How To Start A Running Club
Or in my case, how not to
Right now is a wonderful time to start a running club. The COVID running boom has many new runners longing for connection instead of isolation. Running clubs offer opportunities for creating these personal connections, rather than returning to gym workouts hiding under headphones. Small, outdoor gatherings also make social distancing easy, comfortable, and safe.
If you are thinking of starting a running club, success can be yours by putting a handful of crucial elements in place. I’m highlighting in hindsight of what makes clubs successful in my area, and from my own experience in attempting to establish a running club.
Start the club before you start the club.
Share the idea with some running friends, and begin meeting for runs over the course of a few weeks. After formulating a schedule, ask friends to bring another friend. Once a bit of momentum is established, start brainstorming the name together. Make no mistake, the name matters. Most of the names in my area are regional, using neighborhoods or borough handles, but this can be limiting.
The We Run For Pizza club is going to have a wider appeal than Maple Street Runners.
