How team running can help you achieve your training goals
GFR’s Jimmy Clifford, explains how team running can help you achieve your running potential.
I have been a member of Glasgow Frontrunners for almost 2 years. I’ve been running for about 20 years, mainly on my own or with one or two friends. In the past I didn’t really see the point in running with a club, I treated running as a leisure activity and I enjoyed the fact that I could just leave my house and run without any pre-planning or coordinating with others.
This all changed a few years back, when some friends who were FrontRunners suggested I go for a run (and a few lagers!) in Manchester (Manchester Frontrunner’s “Cake Run” event in 2015). During the course of the weekend I met a great bunch of FrontRunners from all over the UK and Ireland who were all part of the same running community. I had a great laugh over the weekend and by the following Thursday I had joined Glasgow FrontRunners!
I’ve gained a lot since joining GFR. I’ve become a much stronger and more confident runner. I’ve had some great trips away with the running club, both within the UK and abroad. I’ve tried other athletic events like relays and duathalons. I’ve made some lifelong friends and had some great nights out! I’ve completed the jogScotland jog-leader course and now I regularly jog lead with the club. From taking part in all of this I feel part of a diverse yet inclusive community; it’s given me confidence in areas of my life and my identity that I didn’t know I needed.
Last year, I joined the GFR committee in the position of Men’s Captain. This is a new role for the club, still in its infancy. So far I’ve been working closely with the other captains (Trans-captain Charlotte and Women’s-captain Erin) to support Eamonn in his role as Run Secretary. Now that the running calendar is beginning to fill up for 2017, I’ll be taking a more active role in the training programmes for the marathons that form part of the club’s 2017 Grand Prix.
Personally, I had always wanted to run a marathon, but I never thought I would be able to train and complete one; it seemed too much of a leap outside of my ability and my comfort zone. I gained the confidence to train and complete the 2016 Munich marathon from the encouragement I received from other members of the club. Talking weekly about training programmes and how to cope with long distance running eventually made me believe I could complete a marathon myself. I’m hoping to give some of that encouragement and confidence back to the next group of new marathon runners. I’m also aiming to go further and complete two more marathons by the end of the year.
The flagship event for the club is OUTrun in Kelvingrove Park due to take place 17 August 2017. It’s a 5-mile run tied into Pride Weekend and is open to all of the community and should a great day out!