Running Clubs

Peke98

posted: 3/31/2007 at 11:09 AM

Has anybody belonged to a running club? Why did you join? Was it for social reasons or training, or both? I notice some running clubs offer discounts on race fees & in some retail stores. Do you/did you find joining a club worthwhile?

Take your protein pill and put your helmet on.

Trent

posted: 3/31/2007 at 12:14 PM

Quote from Peke98 on 3/31/2007 at 11:09 AM:

Has anybody belonged to a running club? Why did you join? Was it for social reasons or training, or both? I notice some running clubs offer discounts on race fees & in some retail stores. Do you/did you find joining a club worthwhile?

I belong to a local running club. They organize a lot of training runs and have a useful (and sometimes not-so-useful) message board which are free to the community. But I like to support those who support me and the fee is $18 per year (cheap). When you join, you get discounts in local running stores (one pair of shoes can cover the cost), a newsletter and a few events during the year for runners only. They also have a program in which you volunteer at a couple of races and then get to run one for free.

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

mikeymike

posted: 3/31/2007 at 2:12 PM

I have belonged to running clubs, I do not currently. I joined mostly to have people to train with--particularly for track workouts. It was also nice for social reasons, to have people to hang out with at races, do team events like relay's etc, and there were club sponsored races and discounts. I thought it was worthwhile, but after a while my schedule was not really conducive to training with other people very often or even trying to coordinate my racing calendar with a club's. I may join a running club again in the future.

Runners run.

jlbrun

Jeri from Houston

posted: 3/31/2007 at 2:58 PM
modified: 3/31/2007 at 2:59 PM

I have belonged to the Bay Area Running Cllub (BARC) in the Houston area for about 29 years. I joined to become a part of one of the most competitive Masters club in the Area. We raced every distance from 100 meters to Marathons. This week I passed another milestone. I have 66,018 miles of running since 1978 for an average of 10K a day

voiceofgrog

posted: 3/31/2007 at 6:57 PM

The Ancient City Road Runners! A very active bunch with some elite, and very helpful, runners. Actually, about a dozen of us are heading to the Chicago Marathon this year... Smile

Bonkin

posted: 4/1/2007 at 10:44 AM
modified: 4/1/2007 at 10:45 AM

Quote from Trent on 3/31/2007 at 12:14 PM:

I belong to a local running club. They organize a lot of training runs and have a useful (and sometimes not-so-useful) message board which are free to the community. But I like to support those who support me and the fee is $18 per year (cheap). When you join, you get discounts in local running stores (one pair of shoes can cover the cost), a newsletter and a few events during the year for runners only. They also have a program in which you volunteer at a couple of races and then get to run one for free.

I joined the Dallas Running Club forsome of the same reasons. With the discount at the running shoe store + the discount on the race I signed up for - it's already "paid" for my annual membership. A nice benefit is some of the races they offer free to members that I wouldn't have normally known about. For example, next weekend I'm doing their Flapjack 5 Miler with the kids doing a 1k fun run. Mmmmm. Pancakes.

Passion is a rather frightening thing because if you have passion you don't know where it will take you.

When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

Crabby

Dog-Love

posted: 4/1/2007 at 10:58 AM

Quote from Peke98 on 3/31/2007 at 11:09 AM:

Has anybody belonged to a running club? Why did you join? Was it for social reasons or training, or both? I notice some running clubs offer discounts on race fees & in some retail stores. Do you/did you find joining a club worthwhile?

I belong to the southeast roadrunners (http://www.southeastroadrunners.org/ and I joined because they put on 99% of the Juneau races and they are a really cohesive and organized running group. Juneau is a small but quite fast running community and my goal is to get more Juneau folks who run slower than 10 minute miles to participate in runs, just for the health of it. Our running club has an annual competition and if you run a lot of SERR races you can usually get a prize.

Run like you are on fire! 5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34) 10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45) HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02) Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)

lasdinaub

posted: 4/1/2007 at 11:10 AM

i've never belonged to a club, but have been wishing there was one in my area. that said, I'm not sure I would be able to coordinate my schedule with any weekly runs they might do, but some of the other benefits mentioned here would be nice. I would especially like to be part of a group that organizes races and gets more people out there for the joy of it.

Next up: A 50k in ? Done: California-Oregon-Arizona-Nevada (x2)-Wisconsin-Wyoming-Utah-Michigan-Colorado

tbarton

posted: 4/1/2007 at 12:51 PM

I belong to the Wabash Valley Road Runners. It's been great for me. The club has a training group that trains for an area half marathon every year. We get together for long runs on Saturday and shorter runs/speedwork on Tuesdays from January to May. The club provides water stops on the long runs. We all take a bus together to the race and wear WVRR singlets. They sponsor 6-7 races per year in the area. Last year I ran them all and saved a couple bucks off of each one which pretty much paid for my membership. The club puts on a free summer running class/club for kids during the summer and my kids love it. They also sponsor a kid's noncompetitive triathlon during the summer. Our club has 4 RRCA certified coaches who designed a specialized training plan for dh this year to get him to a sub-2:00 half in time for the race this year. There are group workouts that you can attend almost any night of the week. Groups are always getting together to train for this marathon or that relay. I was just asked to join a relay team for the Illinois River to River Relay made up of other club members. The social aspect has been a great bonus. Dh and I have made several new friends through the club. Most of our old friends are pretty sedentary and not much interested in going on 40 mile long bike rides or hiking through the mountains. It's nice to have new friends to share our new (healthier) interests with. Teresa

I'm Running to Eat

MandyS

posted: 4/25/2007 at 4:51 AM

I've joined Wellington Scottish (http://www.scottishathletics.org.nz). My husband and I just moved to Wellington a few months ago (previously from the UK) and it has been a really good way to meet new people and make some friends, as well as finding out all the best places to run!

alan f

posted: 4/25/2007 at 8:20 AM

I had thought about joining one so I could have a group to run with if I wanted and have a group to do speed work with but the huge track club here does most of their events north of town I think which is a pretty long drive for me so I haven't joined.

http://distance-runner.blogspot.com

ABCGreys

My dogs are fast, not me

posted: 4/25/2007 at 8:31 AM

I belong to the Memphis Runners Track Club. I joined because they sponsor a lot of the local races and I get a discount on race fees and at athletic stores around Memphis. They have lots of group runs and as I get more experience, I'd like to take part in those, too. They also put out a monthly magazine which is great with training ideas, results, etc. and the web site is really nice. I love having all the local race info available in one place. http://www.memphisrunners.com/ Robin

Robin

evillee

posted: 4/25/2007 at 9:11 AM
modified: 4/25/2007 at 9:12 AM

Not a member of a club----yet. I hope to find one when I am convinced that I won't quit running, this time. Confused

Anyone know of a club in Bucks County PA???

Scout7

CPT Curmudgeon

posted: 4/25/2007 at 9:22 AM

Quote from evillee on 4/25/2007 at 9:11 AM:

Not a member of a club----yet. I hope to find one when I am convinced that I won't quit running, this time. Anyone know of a club in Bucks County PA???

How about the Bucks County Road Runners club? http://www.bcrr.info/

Mississippi

posted: 4/25/2007 at 9:46 AM

Quote from evillee on 4/25/2007 at 9:11 AM:

Not a member of a club----yet. I hope to find one when I am convinced that I won't quit running, this time. Anyone know of a club in Bucks County PA???

Bucks County Road Runners - a friend of mine is in that club. I ran a HM relay with the them, very nice people. The club is pretty big, something like 150 members (so I was told).

Running Clubs (Read 1216 times)