5 Reasons to Join Running Groups

Have you ever considered the move to join running groups? 

Join running groups or establish running partnerships to help you stick with running. Have some running goals? Need some accountability to stay active and run further distances? Maybe you need someone to push you to run at a faster pace. 

Or maybe you just need someone to help you get started. I understand how life can happen and running can be pushed to the side. Then, getting back to it is easier said than done. 

Running is a great cardio activity for anyone to take part in if you can. It can be a great solo activity. The only equipment you need is running shoes and maybe some music on an iPod. But maybe you need something more. Some more competition to push you just a little bit more.  

Maybe you need some encouragement from a running buddy. Perhaps you could use running partners to keep you on track. 

There are several reasons to join running groups. And everyone’s reasons are different for joining running groups. Bottom line is that running groups is a great way to help you stay with running. 

Why Join Running Groups

So, why should you take the time or spend the money to join running groups? Maybe you should ask yourself some more questions.

How is running going by yourself? Are you staying with it? Are you gaining distance and speed? Maybe you are just having trouble staying consistent with your running schedule. 

Here’s the truth about running: Getting started is the easy part. Anyone can jump out of bed the first day and hit the gravel full force. But do you need accountability to stay true to your running schedule? Staying accountable is the most difficult so that is where we will begin. 

Accountability

Sticking with running can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t really love running. If you’re wanting to get fit, running may seem like a viable option for cardio. 

But, we all know that life happens. We oversleep. We get busy. It’s easy to push running and workouts to the back burner. Especially if you’re working out on your own with only yourself for accountability. 

But with running groups, you can have that accountability to keep running an important part of your schedule. Other group members can keep you coming back by providing support and encouragement each time. They can help you with your running form and your pace speed. 

As you keep coming to your running group meetings, you begin to make some bigger goals for yourself. Some of those goals might involve running races and competitions. 

Competitive Races

Friendly competitive races are fun ways to truly test your progress, meet running goals and become a better runner. Not only can you run a competitive race for yourself, but many competitive races are created to meet a need or help a cause. 

So, by joining and paying to participate in a competitive race, you are helping your community. How cool is that?

Competitive races are a safe and fun way to celebrate your running progress with your awesome running buddies. Get ready to feel inspired by your running friends. Group running can also help you to feel safe during your runs. 

Safety

Everyone needs to feel safe in any situation. Even when running outdoors. 

When you run with others, you have a feeling of security through all different types of scenarios. Depending on when your running group meets, sometimes you can’t meet with them. But, luckily, you might meet someone or others in your group who can meet you for a run at a different time. 

This different time could mean running after dark or before the sun comes up before your family wakes up. Night or early morning running can be frightening to some runners for various reasons. But, dark running is necessary sometimes according to schedules and family in order to stay on schedules. Find someone you can trust to meet you during these odd times to get your run in.  

Also, running injury can occur along the course at any given time and without warning. Running in a group or with a partner is a good idea in case you are plagued with injury. It’s good to have someone to help you along through an injury or even to know where you’re running course is just in case. 

Because relying on someone for encouragement and support through running can make life lasting relationships. Closer relationships can turn into lifelong friendships through running.

Friendships

When you join running groups, you gain opportunities for lifelong friendships. Why?

Because running is an emotional battle with fellow runners as supportive cheerleaders. No one understands what your going through in your running journey better like someone else has “been there, done that”. No matter what level you are, another running friend can be that support and accountability you need to keep going. 

Plus, it’s fun to celebrate running wins with someone who actually get it. Other members and friends in your supportive running group. The more friends and acquaintances you make in your running group, the more connections you will have for other ventures in your community as well. 

Making Connections

While making friends through running is nice and all, making lifelong connections for bigger opportunities can really be awesome as well. Because it really is a small world out there. All you have to do is step out of your box, meet some people and make those connections.

What kind of connections? Well, potential new customers or business connections. Social connections with important community members. Big ideas can happen while running. And when you’re running with a group of people of different backgrounds and experiences, seeds can be planted. Seeds that can bloom into answers to community needs.

These connections can be found through running groups. So how do you find these running groups in your own communities? Well, here’s how.

How to Find Running Groups to Join

There are a few ways to find local running groups. The first is to simply check with your local gym or community center. You just have to step out and ask around to find them.

You could also check this web site to find local running groups. This isn’t the best way to find them if you’re in a rural community because these running clubs may not be registered. But, it doesn’t hurt to check it out.

And if there is no running group in your community, why not start one? Yes! You can start a running group right in your own community. Take the first step. Helping others is a great way to grow yourself and your goals.

Before starting your own running group, it would be a good idea to educate yourself on how they work. Studying the structure of other running groups will help you learn develop a good schedule, decide if or how much to charge and other important details. Many running groups meet once or twice a week on an evening and weekend morning. It really truly depends on your community members’ schedules.

After your club been meeting a while, organize some races in your community. This could help raise some money for your club or a community need that is important to your group members. It can also help you gain more running club members each week and grow your club.

How to Find Running Partners

If you don’t feel the need to join a large group, simply having one or a few partners can make a big difference. These benefits are generally the same as being in a running group: Accountability, friendships and connections, safety and improvement.

So, how do you find running partners if you aren’t in a running group? Well, it’s pretty simple really.

Maybe you could try doing a call out on social media to certain people you trust who you’d like to run or train with. Or, you could message them – Your choice.

Social media is one way. You could also reach out to people in your community you are already friends with, such as fellow church members, board members or workout buddies. Take the first step to improving your running and gaining accountability.

Take the first step to enjoy running with a running group or partners. It will truly change the way you think about running.

Take the Step

Join running groups to meet your running and fitness goals. Running groups will help to be accountable, confident, and to feel safe during runs. The people you meet in running groups can turn into business connections and friendships.

More importantly, big goals and achievements can be met through running groups. The biggest benefit from running groups is the encouragement from other members in the group to keep you moving farther and faster through your journey.

You have to make the first step to join running groups in your area. What are you waiting for? What’s holding you back from achieving your running goals?

~ Much Love ~