Forums >General Running>Running clubs - how well do they work for slower runners?
I definitely prefer running with older guys at my level rather than younger women who want to chat about children or clothing sales etc., but usually find people at my level!
Who would want to run with a bunch of old guys?
I enjoy running alone, but there has also been many times that knowing someone is waiting for me is the only thing that got me up early out of bed. Earlier on in my training I NEEDED that person to be there to get through the longer mileage when training for a marathon. I like to run with people of all ages, the more quirky life experiences, the better. As for being the slowest, two weeks in the fastest person may injure themselves and then be at your pace, or the skinny chick will get pregnant and she'll be at your pace, there really is no slow there are just runners. Do it!
I think the only thing I've witnessed with people coming once is those that really struggle with motivation and running with competitive people puts them off.
Loves the outdoors
I thought I'd update. I emailed them and they said they catered for all paces and to come along!
I went along and joined yesterday and went on my first club run. I knew I was in trouble pretty much from the moment they started organising the running groups. Fast 3xkm/min (yes really), Medium 4:30km/min, Slow 5:30km/min hmmmm.. I'm a lot slower than "Slow". They asked if that suited everyone, so I was brave and stuck up my hand and mentioned I was a bit slower than that. I wanted the floor to open beneath me, but it was either say something or go home. So the Slow group said I'd be fine with them and they'd look after me. They did and I enjoyed myself and had a good run. It's a bit frustrating being by far the slowest at 6:30min/km but I guess I'll have to see how things go. I did ask about slower runners and they told me that some do come along sometimes but normally don't stay - not difficult to see why. Maybe I'll have to stay to make an extra-slow group OR get faster! The guy taking my group said his half marathon PB (from 30 years ago) was 60:22 which is insanely quick and I can't help but think I misheard.
So my conclusion is I'm not sure that running clubs do work that well for slower runners, but I'll persevere and see how it goes.
MTA : 6:30min/km ~~ 10:30min/mile
One day I decided I wanted to become a runner, so I did.
That's about my pace for a long run. I tried joining my newly formed local running club for group runs so I would have company for some of my long runs and get to run new routes. Sadly, they left me in the dust every time and I still ended up running alone. So the concept of joining the club for the group runs didn't work for me. However as a byproduct of the experience, I met another runner who has accompanied me on a couple of long trail runs which have been exhilarating, motivating, and tons of fun! So it wasn't all for naught.
Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done.
Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.
tomatolover
I thought I'd update. I emailed them and they said they catered for all paces and to come along! I went along and joined yesterday and went on my first club run. I knew I was in trouble pretty much from the moment they started organising the running groups. Fast 3xkm/min (yes really), Medium 4:30km/min, Slow 5:30km/min hmmmm.. I'm a lot slower than "Slow". They asked if that suited everyone, so I was brave and stuck up my hand and mentioned I was a bit slower than that. I wanted the floor to open beneath me, but it was either say something or go home. So the Slow group said I'd be fine with them and they'd look after me. They did and I enjoyed myself and had a good run. It's a bit frustrating being by far the slowest at 6:30min/km but I guess I'll have to see how things go. I did ask about slower runners and they told me that some do come along sometimes but normally don't stay - not difficult to see why. Maybe I'll have to stay to make an extra-slow group OR get faster! The guy taking my group said his half marathon PB (from 30 years ago) was 60:22 which is insanely quick and I can't help but think I misheard. So my conclusion is I'm not sure that running clubs do work that well for slower runners, but I'll persevere and see how it goes. MTA : 6:30min/km ~~ 10:30min/mile
This has been my experience with my local running club as well. Their slowest pace, so it seems, is 9:30 m/m- which I can follow along for 5-7 miles, but longer then that & I'm setting myself up for problems.
The guy taking my group said his half marathon PB (from 30 years ago) was 60:22 which is insanely quick and I can't help but think I misheard.
You're right; it is insanely quick and you misheard!
Interval Junkie --Nobby
[tl;dr: Joined the local club. Had a great time.]
I recently joined my local running club's wednesday crack-of-dawn track workout sessions.
The first meeting of the season it rained like crazy -- it hadn't rained in 3 weeks, but decided this morning was good to make-up for lost time. My buddy and I figured nobody would show up. Silly us. In our headlights were about 18 people, already dripping, bouncing on the balls of their feet. They were quite a sight: all lean and slightly muscled. For a moment I thought I was back in 1970s American, when thin was the norm.
We took off for a 3mi warmup run in the dark. Several people had head-lamps, which was nice since the path was a complete unknown to us.
On our return the coach had about eight different colored stopwatches hanging from his neck. He was resetting them and futzing while explaining Active vs Static stretching. Along the 100m straight-away people were running backward, knee-high skips, butt-kicks and so on. To be honestly, this was an exhausting part of the workout for me (which probably tells me I need to work on the muscles in a knee-high skip).
Coach told us to lump ourselves into groups based on 5k mile-paces. Unfortunately, I seem to straddle the first group (below 6:45) and the second group (7:00-7:30). Not sure what happened between 6:45 and 7:00. I might have heard wrong. Anyway, I decided to join the second group -- being a bit conservative and not wanting to look like a complete fool.
We did 400m with 2min rest, then 800m with 2min rest. Three sets.
Around the second set Coach caught my arm and said, "you need to be in that group," pointing to the first. So I slipped in behind them and rode out the 3rd set at their pace.
In the second meeting I joined the first group with the plan to try and hang with them: even if the ass-end of the group. I didn't have any trouble with the workout, which ended a bit early for me.
I'm not sure if Coach is just going easy on the whole group. 3sets is not much of a workout in my opinion. At least, I didn't feel it was a "Hard" day, though he says "Quality" day.
Today we mixed things up a bit. Interval relays: 5x (400m(PersonA), 400m(B), 600m(A), 600m(B)). It turned into a race right from the start. My random partner and I took the lead and held it for 5 sets. The only other group close to us died in set 3 after we took back the lead. Almost certainly ran too hard -- started getting rubber legs. But it sure was fun.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
I want to join my local running club on group track workouts. I keep meaning to call and see if they have one, because all they have listed on their website are long runs on weekends and a few 5-8 milers during the week. I'm fine with all that on my own, but that track workout you just described is what I NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why is it sideways?
Worth the read. Great stuff!
Hold the Mayo
So my conclusion is I'm not sure that running clubs do work that well for slower runners, but I'll persevere and see how it goes. MTA : 6:30min/km ~~ 10:30min/mile
When I first joined my club I was running at 12:00+ minute miles, and about 4 miles tops. I had a few of the more moderately paced members offer to stay with me the first few weeks I ran with them, and they took me on some of the shorter course loops they had. By the fourth week, they had "encouraged" me along to the point where I tried the 8 mile loop. I was exhausted at the end, but I got it done, and kept doing it in the following weeks. Along the way, they kept the pace at a speed I was comfortable with (or "sort of" comfortable, anyway. There were times were I wasn't exactly the biggest conversationalist in the group). And along the way, my average pace . I credit my runs with the group, where they kept pushing me just a bit, with being one of the biggest reasons for my first real improvements in running. And I have to say between the company and the scenery, it was a whole lot easier to not notice how fast they had me going compared to what I thought I was capable of.
I'd be interested to see where your paces are after a few months with them.
"You're Not Winning"
Connecticut Runners' Forum on RunningAhead