure out where I want to fit in what appears to be a newly divided group.

I don't pay a fee for running store organized activity, but it's complicated.

There are three running stores in town. Fleet Feet offers limited free group runs, and an assortment of paid training programs. For the purposes of someone who runs half marathons and/or marathons, the relevant program is called "Half and Full Marathon" training. People can pay a lesser fee to only get the weekly paced runs instead of the full training program; that is called "Pace Pass." I don't remember the current fees; I get the long runs for free because I'm a volunteer pacer. I could also get the marathon training for free, but I roll my own and rely on my club's coach for what help I need. Fleet Feet also has free weekly runs of shorter distances; there is no pacing, but you can go out with people who run a similar pace to you. In addition, they offer a paid membership to a club that gives you discounts off affiliated local races. That makes economic sense for a lot of frequent local racers. Last year, they offered me a membership in that club for free because I win a lot of age groups. I didn't take it, because it would require me to wear their colors at all races I run. No can do, I have other affiliations and commitments.

Medved has weekly free road (Wednesday evening) and trail (Thursday evening) runs. They also offer paid training programs, including a half/full marathon training program that includes long runs on the weekend. And there is a program where you can pay an annual fee for access to some more runs and discounts off some races. So far, that has not made economic sense for me.

Rochester Running Company is the newest running store in town, with the smallest selection of merchandise; but they're trying pretty hard. They make a big deal of offering free paced runs every Saturday morning. The pacers are not as strict to pace as Fleet Feet's, but the fact that it's free draws an awful lot of runners. Competition is a wonderful thing. RRC also offers free group runs during the week; I've never attended one of those.

There are three free groups not affiliated with any running store that have long runs on Saturday mornings. None of them are terribly convenient for me, and I've only run with one of them. These groups tend to have a group of distance runners that are more established than the mix of runners that the running stores draw.

Among serious/established/hard core distance runners, there is considerable overlap in attendance at the various group runs. Some people are more associated with one group than with another, but anyone could show up anywhere.

Seeing as how I'm not paying for any of these group runs, I'm definitely getting my money's worth. What I do pay is a membership fee in Greater Rochester Track Club (modest benefit, but cheap fee at $20 per year); a membership in USATF (more than GRTC, I think about $25 per year; but lets me compete in regional and nationally sanctioned USATF events); and a membership in the Genesee Valley Harriers running club ($100 per year, plus online sign up fee, and worth every penny to me.) GVH gives me coaching, Tuesday and Thursday club practices, the opportunity to compete for team awards in USATF events, and a travel subsidy (hotel and entry fee) for national USATF events. Then I pay extra for all the GVH-logo clothing you see me in on my posted pictures, and pay to get myself to and from the hotel the club reserves for national races.

Rochester, NY is a really good running community. I have lots of options available, as long as I can keep myself off the couch.

Quick run to reset from the workday before getting ready for concert-going tonight. I'm in dire need of some yoga though so I am doing yoga + small run + gym tomorrow and delaying my long run to Sunday. My legs were in rough shape today!

5/1: 3.2 miles
5/2: 3 miles
5/3: 7 miles of Track Thursday
5/4: 5.4 miles
5/5: 12 miles
5/6: 3.6 miles + gym workout
5/7: 6 miles
5/8: 8 miles of Track Tuesday
5/9: Rest day
5/10: 6 miles
5/11: 3.2

Current: 57.4
Goal miles: 150

Upcoming Races:
5/20: Watershed Running Festival - Trail 10k - Pennington, NJ

lporter229 wrote: »

I have a question for those of you that run with a club or organized group, particularly one that is based in a local running store. Do you pay a fee for membership or training? How much and what is included? Do you feel it is worth your money?

