As we approach our 200th run here in Bali I have some insights.
I was not ( and still am not a run coach ) I had run 10km twice before starting the club. It started with 4 people and we stayed true to making sure nobody finished last. That is HUGE.
We were consistent and continued to show up.
We host from our cafe which is a 3x3 meter coffee window. We now average 80-100 runners on a Wednesday morning. I think having a home base is important.
It’s incredible to see people show up, be seen, be encouraged and be able to accomplish things they never thought possible.
Showing up to other run clubs and not making it a competition has been a great way to continue building an amazing community.
It was hard at first to get locals involved and feel welcomed but that has shifted and it’s amazing to see so many people coming together for a common goal.
It’s an incredible way to be welcomed and feel at home wherever you might be.
Consistency is maybe the most important thing, actually. When people know that you're going to be somewhere week in, week out, they can rely on the *fact* that they can run with you.
I like running with new friends and chatting through the miles. Coffee hangouts after are fun, too. I love diversity in a run club, too - all ages, all experience levels, different backgrounds, interests, etc. I don’t return to run clubs when they are more about being competitive than enjoying a run together. It’s not my thing. I want to feel relaxed at a run club meetup and compete with myself when it’s a day for speed work.
I recently moved to Berlin and have been struggling to find work. I often think about how I don't have a second (or third) space. Thank you for helping me reframe this in my brain 🤠
I've been using them to build a community and surround myself with people whom I know I have at least one thing in common with. Oftentimes I attend running clubs purely for the social aspect of them. The runs themselves will do little to improve my training/base, but do infinitely more to boost my mental health.
I'm probably not your target reader because I'm not that into run clubs. I like meetups with a few friends to share a run, but mostly I run solo. I would like to share some advice, however, about PF, because I hope you can get better before it becomes a chronic pain. You'll likely know it's PF if it hurts worst when you first wake up and step on bare feet. It's helpful to wear supportive cushy sandals or slippers around the house; don't go barefoot. And if it's hurting after a run, it's helpful to take a frozen plastic water bottle (or a cold soda can) and roll it under your arch post-run. Good luck!
i don’t run w. a club currently unless it’s the toddler club in which we only have two members, me + the toddler. i used to run w one years ago and loved the sense of community, even if my participation was sporadic at best (they met at 6pm on a monday + i am not a night owl). it’s been awesome to watch how they’ve shaped and evolved the culture of running over the last decade.
As we approach our 200th run here in Bali I have some insights.
I was not ( and still am not a run coach ) I had run 10km twice before starting the club. It started with 4 people and we stayed true to making sure nobody finished last. That is HUGE.
We were consistent and continued to show up.
We host from our cafe which is a 3x3 meter coffee window. We now average 80-100 runners on a Wednesday morning. I think having a home base is important.
It’s incredible to see people show up, be seen, be encouraged and be able to accomplish things they never thought possible.
Showing up to other run clubs and not making it a competition has been a great way to continue building an amazing community.
It was hard at first to get locals involved and feel welcomed but that has shifted and it’s amazing to see so many people coming together for a common goal.
It’s an incredible way to be welcomed and feel at home wherever you might be.
Come for a run if you find yourself in Bali!
Consistency is maybe the most important thing, actually. When people know that you're going to be somewhere week in, week out, they can rely on the *fact* that they can run with you.
I like running with new friends and chatting through the miles. Coffee hangouts after are fun, too. I love diversity in a run club, too - all ages, all experience levels, different backgrounds, interests, etc. I don’t return to run clubs when they are more about being competitive than enjoying a run together. It’s not my thing. I want to feel relaxed at a run club meetup and compete with myself when it’s a day for speed work.
Yeah, when I see a run club that espouses inclusivity but is all one type of person, I wonder how inclusive it actually is.
I recently moved to Berlin and have been struggling to find work. I often think about how I don't have a second (or third) space. Thank you for helping me reframe this in my brain 🤠
I've been using them to build a community and surround myself with people whom I know I have at least one thing in common with. Oftentimes I attend running clubs purely for the social aspect of them. The runs themselves will do little to improve my training/base, but do infinitely more to boost my mental health.
That's great to hear, Paddy. I've worked from home for 75% of my adult life, so those third places have always been crucial to me for the same reason.
I go into it a tiny little bit more in this piece
https://www.runningsucks101.com/i/142371548/run-clubs-as-a-third-place
Thanks for sharing and making today that little bit better!
Productive in youth?
Not remotely, TBH
Saw some great bands though
Going to see bands is a *hugely* productive way to spend your time. I wish I could do nothing else, but - as a job - it paid like shit haha
I'm probably not your target reader because I'm not that into run clubs. I like meetups with a few friends to share a run, but mostly I run solo. I would like to share some advice, however, about PF, because I hope you can get better before it becomes a chronic pain. You'll likely know it's PF if it hurts worst when you first wake up and step on bare feet. It's helpful to wear supportive cushy sandals or slippers around the house; don't go barefoot. And if it's hurting after a run, it's helpful to take a frozen plastic water bottle (or a cold soda can) and roll it under your arch post-run. Good luck!
You read it, so you're my target reader 🫡
I'm hopeful the new shoes I've got waiting for me will be enough. I've doubled down on my stretches for now!
‘being 40-60 years old’ 🫠
i don’t run w. a club currently unless it’s the toddler club in which we only have two members, me + the toddler. i used to run w one years ago and loved the sense of community, even if my participation was sporadic at best (they met at 6pm on a monday + i am not a night owl). it’s been awesome to watch how they’ve shaped and evolved the culture of running over the last decade.