NORWICH – A group of running enthusiasts with ties to the local community who recently banded together to form a running club are now reaching out to connect with other like-minded runners as they take their passion for motivation to the streets.
Formed in 2015, the CNY fit Running Club's main purpose is to unite the local running community, but more importantly the group vies to bring new runners into the sport and keep them on track, motivated and challenged.
The group offers a structured, weekly schedule to mentor, motivate and challenge all involved, and is for runners of all fitness levels, from new beginners–focusing on learning the basics of running, to advanced for seasoned runners, focusing on speed and distance.
At the core of the group, organizers Jessie Pepe and Ann Coe began collaborating on the idea of a local running club talks back in 2014, concluding that Norwich and the surrounding area could support a running club, and the rest is history.
“We met up with a few friends and discussed how to launch a running club,” said Coe. By taking some ideas from groups in larger cities, they decided to begin slowly with a free program offering the Couch to 5K system of teaching new runners to learn to run a 5K along with offering a group program for folks that are already or have been runners to meet up and run together.
Pepe and Coe point out that while the group is Norwich-area based, their CNY fit Running Club has members from Norwich, Oxford, Sherburne, Morris, Bainbridge, Guilford, Gilbertsville, Earlville, Hamilton, Unadilla and even some out of state members.
No stranger to the fitness movement, Coe was already managing a Facebook based fitness group CNY fit - group designed to unite and motivate local friends to stay active and healthy. Since the launch of the new CNY fit Running Club, a sister page was created; aptly called CNY fit Running Club.
During the group kick-off meeting, discussions included the logistics and basic information with an emphasis on safety, running outside, what to wear and what to eat.
According to Coe, CNY fit Running Club hosted two successful sessions in 2015, preparing area runners for the Chenango Arts Council Allegro 5k in early May and the Norwich YMCA Turkey Trot 5k in November.
