Starting a group run -- need thoughts
As some of you might know I'm a high school band director and I've been very vocal through my weight loss journey. A number of students/parents know that I ran the Detroit Marathon in October but I'm amazed at how many don't -- I thought I just kept talking about it, lol. I bring this up because next week is our big spring concert and I'll have approximately 650 parents/siblings/friends in the audience in addition to the 250 or so that I have in my classes.
All we have to do is look around anywhere in our society and we can see the toll a sedentary lifestyle takes on us (most of us are prime examples of this). I don't think I could tell anybody why i started to run nor what possessed me to do the marathon. The morning of the marathon I was amazed at the sight of 15000+ people at the starting line and all the energy and excitement that was palpable in the air. I want to get a group of people from my local town moving and doing this. Now as is typical at these large runs the Detroit Marathon offers a 5K, 1/2 marathon walk, 1/2 marathon run, full marathon, and relay teams (distances of: 5.4, 6.4, 6.5, 4, 3, & 4.5) so there truly is something there for everyone.
My goal is to get between 20-40 students/parents/teachers to join me down there for at least one of these events. While we do LOTS of fundraising (as any school group does) I want to get us all doing this for MS. My father has MS as does one of our more popular teachers in the building so it's a personal cause that I think we can all get behind.
I'm thinking that Thursday night will be our group run/walk out at the track at the school. Here's where I need all of your help:
I imagine a number of the people who might start showing up have absolutely no idea what they're doing and I don't want to lead them wrong. What I'm hoping to see is people group up by some like ability --- slow walkers/fast walkers/joggers/runners ect.
What I want to see is people out there MOVING for 30-60 minutes (less if need be). If you were to show up to one of these group run/walks what would you want to see (speaking as a newbie). I imagine after a couple of weeks we'll get groups splitting off and doing some of the track/cross country loops running from the school to the downtown area and back but at first I want everyone to be together.
Let me hear your thoughts, I know I've got 2 parents and 2 students talked into doing a half marathon and only 1 of those is a track/cross country runner so I'm hoping!
--Dan
All we have to do is look around anywhere in our society and we can see the toll a sedentary lifestyle takes on us (most of us are prime examples of this). I don't think I could tell anybody why i started to run nor what possessed me to do the marathon. The morning of the marathon I was amazed at the sight of 15000+ people at the starting line and all the energy and excitement that was palpable in the air. I want to get a group of people from my local town moving and doing this. Now as is typical at these large runs the Detroit Marathon offers a 5K, 1/2 marathon walk, 1/2 marathon run, full marathon, and relay teams (distances of: 5.4, 6.4, 6.5, 4, 3, & 4.5) so there truly is something there for everyone.
My goal is to get between 20-40 students/parents/teachers to join me down there for at least one of these events. While we do LOTS of fundraising (as any school group does) I want to get us all doing this for MS. My father has MS as does one of our more popular teachers in the building so it's a personal cause that I think we can all get behind.
I'm thinking that Thursday night will be our group run/walk out at the track at the school. Here's where I need all of your help:
I imagine a number of the people who might start showing up have absolutely no idea what they're doing and I don't want to lead them wrong. What I'm hoping to see is people group up by some like ability --- slow walkers/fast walkers/joggers/runners ect.
What I want to see is people out there MOVING for 30-60 minutes (less if need be). If you were to show up to one of these group run/walks what would you want to see (speaking as a newbie). I imagine after a couple of weeks we'll get groups splitting off and doing some of the track/cross country loops running from the school to the downtown area and back but at first I want everyone to be together.
Let me hear your thoughts, I know I've got 2 parents and 2 students talked into doing a half marathon and only 1 of those is a track/cross country runner so I'm hoping!
--Dan
Dan,
I think that's great. I am always thinking of ways to promote running in my community. I want to host a race either next spring or the spring of 11. Unlike you though, I am not very ambitious so congrats on that.
I would want a warm and welcoming group where everyone feels included somehow. I like the idea that they can train from anything from a 5K to a full marathon. That pretty mu*****ludes everyone and all abilities.
If I think of more I'll be back.
