๐♂️ Should I join a running club? After running alone for 10 years, I've seen a difference in just two months.
๐ Over 10 Years of Running Alone
There was a time when frequent business trips and late-night drinks left me constantly sick, and even the slightest touch from a cardboard box made my skin flare up. In my mid-30s, I finally thought, “I need to do something.” So I started running around my kids’ elementary school track.
The sense of accomplishment lasted only briefly. After a couple of months, the track felt unbearably boring. Then one evening, I ran along Hagui Stream for the first time — and that was when running became fun. The scenery changed, the wind felt different, and something inside me clicked.
One day, my family came out for a walk while I was running on a dirt trail. My wife looked at me and said:
“Why are you swinging your arms side to side like that? Are you even running? Why are we walking the same speed as you?”
Looking back, it’s hilarious. Running alone meant my form, pace — everything — was completely off.
⏱️ The Day I Hit 5km in 30 Minutes
Back when I ran only once a week — always blaming the rain — I eventually joined a gym. Running at speed 8 on the treadmill in the early morning made me feel like I was doing something impressive.
Then one day, someone next to me was running effortlessly at speed 12. It shocked me.
“Wow… so that’s actually possible.”
From that day on, I slowly started increasing my pace. Going from 8 to 10 was much harder than I expected. Weeks later, I finally achieved 5km in 30 minutes! For a moment, I truly believed the whole gym was watching me — and I felt like an official runner.
๐️ A Decade of On-and-Off Running
I spent several years running 5–7km regularly along Hagui Stream and Anyang Stream. About three years ago, I pushed myself and ran 20km in one go. I walked half the way back, but I was proud.
But soon after, injuries began. I tried switching knee braces, taking breaks, and slowly returning — but the pain didn’t go away. Eventually, I gave up trying to improve distance or speed and decided to run just enough to break a sweat.
Back then, I believed “10km in 50 minutes is impossible.”
“How are people even running 10km under 50 minutes? Are they superhuman?”
๐ Two Months in a Running Club — and a Realization
A business partner invited me to join a local running club. There weren’t many members, but everyone ran well, and the club president personally guided our training.
After two months, I finally experienced what real “training” felt like. During the last five laps, I could barely breathe and simply stared at the president’s feet, trying to keep up.
“Ah… I should’ve joined sooner.”
The advice I heard while running beside them hit much harder than anything I had seen on YouTube or read in books:
- How to run properly
- How to avoid injuries
- How to increase distance and speed
I remembered how I had given up on my goals three years earlier because of injuries — and regret washed over me.
๐ช The 10km in 50 Minutes
I used to think only “hardcore runners” could break 50 minutes. I never even tried. But on that day, simply following the president’s pace… I ran 10km in 50 minutes!
It was a record I could never have achieved alone. Running together made it possible.
๐ค And the New Member I Met Today
A runner in his mid-30s — the second youngest in our club — said something that stayed with me.
“I joined because I give up when I run alone. But when I run with others, I don’t quit.”
That hit me deeply. I used to think, “Why join a club when I can just run alone?” Now I realize how wrong I was.
I’m just grateful I figured it out eventually. Running together, not alone — maybe that’s one of the real joys of this sport. ๐
#running #runclub #healthyrunning #soloRun #groupRun #10km50min #runnerlife
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