Whoever said running or jogging is an exercise and can’t be done for fun? If you’re one of those who wants to run but doesn’t feel upto it, well, think again. Being one of the most recommended exercises by many doctors, jogging or running has become a theme across India. Especially those living those hectic lifestyles in the cities. Apart from those health buffs who want to stay fit and those aiming for marathons around the world, there is a new group of people who have have joined the “jogging gang” - those who jog for fun! You can see them out there daily if you happen to get up early and jog yourself. Staying fit is not their sole motive. Nor competing in marathons. They are mostly working professionals looking to have a relaxing morning jog with an added benefit of staying fit.

One thing you need if you’re one of these people is company! You need people with whom you can jog with. Make a bit of chit-chat maybe and keep your energy levels going just so that you don’t feel flat half way into the run. This is where running “clubs” have stepped in. They are not clubs quite literally. They are just a group of people who run almost daily or according to a particular schedule. They are mostly made up of people who are serious about running and do it daily. Most don’t have any membership fees and it’s a kind of free-for-all venture. If you are living in one of the big cities in India, chances are that there is a runing club functioning in your city. A few I have listed at the end of this blog.

In Chennai for example you have the Chennai Runners(CRS). You can read about the CRS here. Formed in 2005, they seem a very serious bunch of people dedicated to running. Although I have never run with them yet, seeing their enthusiasm and weekly schedules I might do that very soon. What really impresses me about these modern day running clubs is their diligence. They have very carefully planned runs for each day of the week and stick to it. Each run gives the runner something different like the hill climbs, sprints, really long runs etc. And basically you can just choose the type of runs you like and turn up on those days alone. They stay in touch through websites and have arrangements made for the runners. Although most runs are free they charge a small amount for special runs once in a while. And they are a great way to stay fit and make some new friends. From what I hear its been quite a success here even without any kind of media publicity. So why not find one near your home and start running!

Links to a few Running Clubs I know are listed below. Do let me know if you are aware of any more ones through your comments.

Chennai Runners

Runners for life-Bangalore

Running in India

Or start your own running club in your locale. It takes only a little effort. You can read about it here