Running clubs can help keep your fitness goals on track

We're three weeks into the new year, and your fitness resolution is already showing signs of stress.

With teeth-gritting determination, you resolved to work off those five holiday pounds. Now, reality is hitting home.

Anyone who's made a promise to get into shape knows how tough it is to persevere. But success may be found in the old saying, "there is strength in numbers."

Running clubs are a great example. Longtime members say hanging out with fellow runners keeps them motivated. Being part of the group guarantees positive peer pressure, provides a network of friends, and will give you a fighting chance of reaching your fitness goals.

"I can't say enough how my life is forever changed since I started running with this great group of people," said Julie Bane, a 46-year-old Lakemoor woman and a member of the Lake Zurich-based Alpine Runners.

A former smoker, Bane joined the 500-member group in 2002. She smoked her last cigarette the day before her first run with the group. She hasn't had one since.

"I couldn't keep smoking and be part of the group. In my mind, I felt like they wouldn't think I'm a real runner," Bane smiled.

Since joining the club, she has run 13 marathons and 18 ultra marathons. Bane credits her success to the encouragement from her running pals. "I never would have believed I could do this," she said.

Running clubs typically gather two or three times each week. Saturdays are normally set aside for longer runs. Runners head out in groups based on pace and distance. The thought of teaming up with a bunch of folks who find a 10-mile run "refreshing," may be intimidating. But club leaders say there's a place for everyone, even the novice.

Steve Sawyer, the treasurer for the 120-member Arlington Trotters based in Arlington Heights, said you won't get left behind.

"People may have this idea we're a bunch of sprinters that will leave you in the dust, but that's not true," Sawyer said. "People will always be there to give you a hand. Give it three or four times and it will become a habit."

Tom Dieter ran track and cross country in college but "took 30 years off" from running. The Geneva man wanted to get back in shape, so he bought some shoes and hit the streets. But he found running alone uninspiring, so he joined the 300-member Fox River Trail Runners in 2000. He likes the social aspect of the club.

"What I most appreciate is the people," Dieter, 56, said. "Runners are goal-oriented, optimistic and just nice to be around." Dieter has qualified for this year's Boston Marathon.

Accountability from fellow club members is what helps Pat Harmon stay the course. Harmon, of Barrington, was a solo, short-distance runner until he hooked up with the Alpine Runners in 1984. Last year, he ran in 60 races in honor of his 60th birthday.

"Being a member of the club made a huge difference," Harmon said. "When you know people are expecting you to show up, you show up. It's very motivating."

An Internet search might be the best way to find one of the nearly 80 active clubs near you. The Road Runners Club of America, rrca.org, and the Chicago Area Runners Association, cararuns.org, are good starting points. Annual dues will vary in each group.

Holiday parties, barbecues, bonfires and picnics make the social scene for club members. Harmon chuckles when he remembers a comment his brother made while at one of the gatherings. "My brother thought my running buddies were nice. I laughed when he said, 'they are all so skinny, too.'"