I think that's great. I am always thinking of ways to promote running in my community. I want to host a race either next spring or the spring of 11. Unlike you though, I am not very ambitious so congrats on that.
I would want a warm and welcoming group where everyone feels included somehow. I like the idea that they can train from anything from a 5K to a full marathon. That pretty mu*****ludes everyone and all abilities.
If I think of more I'll be back.
Scott
Link to my running journal
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1303681
4 full's - 14 halves - 2 goofy's and one Mt. Washington!
Link to my running journal
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1303681
4 full's - 14 halves - 2 goofy's and one Mt. Washington!
Dan,
Promoting fitness and supporting a great cause is an admirable pursuit. As a newbie, I would want to see a plan with gradual progression so I didn't get injured or discouraged. You could have plans printed out for each of the different distances and send out an e-mail to participants, so they have the info electronically.
With my 15K group, I put together a directory of phone numbers and e-mails so people could find others to run with during the week.
If people don't know each other, I would make a point of having everyone introduce themselves for the first few weeks.
I am fortunate to have 5 other runners who help me with the 15K group. Together, we pace the runners and make sure any loners feel included.
Good luck,
Cassie
Promoting fitness and supporting a great cause is an admirable pursuit. As a newbie, I would want to see a plan with gradual progression so I didn't get injured or discouraged. You could have plans printed out for each of the different distances and send out an e-mail to participants, so they have the info electronically.
With my 15K group, I put together a directory of phone numbers and e-mails so people could find others to run with during the week.
If people don't know each other, I would make a point of having everyone introduce themselves for the first few weeks.
I am fortunate to have 5 other runners who help me with the 15K group. Together, we pace the runners and make sure any loners feel included.
Good luck,
Cassie
"Hard things take time to do. Impossible things take a little longer."
I started a small one at work.
You definitely want to make it easy to start, so that you don't discourage anyone.
I have 4 people that I have talked into running, 1 of them joined late and was too far behind to run with the gorup, she tried too much too quick and hasn't been back since.
We started with an interval training session. I have now gotten one of the runners to compete and complete in her first 5k. All she wanted to accomplish at the beginning of the year was to be able to run one mile. She is thrilled with her progress.
I have a completed workout schedule for all the runners in case they can't make one of the scheduled runs, they can make it up on their own or at the gym. It was a very gentle progression at first. Now ea are at the point of adding 1/4 to 1/2 mile each week. Our final goal is a 1/2 marathon in October. I think out of the 4 runners, I probably have 2 of them that will stick it out and make it to the 1/2 marathon with me. They seem motivated and are making good improvements in their distance and time.
We are working on progressing to that 1/2 marathon. I am using a modified version of at 10k training session, and when we finish that we progress to the 1/2 marathon training. It gives us lots of time to build up miles and get everyone used to running. From this point on we don't have any runs shorter than 3 miles, so hopefully everyone will hold up and continue to see progress.
Good luck and best wishes with your running group.
Scott
You definitely want to make it easy to start, so that you don't discourage anyone.
I have 4 people that I have talked into running, 1 of them joined late and was too far behind to run with the gorup, she tried too much too quick and hasn't been back since.
We started with an interval training session. I have now gotten one of the runners to compete and complete in her first 5k. All she wanted to accomplish at the beginning of the year was to be able to run one mile. She is thrilled with her progress.
I have a completed workout schedule for all the runners in case they can't make one of the scheduled runs, they can make it up on their own or at the gym. It was a very gentle progression at first. Now ea are at the point of adding 1/4 to 1/2 mile each week. Our final goal is a 1/2 marathon in October. I think out of the 4 runners, I probably have 2 of them that will stick it out and make it to the 1/2 marathon with me. They seem motivated and are making good improvements in their distance and time.
We are working on progressing to that 1/2 marathon. I am using a modified version of at 10k training session, and when we finish that we progress to the 1/2 marathon training. It gives us lots of time to build up miles and get everyone used to running. From this point on we don't have any runs shorter than 3 miles, so hopefully everyone will hold up and continue to see progress.
Good luck and best wishes with your running group.
Scott
The first time you do something - It's going to be a personal record!
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