What are the benefits of joining a run club?

Is it worth joining a run club?

I had always been slightly skeptical of running clubs – the pressure to have a “good” 5k time had always put me off (what even is a good 5k time? We’re always comparing ourselves to other people but running times are all relative!). PBs are great and if that’s your main focus then running clubs are a good way to push yourself and achieve those goals. But this wasn’t my main focus…so I assumed joining a run club wasn’t for me.

Here’s what I used to think about running clubs:

·         You have to be a really quick runner to join

·         They are all solely focused on PBs

·         They are all about races and serious training

·         I was going to be the slowest person there and end up running on my own anyway

These assumptions put a barrier between me and joining a run club and it wasn’t until I came across Coopah Running’s weekly social run in Tooting Common when I was looking for running groups near me, that I realised I had been wrong all along. My eyes were opened to the world of social run clubs.

The pros of joining a run club

An opportunity to meet new people: you already share a common love of running, so joining a club could find you some lifelong friends!

All abilities welcome: it doesn’t matter if you’re a marathon runner, a ParkRun runner, if you’re quick or slow, run groups will cover all abilities. At Coopah we split into different route and pace groups so everyone can run how they want to and no one gets left behind.

Motivation: if you struggle with motivating yourself, running in a group encourages you to lace up those shoes and get out the door!

New goals: okay so you might not be keen on a running club that’s all about the PBs, but until I joined Coopah I had never had the courage or motivation to take part in a race. But hearing about other peoples’ races made me want to get involved…and before I knew it I was signed up to London Marathon and the Vitality Big Half. Lots of people in the run club were signed up too so we formed a training group which made those weekend long runs much more bearable! The best bit was that I could then use Coopah’s virtual running coach through the app to plan my training – I didn’t have to spend time looking for a local coach and it came at a fraction of the price…Couch to 5k, couch to half marathon…a running group could help you get there.

New routes: bored of your same old running routes? Joining a club could introduce you to paths untrodden.

Safety: in the darker winter months, running groups provide a safe way to run if you don’t feel comfortable running alone.

Post-run fun: lots of social running groups will have a post-run drink, food and chat!

Low cost: most social run clubs will be free or very low cost, making it a fairly cheap way to exercise.

Two birds, one stone: run clubs combine exercising and socialising so can be a great way to fit in both during a busy week.

The cons of joining a running club

I’m yet to find a con of joining my social run group…it’s boosted my mental health, I’ve made lifelong friends and despite not wanting to join a running club that was all about PBs…through Coopah I discovered I am more of a long distance runner, something I probably never would have realised had it not been for those social Sunday Long Runs.

So what are you waiting for? Find a running group near you, tag along to a meet-up and see where it takes you! And if you’re local to Tooting come along to our Wednesday social run!

What if there are no run clubs near me?

Run clubs don’t only have to be physical meet ups. Join the Coopah app and become part of a digital community – share your running tips, ask questions or just chat about running with other people who love it! You never know you might “meet” other runners in the community who live near you and end up creating your own social run club!