Sharyn O’Halloran

Last week’s post on How to Stay Motivated to Run, discussed the importance of joining a local running club to maintain a consistent training schedule. Here is a closers look at both the individual and social benefits to getting involved.

Established more than half a century ago, the Road Runners Club of America provides an outlet for individuals to embrace the sport of running and motivation to individuals to get them running and keep them running as they develop a lifelong commitment to better health. The club hosts numerous races throughout the nation, ranging from 5K fun runs to marathons and even ultra-marathons. The New York Road Runners, to which I belong, boast thousands of members participating annually in world-class events such as the TCS New York City Marathon. The 2013 NYC marathon was the largest ever, with some 55,000 runners from all other the world.

The nonprofit Road Runners combines donations from individuals and corporations with the income from its events to promote the advancement of running. The club works to inspire people of all ages to run but places special emphasis on youth programs. The New York Road Runners club sponsors numerous educational programs and activities that serves more than 200,000 children throughout New York City, as well as nationally and internationally.

I have trained with the NYRR for a number of marathons and ultimately ran my first 60K (37.28 mile) race with the club in 2013. My participation in these events has also raised money for a number of charitable organizations, including the Legal Aid Society and Community Impact at Columbia University.

Helping yourself stay fit can also help others.

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