The Running Thread - 2016

[RunDisneyDad]

ATTQOTD: Just me and Han Solo. With kids its hard for me to get on a consistent schedule week to week, so I just try to get my runs in when time allows. Seldom if ever do those times match up with other runners or running groups.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

Thanks for the responses guys! I was curious how popular running groups were. I think it sounds fun to do long runs with a group. I found a semi local one to me, but the cost is $90 for the running season and that seemed a bit high. I have some friends that run together, but they start their run at 5:45am and that is way too early for me (I will have to start applying the good ideas from yesterday's QOTD ).

 

[ebradley23]

ATTQOTD: Normally, I run by myself. I run in the evenings, and nobody I know wants to start running at 8:30-9 pm.

The RVA area has an awesome association (Sportsbackers) that promotes physical activity in the area. They are the organizer of many of our big races. They always have training teams for their races. I used them for marathon training last year, and it was totally worth the cost ($180ish which includes the race fee). They provide a coaches, a training plan, clinics and fully supported weekend group runs. There are 1000+ people who join MTT. Within the MTT, there are teams broken down by avg pace, but it was a wide range. I wound up running with the same 4 people every weekend, and we became good friends. My husband and I switch participation in MTT, and this is his year. I'm going to miss having someone out there to keep me company on those 18 and 20 mile runs.

We also have the Richmond Road Runners. RVA is a big running town, so it's a pretty well organized group. I'm a member, but I don't participate in their group runs. I just pay my dues to get discounts at local running stores and RRRC races.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

ATTQOTD: I like to run by myself and I hate, hate, hate running groups, but I also enjoy coming across folks that I know on the trail, so I'm not totally anti-social.

Beginning next week my wife and one of her friends will start running with me 3 days/week as I act as their trainer/coach in preparation for marathon weekend. I really enjoy running with my wife, and her friend is great fun, so I am looking forward to it. For the first few months these will amount to a second run for me each day, as they will be starting with the C25K program from scratch. My wife has run before, but not in a few years because of a car accident.

 

[roxymama]

ATTQOTD: I think I remember finding a weekend group for long runs with a running store, but the it would be a 30 min drive there and back. Everything else meets during my work hours or starts during my commute home.
There is also a really nice indoor track across the street from me that I know people meet at, but you have to be an alumni of the college or a senior 65+. I've thought on many occasions to chain myself to the reception desk until they let me buy a pass. Would be expensive to enroll myself in one class every winter just to use it right?

 

[Kathymford]

ATTQOTD: I'm too slow to run with any of the running groups here in LA, or rather, my running portion of my runs are not long enough (but I'm getting there). Actually, my bf started running with a few of them and that's what made me start to focus on extending my run interval. There are actually a ton of really popular running groups here and all the ones I've seen are free. There seems to be quite a trend going of running in the streets of LA. It's definitely a more social scene. A lot of them end up at breakfast or happy hour after the runs.

It's funny because my bf is a total introvert, but now he prefers running with the groups. Even though he doesn't talk to anyone or attend any of the social activities. He goes there, puts his headphones in, runs and leaves. Prior to this he wouldn't go very far to run and found it "faster" to just run in our condo parking lot (boring). So maybe it's just a reason to get out there. And some of the places they go look great at night.

The popular ones are BlacklistLA and Rundalay with A LOT of people showing up, mostly younger from what I can tell. They are called instagram running clubs apparently and when I searched one of them I found a ton more but looking at their tags in their posts.

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: DH either runs with me on my short runs or rides his bike with me on my long runs. I never run alone. Except on the treadmill lol.

 

[PrincessV]

QOTD: Do you run with a group. Either a structured running group or just friends that have found a time to get together and run? If its a formal group, what is the cost associated with being in the group?

ATTQOTD: Nope - that sounds like a special kind of hell to me. I will do one race per race weekend (preferably a 5K, but 10K if I'm not doing the 5K) with running friends and I have a blast doing it, but that's all the running social interaction I can handle, and I need a solid few hours of quiet alone time to recover afterward, lol!

