There are many benefits to going on a run with a running club.
1) When you know people are expecting you, you are more likely to show up.
2) Safety.
3) You are more likely to run faster when you are with someone else because the conversation will distract you.
All good reasons. Still, I have mostly resisted. I have gone on a couple in Princeton, and they've been fine. Someone ran with slowpoke me, but I still felt guilty making someone go at my snail's pace. Totally my own problem as no one ever made me feel bad for being so slow. They ran with me up and down Princeton's hills and kept my mind off of running.
We have a friend who started a running club in Philadelphia. We timed our tour of Eastern State Penitentiary so we could join the group run. After the group run is a group dinner where people hang out together. I kept telling him I am slow. He said all paces are welcome, they wait for the last person before heading to the restaurant.
Still, I resisted.
As we gathered the friend commented at least 10% of the group always says they are the slowest. I'll be fine. I emphasized the 4.4 hour course might take me about an hour (it was 54.21, but I did take a few pictures).
One final plea to my friend. He said they'll wait.
Don and I started. Don wanted to go at his constant pace instead of my 3:1 pace (averaging between 12:30 and 13 minutes a mile). The course was 2.15 miles along Kelly Drive starting at the Rocky Statue and ending at the statue of a rower behind a construction fence and back. The first runner passed me around mile 1.5, and the rest of the pack around 1.8. As they passed I heard a female voice offering me encouragement. I had passed Don within the first half mile and did not see him again. He turned around at 1.7 (probably as the runners passed him). I stubbornly continued to the turn around.
I took a selfie and sent it to my friend and Don so they knew my pace and what to expect.
The return trip was more uphill. I noticed runners and walkers of all levels, plus mad cyclists. As I ran I enjoyed the sunset over the Schuylkill River, and shouted encouragement to others.
I really did not expect the group to wait for me. After all, even the slowest person was done 15 minutes before me.
What ticked me off, though, was they waited until I was rounding the final curve to leave for the group dinner. Don and my friend waited for me, but I was mad! It did not help my feelings when Don said he told them they could go, and the friend said I was overreacting using the exact same tone of voice Ashley uses when I say something she does not approve of. I am entitled to my feelings.
I was ready to go home. I was not in the mood for a picture of Don and I by the Rocky Statue. He didn't earn the victory shot. After all, if a group shot was taken, he was in it because he arrived in time and I missed it even though I ran the whole distance.
Already annoyed at Don for ignoring me during the prison tour, I was ready to go home. We stuck around for dinner. The friend took me for a walk to help me calm down (and get my sweatshirt out of the car).
If anyone organizing a running group wonders what this back of the packer would have preferred. I'll share.
1) Have someone look for me, there is a chance I was hurt. (No chance of being lost given the route.)
2) Cheer me to the finish line.
3) Not leave when you make a big deal that all paces are welcome. 12:45 is not that slow -- marathons allow 16 minute paces.
What irked me most was I could have been a little faster if I didn't take time to enjoy myself. I shouted encouragement to runners slower than me. I took pictures of the sunset. I made sure not to dash in front of cyclists or cars or crowd other runners. I breathed in the nice weather and smiled. I even took a picture of a couple of runners I had been leapfrogging.
Those participating in this running club do the same route, see the same runners, and are only in it for the run. They could be on a treadmill for what they got out of the experience.
Next time I should listen to my instinct and recognize I'm too slow for a running club. I drove an hour to join them. Didn't meet anyone. Didn't run with anyone. Still had to drive over an hour home. There was absolutely no benefit to going on this group run.
I did enjoy seeing my friend, but he did not run, and I can see him other times.
Some pictures on the 70-degree August evening.
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