How to Look Good in Race Photos
If you’re gearing up for a big race, here are five tips to get you camera-ready. Hint: some of these tips might help you run faster, too!
5 Reasons Why Running Clubs Are Better Than Dating Apps
You’ve endlessly scrolled through dozens of profiles. You’ve carefully curated your own profile with a flattering selfie and witty bio. Finally, you both swipe right. Your phone pings with an incoming message, but all they could think to say was, “Hey.” *Sigh.*
Online dating can feel like getting to the last .2 miles of a marathon and realizing they moved the finish line. Online chemistry doesn’t always translate into real life sparks, and that’s if you’re lucky enough to get to the “let’s meet IRL” stage. What’s a single person to do?
The answer for Fleet Feet’s runners and employees is simple–run club. Drenched in sweat and out of breath might not be how you envisioned yourself meeting your perfect match, but that’s how numerous Fleet Feet Running Club members have found their sole-mates.
Here are 5 reasons why running clubs are better than dating apps.
1. Running clubs are one of the few recreational activities for adults to meet in-person.
When you’re young, it seems like you’re always making new friends. From home room to sports practice, there’s a seemingly endless supply of new, friendly faces to chat with. As you get older, though, these opportunities seem few and far between. Aside from work–no offense to our coworkers, but we spend enough time with them as it is–where can you go to meet new people?
Plus, meeting a potential partner amongst a group of other people with similar interests takes the pressure off of you to “make a move.” You can just relax, enjoy the company of other runners and see what might happen…
“I never expected to meet someone at my running club–I joined the running club purely for running,” says Ahmed Awada, who met his fiance, Alicia Morales, at a Fleet Feet Delray Beach group run.
“I met Alicia when I stopped by the Fleet Feet store one day. I hadn’t been to the run club in a few weeks, and I noticed she was one of the new runners who had recently joined. I remember noticing how she lit up the room with her warm smile and kind eyes. I decided to come back the following week and began running with the group again. Alicia and I were not at the same pace; she was still relatively new to running but I had no issue slowing down and running with her. I think she quickly realized that I was purposely slowing down to talk to her, but she didn’t mind at all. She appreciated having company, and I was glad we were connecting in a place where there was no pressure.”
Awada and Morales will tie the knot this fall, two years after meeting at their Fleet Feet run club.
2. Running is a great way to get rid of the nervous jitters.
Ah, that good old runner’s high. According to an article published in Cerebral Cortex by Henning Boecker, runner’s high is “a euphoric state resulting from long-distance running.” This euphoric state might just relax you enough to introduce yourself to someone you might otherwise be too shy to talk to.
Plus, it’s easier to strike up a conversation while running side-by-side with someone when compared to the intimidation of standing face-to-face.
“My wife, Stephanie, and I met through the Fleet Feet Pittsburgh marathon training program,” says Alex Tallman, Fleet Feet’s Director of Retail Experience and Education. “We had both volunteered to lead the 7:30 to 8:30 pace group training for the 2014 Pittsburgh Marathon. Our friend introduced us, but we were both too nervous to really talk to each other. Running dozens of miles together as part of the program helped us break through the nerves.”
Tallman married his wife with the help of Fleet Feet Pittsburgh owner Bob Schooer, who officiated their wedding.
3. You don’t have to break the news to them about your running addiction.
Dating a new person is already awkward enough. Learning each other’s routines, habits (both the good and the bad) and preferences is all part of what it takes to build a harmonious relationship. When you meet someone at a running club, it’s safe to say you two are on the same page about your running obsession.
You’ll both be waking up early (and going to bed early), consuming countless amounts of carbs and complaining about your chafing together. It’s a win-win.
4. Running together is a great way to test the strength of a relationship.
Running imitates life. Attitude is everything and, for the most part, you get out of it what you put into it. It’s these aspects of running that make it a great way to see how well you mesh with your potential partner. How do you two respond to stress? Are you able to work together and encourage each other when the miles are dragging by? If your partner forgot their water bottle, would you share yours? These potential mid-run situations are great ways to test how you two can handle adversity in the future.
5. You can participate in singles events.
If you want to skip the friend zone and get right down to business, some running clubs even host events targeted towards single runners. You may as well get the awkwardness out of the way by acknowledging that you’re all here for the same thing.
Fleet Feet Rochester hosts an annual Cupid’s Cup 5K every February. Participants are asked to select their relationship status upon registration and bib colors are assigned based on their status.
“We enjoy producing events with themes and wanted to do a Valentine’s themed one,” says Ellen Brenner, who owns the store with her husband, Boots. “We integrated the bib color system to foster connections. Participants' bibs are based on their status–a green bib means single, a red bib means in a relationship and a yellow bib means it’s complicated.”
Not all Fleet Feet Running Clubs offer events like these, so be sure to call ahead and ask before showing up at your local club with a homemade green bib pinned to your shirt.
