Running clubs

ASISEEIT

I have run four half marathons. Im thinking of doing full marathon in oct. Dublin
Im wondering if i should join a club? So far trained on my own.
I travel a good distance to work and have a small child but would a club help for motivation
Im also wondering if serious runners drink that much? Booze not water ! Did you give it up ?

Swashbuckler

I cut way back but not cut off completely and noticed a massive difference from doing so. Drinking sessions are few and far between these days but would have the odd few now and then but nothing near the amount I used to drink.

RayCun

Running clubs are not like football clubs - there is no obligation to show up for a certain number of training sessions so you don't get dropped from the team. There is always a group training, and the members of the group change from week to week, depending on who has races, or family commitments, or work, or...

But when you do show up, you get the benefit of training in a group, and advice from more experienced runners. Coming up to Dublin marathon, a lot of clubs will have groups doing their long runs together. And yeah, knowing that there is a group meeting up can help motivate you to get out the door and join in.

Testosterscone

ASISEEIT wrote: »

I have run four half marathons. Im thinking of doing full marathon in oct. Dublin
Im wondering if i should join a club? So far trained on my own.

Just in relation to the club aspect, what do you wish to get out of joining a club? Many join for company, others join to get a plan to improve, others join to look for guidance.

The reason I say ask yourself that question is that many people these days join clubs without considering what a club can actually offer them and that it is a 2 way street i.e what you can offer the club. If everyone has the take take take mentality in a club what can happen is that those who are there to help you when you join become so stretched that they are unable to offer everyone the level of help they require.

I would encourage everyone to join a club no doubt but this is more just a reminder that a club can offer so much more than just getting you to hit a target. Be open to idea's and open to helping around the club (doesn't have to be anything big there are plenty of times when helping simply requires the extra bodies for fundraising or what ever just enough so that joining a club you are helping keep workload down on those willing to help so that they can offer others the same benefits that you will get)

One example from my own club is a guy who joined back in September and ran 3.30 marathon in Dublin. He has since been open to all idea's (training, running cross country/track where he wouldn't have considered before and always helped out with fundraisers and making up numbers in teams when asked) the openness to new things has also seen him knock nearly 6 minutes off 10k time and PB's across a multitude of distances.

ASISEEIT

Testosterscone wrote: »

Just in relation to the club aspect, what do you wish to get out of joining a club? Many join for company, others join to get a plan to improve, others join to look for guidance.

The reason I say ask yourself that question is that many people these days join clubs without considering what a club can actually offer them and that it is a 2 way street i.e what you can offer the club. If everyone has the take take take mentality in a club what can happen is that those who are there to help you when you join become so stretched that they are unable to offer everyone the level of help they require.

I would encourage everyone to join a club no doubt but this is more just a reminder that a club can offer so much more than just getting you to hit a target. Be open to idea's and open to helping around the club (doesn't have to be anything big there are plenty of times when helping simply requires the extra bodies for fundraising or what ever just enough so that joining a club you are helping keep workload down on those willing to help so that they can offer others the same benefits that you will get)

One example from my own club is a guy who joined back in September and ran 3.30 marathon in Dublin. He has since been open to all idea's (training, running cross country/track where he wouldn't have considered before and always helped out with fundraisers and making up numbers in teams when asked) the openness to new things has also seen him knock nearly 6 minutes off 10k time and PB's across a multitude of distances.

Good point. Im not the best joiner if you know what I mean. With a young kid its hard to get out plus pretty tired in evenings. Because of my schedule I do a lot of runs 5-6pm or a long run Sunday morning. Thus I have tended to go my own way as I doubt many free to run at 5!
However If I did join would certainly be open to helping out but I doubt at the age of 48 Im going to get into cross country or am I mistaken!?

Testosterscone

ASISEEIT wrote: »

Good point. Im not the best joiner if you know what I mean. With a young kid its hard to get out plus pretty tired in evenings. Because of my schedule I do a lot of runs 5-6pm or a long run Sunday morning. Thus I have tended to go my own way as I doubt many free to run at 5!
However If I did join would certainly be open to helping out but I doubt at the age of 48 Im going to get into cross country or am I mistaken!?

Never too old
https://www.myrunresults.com/events/dublin_athletics_masters_cross_country/2501/results

While club training might be at a particular time there are always those who won't make that and being part of a club usually opens line of communication to talk to others where 5 may suit. Sunday morning long runs tend to be staples in most clubs though. We are no longer working in a 9-5 world and as such there is flexibility in training.

Duanington

ASISEEIT wrote: »

Good point. Im not the best joiner if you know what I mean. With a young kid its hard to get out plus pretty tired in evenings. Because of my schedule I do a lot of runs 5-6pm or a long run Sunday morning. Thus I have tended to go my own way as I doubt many free to run at 5!
However If I did join would certainly be open to helping out but I doubt at the age of 48 Im going to get into cross country or am I mistaken!?

I'm a member of a club, rarely make any club sessions and train, for the most part, on my own. However, over time, I've gotten to know people from the club ( and other clubs) and we often arrange our own meet-ups\training sessions because the usual times just don't suit with work\life.

Regarding cross country, I've seen plenty of people much older than 48 get a huge amount from cross country races. There are actually a few people I can think of, well into their 50s who base everything around their cross country meets.

Down South

ASISEEIT wrote: »

Good point. Im not the best joiner if you know what I mean. With a young kid its hard to get out plus pretty tired in evenings. Because of my schedule I do a lot of runs 5-6pm or a long run Sunday morning. Thus I have tended to go my own way as I doubt many free to run at 5!
However If I did join would certainly be open to helping out but I doubt at the age of 48 Im going to get into cross country or am I mistaken!?

Went back running XC this year at 45 and not the only one in my club

Murph_D

Down South wrote: »

Went back running XC this year at 45 and not the only one in my club

Made my xc debut at 54!