Have you ever been awake at 9 a.m. on a Sunday morning at Beloit College? Well, the Beloit College Run Club has.
Every Sunday at 9 o’clock sharp, the group gathers on Aldrich Field to start their jaunty jog. A few stretches, some camaraderie, and then they’re off to Riverside Park.
Run Club didn’t start as a club, though. Ana Tolentino’27, president of Beloit College Run Club, relayed the club’s beginnings in an interview with The Round Table.
Last fall, Renée Nguyen’26 had the idea to invite her friends to start running with her. Nguyen was on track to run a marathon in November, so she was training either way.
As Nguyen’s gaggle grew, other friends started calling them the “Run Club.”
“[W]e were like, actually, let’s just make that happen,” Tolentino said. “So now this is our second semester officially as a club, and our first semester with a budget. So [now] we’ll be able to do more [club activities].”
Once at Riverside Park, the run is up to the individual. Tolentino added, “[Y]ou can come and run one mile with us. If I [run] more than that, it doesn’t matter, right? Just join us for the time you’re willing to.”
Destigmatizing exercise and running is a big goal for the club. Tolentino said the club focuses on “taking the competitiveness and like the pressure out of [running],” and added that walking is totally fine too. ”It’s just like a way for you to go out with a group of people, and do something together, right?” Run Club is also taking steps to publish their Sunday workouts on IMLeagues, so individuals can easily sign up and view more details.
The Run Club is also planning a Turkey Trot 5K for the week before Thanksgiving. They take inspiration from the Health and Wellness Center’s former “Happy Healthy 5Ks,” which aimed to take the competitiveness out of running, and instead make it about fun and prioritizing mental and physical health.
Exec team members Sam Schowalter’27 and Shobhita Bharadwaj’27 emphasized the impact that running and exercise have on their mental health. “I either feel very enthused and like I need to run, and if I can’t, then I will absolutely blow up. Or, [it feels like], ‘oh God, please, no,’” Schowalter said. ”But usually once I get into the swing of it, it’s kind of a relaxing thing. It’s a good way to decompress.”
Bharadwaj added that “anytime I’m going through a hard time, I try to get out for a run. And it’s like, it’s instantly a dopamine rush. You instantly feel better. Even if it’s temporary, it definitely gets your mood up a little.”
The Run Club is looking for more members. To join and get more details, you can join their GroupMe by going to their Instagram (@beloitrunclub) and clicking the link in their bio.
Image credit: Ana Tolentino’27
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