Megan Hazuga-
Running has always been known to have many health benefits, ranging all the way from weight loss to stress relief. Many runners experience what is called “runner’s high,” which is the euphoria caused by natural endorphins being released in your brain when you run. This feeling, and the many benefits of running, is what Running Club strives to achieve.
According to the president of Running Club, Shannon Hoyt, “[Running Club’s] purpose is to promote the health and wellness of those who desire to get in shape.”
Running Club is a brand new organization. They only started in the fall of 2015, and they had some trouble getting their feet off the ground.
“The practices weren’t very orderly at the start,” said Hoyt, “So as president now, I’ve been constantly emailing people and updating our Facebook page. I want to make sure everyone is comfortable. We don’t want to intimidate people or scare anyone away; we just want to be here if one morning you wake up and decide you want to run.”
The club’s goal, Hoyt says, is to include students of all types, ranging from people that are cross-country runners to those who would just like to start recreationally running, but do not want to go alone. At Running Club, anyone and everyone is welcome to join to better themselves. Hoyt explained that they set each individual runner up with a plan to help them achieve their personal goals.
The Running Club also participates in community races. This way, they can get involved while simultaneously promoting health and wellness, and reaching the goals set by each member.
“A lot of people hate running,” Hoyt stated, “but they don’t understand how much of an advantage it gives you. Not only is it a very good calorie-burning sport, but it’s also a type of meditation where you can go and focus on things; you can come up with new ideas; you can run mindfully. You can run with others and have conversations and learn weird things about each other.”
The Running Club meets Monday through Thursday. Mondays and Wednesdays they meet at 6 p.m., Tuesdays at 8 p.m. and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. There has also been some discussion about meeting on Sundays too, but they have yet to establish anything certain. Wednesdays are referred to as “Game Days,” so the members can have a break from running.
“It’s always good to get away from running too much, so we have one day a week where we will play soccer, ultimate frisbee, basketball, anything to mix it up. Anything that would represent cross-training,” Hoyt said.
Hoyt believes that “one of the best ways to get into shape and to socialize with others who have similar passions as you is to run.”
Any student interested in joining the Running Club can find them outside of the Applied Arts building on any of the days listed previously. Shannon Hoyt will then add the member to a closed emailing list. If you would like to know more about the Running Club, you can find them on Facebook as the Stout Running Club.