Traditional Running Clubs have been around for more than a hundred years, and the UK is fortunate to have a thriving club scene. If you’re looking to improve your running in a group environment, researching your local running clubs is likely to provide you with an abundance of good options to try. For many people, though, committing to meeting at a specific time and place each week, or to regularly running with others, just doesn’t fit with what they’re looking for. For these people, the recent emergence of Virtual Running Clubs may just provide the solution they’ve been looking for. Here, we run through the 6 top reasons to join a Virtual Running Club.
Reason #1: Virtual Running Clubs Provide Flexibility
For many people, committing to the same day and time each week is unappealing, and in some cases it simply isn’t an option. For those with irregular working patterns, those with children, or those who prefer to keep their diary flexible, an Online Running Club can provide a convenient alternative to the traditional in-person clubs. In the We Run Virtual Running Club, members get access to all of the Club’s resources in the Club’s own app. This includes our ‘club runs’, training plans, and strength and conditioning challenges. With everything available at their fingertips, members are free to plan their schedule as they like, setting time aside to train when it’s convenient for them—not when their club’s timetable demands it!
Reason #2: A One-Stop Shop
Trying to piece together a coherent plan to improve your running from the wealth of information available online can be a total minefield. Sometimes, you just want to be told what to do and how to do it, and then be left to get on with it! A good Virtual Running Club should cut through the noise and provide you with a roadmap to improve your running week-on-week, month-on-month, and year-on-year. In the We Run Online Running Club, for example, members have access to a huge range of training plans (for every goal you can think of!), weekly pilates and yoga classes, a range of strength and conditioning challenges, and more. All the necessary information is provided in this one convenient place, with no need for endless Google searches or disappearing down a YouTube rabbit hole!
Reason #3: An Online Running Club Helps Keep It Interesting
If you’re training on your own, it can be tricky to keep things fresh and interesting. It’s easy for the same old routines to become boring, and for your motivation to train to suffer as a result. With an Online Running Club, you’re essentially outsourcing much of the planning of your training, and a good club will serve you fresh, interesting routines to complete every week. This helps to keep you on your toes, and you’ll enjoy the physical benefits of mixing up your training too.
Reason #4: Challenges
This one’s a bit specific to the We Run Virtual Club! To make strength and conditioning easier, we’ve created a range of 30-Day Challenges, all designed around the most common areas runners need to work on. It might be improving your balance, building glute strength, working on your core—every challenge is different, and everyone can get involved. Using our free downloadable wall-chart, members test themselves at the start and end of the month to track their improvements. Our Strength and Conditioning Coaches have prescribed a new routine every week for each Challenge, and those that want to can share their progress with the rest of our online community.
So a typical month looks like this:
- 1st of the month: Download this month’s Challenge wall-chart (available at all times in our app). Complete the simple self-test to assess your current ability in the skill being focused on.
- Each week: Check your wall chart, and complete the exercises prescribed by our Strength and Conditioning Coaches for that week.
- Last day of the month: Re-test your ability to see how much you’ve improved. Share your success with the community and do a little victory dance (both optional!)
These monthly Challenges are a way of ensuring you’re continually improving. They tend to focus on things that can really help your running, but that most runners neglect. We make improving fun!
Reason #5: Get Some Accountability and Camaraderie
One of the most important benefits of any club is the accountability they provide. Let’s be honest; most of us have a finite supply of willpower, and knowing that there are other people waiting to hear from you can be a powerful motivator. Of course, with an Online Running Club, you don’t have to get involved with the social side, but if it helps or you enjoy it, most clubs have active communities on social media, and joining the conversation can really boost your enthusiasm and enjoyment. Multiply your smug-factor by bathing in the kudos of your fellow members, and join the conversation with like-minded people! In the We Run Virtual Running Club, for example, we consider our private Facebook group to be the ‘Club House’ of our online Club. It’s filled with like-minded runners and Coaches, supporting each another talking all things running!
Reason #6: Expert Support
Even the most well-informed and fortunate of runners will eventually run into problems or challenges that leave them a bit stuck. Google often produces more questions than answers, and sometimes all you want is to have someone who knows what they’re talking about to put your question to. With a good Virtual Running Club, you ought to have fingertip access to knowledgeable Running Coaches. In the We Run Virtual Running Club, our Coaches post new Coach Tips videos every few days, often in response to member questions. So our members have a regular opportunity to get their questions answered.
