Finding a great running group can have so many benefits. Running with other runners is one of the most effective strategies for training, running habit formation and maintenance. The social benefits of running are among the most common reason why runners start and keep running.
12 Benefits of Group Running
1. Inspirational Motivating Role Model
When running on our own we tend to follow and focus on our usual habits. Being part of a running group and spending time with other runners will help immensely to improve your running habit formation, you will start to follow runners with different habits (running form, pace, cadence and stride).
2. Motivation Boost
When you join a running club or group, you will get your personal, encouraging team. The members of your group will encourage and support each other during any run. They also motivate you to stick to the training and become a successful runner. Being part of a running group, you get lots of cheering and encouragement. Runners always cheer each other at the start and finish of a run or race, and support each other during a run. You will be more motivated to stick to your training and not give up because you will hold each other accountable (to motivate each other, achieve your goals, improve your overall performance). It’s more challenging to give up a training session when you know runners are waiting for you.
3. Creative Stimulation
Some people like to run alone because they use it as stress relief and mental therapy. But running in a group, it will provide you some creative juices more than running alone. It also helps you to get some ideas and information from others and also you can ask them about any issues with your run. To combine both type of runs, alone and in a group, will be very helpful.
4. Improve your Performance
Everyone wants to become more successful and stronger. When you run with other people, they will inspire you to run faster and stronger. It will help you to go up to the next level. Running alone can cause to make your workout shorter or avoid your runs. But try to run with some friends who encourage you to run extra.
5. Running Community
Group running increases the great sense of community. When you run together or volunteer at a race, you will be connected to many other people. You will feel yourself a part of a big event. All the runners are related to every runner and also supportive of each other.
6. Consistency
To be a good runner, you should do training or practice regularly. Running group will help you by motivating each other. When you join a running group, you will meet up the runners, and it will give you the consistency and help you with your training program. It will help to stick to the training schedule.
7. Social Facilitation
Group running benefits us on the psychological level. This term is known as “Social Facilitation”. It means group running helps the person to run with more effort than it usually does. It will also help you to run faster.
8. Bust of Boredom
Running alone can make you bored. But when you take part in running in a group, you can run faster, and there is no chance to get bored. You can also explore new routes with your group. You can talk and enjoy a social atmosphere. Running in a group is interesting.
9. Expand your Social Circle
Joining a running group will provide you the excellent opportunity to make new relation to the people with related interests. Through a running club, you can get good friends. Some runners try different destination races with the friends they have met in the running clubs or group.
10. Learn Running Tips from Others
You may not know all the running tips. Running in a group makes it easier to learn everything from each other. You can also share your experience with others. It is a collection of wisdom that benefits all the members of a group. Every runner likes to talk about running during the run.
11. Support
Every runner needs mental strength to keep pushing through. In a running group, there are many people who support you to run when you seem that it is tough for you to continue running. So, you can successfully finish your run or race.
12. Boost your Confidence
When you decide to run regularly, it will be harder for you. But running in a group will remove your fear and make you more confident. You can run longer distances easily with your group, even if it was harder for you before. It will make your mind strong. So, we see that running in a group makes a runner confident in his own capacity.
Join a Running Group, Train Well, Be Happy & Run Strong!