Carried out at a conversational pace with a group of runners from diverse athletic backgrounds and interests, a group fun run reminds you how entertaining and engaging a run can be. A group run offers a chance to share personal experiences, goals, favorites jokes, vent about your day, learn something new and fascinating or just listen. Additionally, it’s a great way to force yourself out of your running routine and find inspiration in unfamiliar views and new areas of town along a brand new running route. Often times, it’s over before you know it even started.
Leading the last two Wednesday run clubs out of lululemon’s soho store was a perfect reminder why we should all value the occasional group fun run. With beautiful weather and a wonderful, outgoing group both evenings, the runs felt more like happy hour than five-mile runs along the Hudson River.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed my time during both runs, the most rewarding part came at the end of last Wednesday’s run when I met up back up with one of the runners in our group. Her huge grin said it all. For the passed month, she was struggling to find motivation to break out of her three-mile rut on her Brooklyn runs. It turned out that a venture to the West Side Highway with us was just what she needed to find the inspiration she was looking for. Feeling fresh and reinvigorated by the new scenery, she finished 5-miles with ease and couldn’t wait to get back out there the next day. It was as if there was a whole new runner standing in front of me at the end of the run. Way to go, girl!
So, take some time to slow down and smell the roses. Once every week or so commit to a group run on the other side of town or where you might not know everyone. There are amazing people with incredible stories and wisdom to share and there’s no better place to meet them than outside on a beautiful day.
