Running season is back as weather cools in UAE

The strong heat of summer is over and we are beginning to see cooler weather, what most of us call the running season.

The UAE is soon going to play host to a series of marathons, half-marathons and 10K runs. If you have always cherished a dream of running long distance, now is the time to get into training mode and kick start your running programme.

Any runner worth his running shoes will tell you that your running is affected by factors like surface, weather, distance and pace.

But most may miss out on another elemental factor - companionship. If you have the right company to run with, you may find that your running has improved by leaps, bounds and great strides (pun intended), without you really being aware of putting in any additional effort.

This does not mean that you should skip solo runs completely. No. Running on your own is also an essential part of growing and improving as a runner and enjoying the whole process.

However, running as part of a club or group once in a while also has huge advantages even if you are doing it only on a weekly or fortnightly basis or doing so specifically as part of your training for an event. Mixing things up will only help you become a better runner.

And if you find that your running club is not working for you either cause your paces don’t match or you are experiencing personality clashes, not to worry. There are many running clubs that you can try out until you find your right fit, or you could juggle your social running between two or more clubs.

Now I can see a whole lot of you out there shaking your head and saying, “Running clubs… well they are not for me. I am a lone ranger” – that is also fine. However, running clubs have a few advantages going for it.

Read on to find out why joining a running club may just be the best thing you have done for the long-distance runner in you.