For many of us running is a sport reserved for those who can run marathon or complete a mile in under 8 minutes. However, the truth is anyone can run (and not just for the train!). Whilst you may never be a long-distance athlete, running at your own pace can greatly benefit your mental and physical health.
Cool Runnings is Exeter University’s casual running group and can be a great of way of getting to know like-minded people. This provides perfect reason to start your running journey. The greatest barrier for most people is motivation. It is always easy to say, ‘I want to start running but I just don’t have time at the moment’ but unfortunately just wanting to run does not have the same impact as actually doing it. Cool Runnings releases their schedule every week, which helps you know exactly when you are going to run that week, making it easy to plan around this.
Whether you are new to running or more experienced, there is something for everyone. They have both a 5k programme and longer distance training, placing equality and inclusivity at the heart of their society. Their 5k programme helps you remember that you don’t need to start by running marathons. In fact, experts recommend building up slowly. Start off by doing a brisk walk and slowly incorporate running into this and before you know it you will be running non-stop in no time. Furthermore, anyone on committee is always willing to help out and give you more support.
Cool Runnings advocates running as a perfect way to escape the stress of uni life and running has long been associated with boosting mental health. As I runner myself, I can firmly say that a ‘runner’s high’ is not a myth!
However, they also offer non-running socials, such as a beach trip at the end of last year, board game night, bowling and karaoke. Alongside this, Cool Runnings encourages participation in charity events. In 2023 they held a Santa Run with RAG to raise money for The National Brain Appeal and Balloons as well as a pub quiz for Comic Relief. More recently, they ran for Movember in November.
One of the greatest things about running is that it is easy to start. There is no need to splash out on a gym membership, all you need is a pair of trainers and you’re good to go! So why not give it a try?
To find out more about Cool Runnings visit their Instagram page here.