Runners are weird. They smell. They have missing toenails, blistered feet and they eat goo. In other social circles these things make you an outcast but for runners, these are the ties that bind. In recent years, I stopped thinking of running as an individual sport. I believe running a race is for the individual but most of the miles I log happen with a community of runners, my running group.
My first experience with group runs was in college when I signed up for my first marathon. Running 26.2 miles is not logical, let alone something one does for fun except when others convince you it is! It didn’t take but a couple weeks to build relationships with my training buddies and I started to look forward to seeing them every week.
I didn’t realize how much my new friends helped me get through those long runs until I was forced to run twenty miles alone due to a scheduling conflict. I survived that boring twenty-miler alone but boy I never missed another group run and still much prefer to run with a crowd these days for this reason-Running together is beneficial!
These are my Top 3 Reasons You Need to Join A Running Group:
1. Group Runs Are Fun!!!
Running is fun, I promise. People love to say they hate running but a group run is an on-the-go social event. Shockingly, I may not always savor each mile I run but I sure love chatting alongside my friends solving the world’s problems and catching up. Even if you can’t talk, find someone who can and be amazed at how quickly a mile goes by!
2. The After-Party!
Runners are fun people, they choose to start and end their runs at places that provide an incentive! For example, Jacksonville Running Company hosts a run at the World of Beer in Tinseltown every Monday and nothing beats a cold one after a run.
3. Something For Everyone
Running is a melting pot kinda sport. Some run, some jog and others walk and run. Some run long, some run short and others run in between. Group runs welcome everyone and always offer routes of various lengths. On Sunday mornings, JRC hits the trails of UNF for a 3 mile loop or up to 10 miles. The glory of a group run is everyone is looking for someone to join them as they attempt to run for the first time, help them go a little further or a little bit faster. All you gotta do is show up.
The science behind the success of group runs is there, humans are social beings therefore we are more sucessful when we have a partner. People just plain enjoy themselves more when hanging out with a buddy. Some runners need accountability and others enjoy a little friendly competition but there is no denying that running together makes a person a better runner.
Check out JRC’s event calendar to get in on some awesome group runs!
Thank you JRC for sponsoring this post!
I’m in the middle of marathon training on my own and the long runs are so miserably boring.. I need to check out some of the group runs, maybe then I wouldn’t keep bailing so often!
My best training was ALWAYS when I had a group, and I’ve made some wonderful friends during these runs!