By Drew Prescott
Joining a new club can be scary. When I first joined UVRC a few years ago, the thought of actually showing up to an organized event where I was an outsider among a bunch of runners I didn’t know was slightly terrifying. What if I wasn’t a good enough runner, or what if I didn’t fit in with the group? The first TNT (Tuesday Night Track) I worked up the courage to attend, I almost left before it even started. I showed up extra early to make a good first impression, only to find no one else was there (the UVRC tends to be more of a last-minute arrival crowd). I seriously considered bailing and saving myself the anxiety of new social interaction, but I worked up the courage to stick it out, and I’m so glad I did.
The UVRC is such an amazing source of community and friendship for me. It’s a place where I can go each week to see and catch up with a welcoming and diverse group of people. A place where I’ve made friends to train with, to race with, to trail run and bike with, to have dinner and game nights with – turns out it’s possible to do something other than run together. Some of my favorite memories over the past few years are with the friends I’ve made through UVRC. There are too many to count, from a triathlon in the Adirondacks, to the Boston marathon, to long trail runs in the Whites. My UVRC friends were there to share all these and much more.
If you’re reading this newsletter, you likely already know what a great club the UVRC is. But if you’re a new member or have been part of the club for a while and are nervous about joining us for a run, I would encourage you to take the leap. Come to a few runs and try striking up a conversation. I think you’ll find we’re really not that scary, and I hope you find the same community and friendship I have.