ADVICE
JOINING THE GROUP How to find the best running group for you
BY SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED
W
hen Tammy Williams was look-
ing for a running club in the Twin Cities, she had a list of specific criteria: she wanted a group that was made up of all women of color, offered support beyond running tips and would embrace all speeds, including walking. And, she found it. The local chapter of Black Girls Run met all of her criteria - and then some. “It came at a critical time in my life when I was going through a divorce,” she says. “So when I joined the group my world was upside down, and it was a nice outlet for me.” “It wasn’t just luck that matched Williams with her dream running group. The Twin Cities has such a plethora of running teams, clubs and groups that most everyone can find what they’re looking for, say long time local running advocates. The running group scene is unique in Minnesota for a couple of reasons. First, it’s not dominated by one gigantic club such as the New York Road Runners Club in New York (NYRRC), the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) in Chicago or the Houston Track Club in Houston.” The MDRA (Minnesota Distance Running Association) isn’t a club in the same sense; it’s a non-profit organization that provides support and connections to runners in various forms, including this magazine. It’s hard for smaller groups to flourish when one club has so many numbers, says Pete Miller, runner and owner of The Lakes Running Company and former director of Lifetime Fitness’ national running programs. “Also, in general, we tend to have a really strong running community here, and a lot of people with entrepreneurial spirit.” Whether you’re a millennial looking for a beer at a microbrewery after a casual run, a new mom looking for a group to run with tots in strollers or a competitive Master looking to score points for a team, there’s most likely a group for you. Finding it, however, can be
more challenging -- there’s no centralized list of every running club in the state. Read on for some tips from local running leaders. 1. Set your priorities. Think about which category you belong in -- see sidebar. Ask yourself these questions: Am I looking for a group that will challenge me or support me? How important is it to have a coach or a defined goal? Do I want to make new friends or find people who just want to run together? 2. Visit a local running store. (Yes, in real life.) Ever since the running boom of the 1970s, running stores have been eager to talk about the local running scene. It’s still true today. 3. Check out the biggest online lists: a. MDRA Resources b. Minneapolis Running c. USATF 4. Look for a group with a passionate organizer. “Find a group with a charismatic leader; otherwise it won’t be around for long,” advises Rick Recker, a local runner who just retired after 20 years as president of USATF Minnesota. “If you don’t have someone passionate about it, it goes away.” 5. Call the group and ask lots of questions. “Talk to the leadership of whatever group you’re interested in and find out if they can serve runners like you, whatever category you put yourself in,” Miller says. Don’t forget the social aspects. Do you want a club that gets beers together after workouts, or an organized yearly party -- or do you want to get your run in and go home?
Movitational benefit
Whatever your priorities, the motivational benefits of group running are many. “The obvious one is that if someone is waiting for you, the chance of you showing up is better,” Recker says. “And some of the groups encourage you with little contests. For example, Mill City Running keeps track of how many workouts you do with them. Last year I got to 50 and they gave me a water bottle.” Williams, meanwhile, has graduated from being a member to becoming the group’s am-
Most groups fit in these few categories Most running groups in the Twin Cities fall into one of several categories: The USATF Minnesota Team Circuit: These racing teams, most of which are affiliated with running stores, are for competitive, goal oriented runners. “People need to realize there’s a commitment to be on the team,” Miller says. “They’re going to ask you to do a certain number of events, so you have to think about what your commitment level and desire to race frequently is.” The Unstructured Running Club: Year round groups that people can attend on a regular or drop in basis. Many incorporate strength training as well, and some have racing teams. Most of these workouts can be adjusted for beginners, Miller points out. Examples include NorthStar Running, WeRunMpls, and the November Project. Groups pursuing a specific race/goal: Think Couch to 5K. Examples include MDRA (with training classes for Grandma’s and the Twin Cities Marathon events), Moms on the Run, Girls on the Run. (Some, such as the Calhoun Beach Club and Club Run, offer options for specific race training or general running.) Purely Social: Example: Run.Beer.Repeat. Enough said.
bassador. And she’s not letting anyone off the hook. “One girl from Memphis just joined, and I think it was very important to her to connect with other African American women,” she says. “And she lives close to Bde Maka Ska so I can call her and make sure she comes.”
WINTER 2019
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