So there is a big group I pay to be part of. Steel City Road Runners - but they help run the major races, they provide pacers at many races, they dod "pop up 5ks" all summer long, and so on. For the marathon, they provided breakfast, private gear check, and a fully stocked recovery tent (food, drinks, massage, changing rooms, and so on). They have coaches for "track days" and 4 or 5 different group runs a week it seems like. I think I pay $55 each for my wife and I. Something around there. Totally worth it, IMO. I need to take advantage of it more really.

There is a smaller one that a local running store runs. They meet every Wednesday night for a run. I do not know what else they do, but they are free.

Hawaii has so many running groups. Some associated with stores and a bunch that offer group coaching from experienced runners. I joined one when I first got here mainly to learn the area and the good running routes. The second year though I found my injuries were increasing with the group since they really cater to the recreational runner with minimal time...low weekly mileage and blast 1 day on the weekend. I now have an online coach and run by myself. I do like have the group b/c I could run after dark and have someone with me.

Chugging through the week. Think I will come in around 20 miles with 1 speed and 1 strength run and a bunch of easy. I go on vacation next week and so I will miss a few days due to travel.

Found another 5k to try in late June to see how much time I could take off in about 7 weeks. Only issue I have is that it doesn't start till 8am. And the summer switch just hit Hawaii and it is hot, muggy, and very bad air quality due to the volcano.

@lporter229 I'm a member of a running club that is out of a fitness club. Some might recall I was with the YMCA running group and our coach was let go, and now he is at a different fitness club so many of us joined up over there. I can be in the running club included in the price of my gym membership. This includes going to as many of the coached run group workouts a week as we want, training logs, and the Saturday long run. However, the half marathon/marathon training group is extra. It is $125 for club members for the season, which for the summer/fall runs from about June 1 to Thanksgiving (over 20 weeks). That gets you the longer weekly workout (there are 2 nights in 2 locations, you can go to either or both), more personalized attention and coaching, an extra shirt or two. You can also still go to all the other run groups and of course the Saturday long runs. The program is pretty popular with both newer and seasoned runners (if not more popular with the more seasoned/competitive ones). It's somewhat pricey compared to what others are saying, but I find it worth the money to get the coaching as well as the support and camaraderie of the other runners. The new club is a bit more runner-friendly an seems to like to throw in a few perks (for advertisement purposes) so we might see a few more benefits this summer but we don't currently have pacers or water support or gel samples or anything. Since we also had a bit of a rift in our group with the change of clubs, our coach and the new gym were nice enough to make the Saturday long runs free and open to everyone, regardless of membership, which seems to have helped bridge the divide and open up options for people who couldn't make the switch in gym membership or don't want to join any gym. (I can sympathize with the facebook drama, ours was quite a scene a few months ago).

There are a few other local groups including Fleet Feet. I don't know their offerings well but know they offer some free workout series and runs, but also have paid programs. I just looked up their summer/fall half marathon program and it's $165 for 18 weeks or $125 for 12 weeks, so a little more than we pay. I'm also nominally a member of the Syracuse Track Club but only because you have to join it to do the New Year's day resolution run. It's like $10/year. So I could also do workouts with them.

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OK, so no run today. Did a Fitness Blender abs and upper body workout but other than that took a rest day. Tomorrow is the Right to Run 19k, which still is calling for about 45 degree and steady rain all morning. I'm not really sure how to dress for that. I have a rain poncho to start with and dry clothes for after packed. But still haven't narrowed down my race outfit for sure. I mean, my clothes will be wet and cold no matter what unless I wear the poncho the whole time I guess. Ugh. This all seemed like a better idea on the warm sunny day when I signed up.

@lporter229 I run with my local running store and it's free. They have 3 out of 4 stores that offer a free weekly run (all different days so you could go to all). Shoe companies come sometimes so we can demo shoes on the runs and they raffle prizes too (shirts, buffs, etc). When they offer training programs that does cost a fee but the weekly runs are completely free.
I did sign up this year to be on their racing team so I get store discounts, race entry discounts and I wear their singlet and that only cost me $35 for the year.