How to Start a Running Group at Work

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have definitely seen an improvement to my pace since the creation of a running group here at my company.  I typically have been a solo runner during lunch at work seeing many of those now who are part of the group.  In fact it took one year and one really good product manager to get all of us together for a weekly run.  The run is now well supported with all different ages and levels which break up into a couple of subgroups of 4 or 5 so that you can push yourself out of your comfort zone or stay at a more comfortable pace.

There are some new runners to the group also who are now running just because of the support of the other runners.  And we also have runners who still run solo (due to the limit of their lunch time) but run the same course since they can see the group coming and going.

You may already know a lot of the runners at your company, may even see them at lunch or before or after work in their routine.  You may even talk with them at the coffee counter about the run you just had, what is a great route, what areas to avoid, etc.  But that is all of the interaction you have with them.

So the question is, how do you set up a running group at your company?

What we did at my current company is took advantage of creating a company subscription distribution list.  We call ours “Move.”  Basically, we were allowed to send out an announcement on another distribution list, “fun”, to alert that we would be creating a running group.  Anyone wanting to join was to send an e-mail to our group organizer who then compiled and created the email which included 45 people on the distribution list. Our group running day is on Wednesday, so there is an announcement on Tuesday reminding everyone of the group run.  Typically these are fun and quirky emails but they add to the culture of the group.  Typically we then have 10 show up any given week out of a company of 150.

It is also to have at least a couple of champions in the group, especially if they are across different departments.  That was part of the reason we didn’t run as a group before.  I am in Finance, others in Editorial and Product Development, and don’t forget IT.  Having “plants” in each of these groups talking up the running group on Wednesday as well as making sure everyone knows that everyone is welcome has really helped. 

Besides a distribution list, if your company allows, you could set up a SharePoint site.  At a previous company, group sites were a heavily encouraged activity and were considered important to the culture of the organization.  Work-life-balance was stressed and any type of fitness activity was encouraged.  The purpose was not just a touchy feely thing, but a way to better get control of the health insurance costs of the company.

The SharePoint site is especially great if you are a large company and you want to set up a meeting point for all runners.  It is also great for those who are training for a race of a specific distance or pace.  But again, you want to have those across the company endorsing and “talking up” your group.

There are certain things can be done to have a successful group.  

First, be flexible and adaptable with the ability of the members.  Not everyone can run a 6 minute or perhaps even a 9 minute sustained pace for any duration.  So there should be an understanding that it is ok to drop into subgroups or it is OK to take off at any point of the run if the pace is too fast or too slow.  This is a group activity and not a competition, so egos and titles should be left back in the office.  

Second, as stated above, talk up the group.  Word of mouth is an important factor in the success of your group.  If people know your group as being fun and enjoyable, more people will join and providing other opportunities during the week.

Also, think about the route.  Working near the waterfront in San Francisco we have the benefit of being right on the Embarcadero, a long wide sidewalk without any intersections.  It is easy to run unhindered for at least 15 miles.  That said, a shorter run, maybe 4 or 5 miles will allow for about a 35 to 45 minute run to allow for changing if you have an hour lunch.  We also mix up the route, sometimes running towards Fisherman’s Wharf and the Marina, sometimes to AT&T Park, sometimes throwing in the piers.  Keeping the route ever changing will help keep boredom at bay.

Finally, one of the biggest issues for some about running at work, less joining your running group, is the lack of showers.  The short answer is showers are overrated…. really. But to get them past that thought, you might do your research on alternatives.  You can check out my post on Running with No Showers at work and my review of shower wipes as one solution.

So that’s about it.  Starting a running group at work is pretty simple if you apply just a little ingenuity.  However, you will definitely find rewards, both with your running but also with building a running culture at work.

Running at Lunch....Problem, No Shower!

So a couple of weeks back I blogged about how I am back torunning at work.  The greatest challenge has been, though, that while the last couple of companies I worked at had the luxury of showers my current company doesn’t.  However, I am just steps from one of the most widely used running trails in the country, the Embarcadero in San Francisco and I would have a hard time calling myself a serious runner if I didn’t take advantage of this gift.

So that lead me to explore how shower alternatives.  I mean, there are just too many runners in San Francisco running at lunch to not think there had to be alternatives.

So I did my research and came across these fun how to posts:

Runner's World

My Reddits

After reading these posts and coming I came up with this method:

• Run no more than 40 to 45 minutes, allowing enough time to cool off after the run.  If you bring a lunch or bar to work, place it in your backpack and eat it while you are cooling off

• If your desk is away from the entrance, see about leaving your backpack with the your change of clothes at the receptionist or security desk.

• After cooling off for 5 or 10 minutes, go to your nearest restroom, and use the shower pad of your choice, then dry off with a towel and change.

Now I have tried several shower pads and they work pretty effectively.  Think of them as an over sized baby wipe made for runners or for backpackers.  On Friday you will find a review of the two I like the most.

The Embarcadero....Back to a Running Schedule

For the last few weeks I have been back to riding my bike to BART 16.5 miles each day and running at lunch 4 times a week.  It really feels good to be back on a schedule and I definitely feel more productive than commuting in a car.

Where I work is halfway between AT&T Park and the Marina Green which means I can do some pretty fun runs at lunch.  I can choose to go north towards Fisherman’s Wharf and play tourist dodgem and run up the short but challenging hill at Fort Mason or I can go south past the Ferry Building and around McCovey Cove and AT&T park.

This run was initially intimidating since my pace is way off.  There are a lot of serious runners on this stretch and for good reason.  Once you get to the Bay side of the road, there are no cross streets which means you can run without worrying about street lights throwing you off your pace.  

But I will say, what I like most about running the Embarcadero is that I can really work on my speed.  I typically run 4.2 miles to 5.3 miles at lunch.  What that means is I can get a good 20+ miles in a week on a flat straight away and then add a long run of 8+ miles on the weekend.  That combined with the 7.7 miles I sprint back and forth from BART to work, I can easily get over 30 miles of running each week.

An added benefit to Embarcadero is that it is also easy to be able to pace other runners for motivation without being intrusive.

I have also learned how to run during lunch without a shower.  Let me clarify before you say ewe!!!  When I started the job, seeing all the runners at lunch made me realize that it would be such a waste if I didn’t take advantage it.  I inquired where the nearest showers were, which would have been a 10 minute walk away.  Double that time and the time it would take to get changed, I would extremely limited on how much I could run.  So I did my research and learned that there are several companies that make shower pads.  Let’s just say these are over sized baby wipes made for running; but, they really work.  So I go out for a run, which typically is about 40 to 45 minutes.  I leave my backpack with the receptionist with my lunch and my change of clothes, water, and lunch.  When I get back, I sit outside and eat lunch as a cool down for 10 minutes.  By that time I can go inside, clean up with the shower wipes and change.  I am finding I like it better than when I did work for a company with a shower.

 

Another benefit to where I work, and hopefully will be mentioned in a future post, is the Filbert Street Steps up to Coit Tower.  I haven’t worked these in, however I am looking forward to that.

So combined, at the end of the week, I ride my bike a little over 80 miles a week and run at least 27 miles.  So I now cover over 100 miles a week under my own power.  And I have the best back drop, the San Francisco Bay and Bay Bridge, to do it in.