Whether it’s your first year at Lancaster or your last, university life can be stressful, but what better way to bust some of this stress by running? The exploration of new places, amazing friendships made, and effects of physical exertion are just a few of the reasons why running is such a great sport to pursue.
Although many sports have evolved over time, it is clear from records dating back to the ancient Tailteann Games in 1829 BC that running has always played a key part in human sport. It also features heavily in the development of our species to help with escaping from danger and hunting. It is thought that before fashioning tools, early humans hunted by chasing after much faster creatures for hours at a time. Our ability to run for long periods allowed us to chase prey until the animal simply died of exhaustion. Though the reasons for running have changed the activity remains largely unchanged. As one of the most accessible sports around, and with the wealth of health benefits that accrue from regular training, running is a sport that pretty much everyone can take part in.
Lancaster University Running Club is a club which prides itself on being inclusive. From complete beginners to hardened marathon runners, you will find some friendly faces and encouragement within the club. There really is no better time to start if you’ve never run before. There are dedicated beginner sessions, where you’ll quickly see your week-to-week improvement and nobody is left behind.
The running club also caters to those wishing to run competitively. With varied training in conjunction with a packed calendar of road races and cross-country, there’s something to suit everyone. In last year’s Roses race, it was great to see so many people representing Lancaster in addition to two stunning wins from both the men’s and women’s teams. With turnout proving a success at our first few races of the term it has also been great to note some excellent individual and team performances.
Considering the mental and physical wellbeing that running brings, many people often feel refreshed, de-stressed and proud of themselves for achieving their goals. With the benefit of reducing risk from cardiovascular disease amongst other things, just a small run a few times a week can help improve health.
Whatever your distance and whether you want to train competitively or just for fun, it is clear that group running is also a fantastic way of making new friends whether that be through the shared pain of your training sessions or through socials run every term such as barbecues, nights out, and themed runs. With all of this on offer the only question is why wouldn’t you want to take up running?