 

[cavepig]

QOTD: Do you run with a group. Either a structured running group or just friends that have found a time to get together and run? If its a formal group, what is the cost associated with being in the group?

There's no close running groups near me and I'm not one to drive far just to run so no group running here. I actually prefer running alone unless I have someone who can help push me or runs a similar pace or it's my mom. I also don't like running with someone that feels like we need to talk the whole time either as I find that annoying. Now, I would love a running group in my town that ran at the time I wanted and had people of all paces, but that hasn't happened no matter how many people I try to encourage to join me, darn I'm too picky but running is really a "me" thing to me anyway.

 

[DVCFan1994]

ATTQOTD: No, I am a solo runner. My area has tons of running groups, but the schedules just don't work for me and my parenting responsibilities.

 

[FFigawi]

The RVA area has an awesome association (Sportsbackers) that promotes physical activity in the area. They are the organizer of many of our big races. They always have training teams for their races. I used them for marathon training last year, and it was totally worth the cost ($180ish which includes the race fee). They provide a coaches, a training plan, clinics and fully supported weekend group runs. There are 1000+ people who join MTT. Within the MTT, there are teams broken down by avg pace, but it was a wide range. I wound up running with the same 4 people every weekend, and we became good friends. My husband and I switch participation in MTT, and this is his year. I'm going to miss having someone out there to keep me company on those 18 and 20 mile runs.

My wife & I trained with Sportsbackers for our first marathons way back when. They're one of the best running groups I've ever seen. Great group of people who really make an effort to ensure everyone makes it through the training and across the finish line. Their on-course support during the race is invaluable.

I also ran with good groups when I was in Houston and in Doha. I find having someone to talk to makes the long runs pass more quickly. There's no one to run around the parking lot here with me, though, and the guards aren't very talkative.

 

[gjramsey]

ATTQOTD: Yes, I just finished my third year belonging to a local running group ($65 a year), and it is wonderful for the long runs. There are a large number of folks that get together during the week as well, but they usually start too late in the morning for me to join up with. We had a scheduled speed work at a high school track, but the school district complained about us doing it as a group scheduled activity.

The club is large enough, there are 4 district groups for training plans, based on pace and how much a week you want to run. Several members volunteer as coaches (support) for the different groups.

Joining the group certainly helped me achieve finishing a marathon.

 

[camaker]

QOTD: Do you run with a group. Either a structured running group or just friends that have found a time to get together and run? If its a formal group, what is the cost associated with being in the group?

Solo runner here, too. Just me and the voices in my head.

 

[LSUlakes]

Any fighting Irish fans here? The LSU baseball team is playing the Irish tonight and tomorrow. Anyone going?

 

[Kathymford]

@LSUlakes one update to the main page. Dumbo Double Dare is Sept 3-4. Sorry about the confusion.

 

[opusone]

Any fighting Irish fans here? The LSU baseball team is playing the Irish tonight and tomorrow. Anyone going?

My wife went to Notre Dame, but we only go to a few football games each year. She's not big into sports. Hopefully the rain won't be too bad for the game tonight.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Finally home and unpacked!

ATTQOTD: DH and I have a running date usually every Sunday but during the week I run alone. Our local running store has a group that meets every Thursday for free but it doesn't fit into my schedule unfortunately.

 

[croach]

Solo runner like a lot of us here. Always have been. There is a running store here that does great training programs but they've never really worked for me.

 

[ebradley23]

My wife & I trained with Sportsbackers for our first marathons way back when. They're one of the best running groups I've ever seen. Great group of people who really make an effort to ensure everyone makes it through the training and across the finish line. Their on-course support during the race is invaluable.

No kidding about the on course support. They gave us all 1st Marathon stickers for our bibs, so they could really focus on us newbies. I don't think I ran more than 3 miles before I would have a coach run alongside me to check on me and/or give me advice.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Solo here- though I have run 2 halfs with a friend but since we live states away it's more a figure it along the way whose pacing who..

So spent today at the track n field finals of the Invictius Games. Talk about an amazing experience- watching wounded warriors from 14 countries compete, where last is as celebrated as first and watching people who have overcome incredible odds take to the starting line.