Running Club

Emerging from near extinction, Running Club has since roared back. I sat down with Running Club president and sophomore Brendan Coli to learn more.
Q: What is Running Club?
A: Running club is a diverse, close-knit group of people united by a common love of running. Our members range from former cross-country and track runners looking for a less competitive alternative to beginners just entering the world of running.
Q: When was the group founded, and how has it grown since?
A: The group was founded in 2010. I became president last semester when we had hardly any active members and the club wasn’t really functioning. So far this year, we’ve grown enormously, thanks in part to an enthusiastic and dedicated group of freshmen present at every group run.
Q: How did you get involved?
A: I started running with the club last fall but was disappointed at the decline in participation after the first few weeks. I was offered the position of president by a friend in the club who no longer wanted the responsibility and jumped at the chance to grow a club struggling to survive.
Q: Do you need prior experience to join?
A: No prior experience is required. We modify the pace of all of our runs to accommodate the skill level of those who participate. However, those running should be at a certain level of fitness and ought to be able to run three miles comfortably at a nine-minute-per-mile pace.
Q: What are some events you have participated in?
A: Apart from our group runs, we do not participate in many events as a club. We did, however, organize a run to the Westside Farmer’s Market as part of UR Healthy. We also participated in Kappa Delta’s annual Shamrock 5K, taking third, fourth, seventh, and 10th place.
Q: What are some upcoming events?
A: We hold group runs every Monday through Friday at 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., meeting in front of Goergen Athletic Center.
This Saturday, Oct. 5, at 1 p.m., we will be hosting our first race on campus against RIT. The race will start in Genesee Valley Park and will continue alongside the river to campus. All donations will go toward multiple sclerosis research. The race is open to all UR students.
Q: What goals do you have for the club?
A: One of my main goals is to encourage more people to participate in the runs and grow our base of regular members. Though the club has grown significantly since last semester, it’s challenging to maintain a cohesive group when drawing from members with such varying commitment and skill levels. I’d also like to acquire more funding to subsidize registration fees as well as host some larger races on campus more comparable to the Shamrock 5K and Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Nick Tahou’s Run.
Brady is a member of
the class of 2015.