Running Clubs Recruit for Wellness

by Allie Krass, Charity Athletics Manager

A recent article in Crain’s Chicago Business highlights the role that running clubs play in shaping the corporate culture and employee satisfaction at organizations around Chicago, from hospitals to financial institutions.

At HSC, we love to hear about efforts to instill a “culture of wellness” in the workplace, much as we work to make schools healthy workplaces for the millions of adults who spend their days there.

Our Charity Athletics Team offers the chance for running clubs to make races more meaningful by supporting HSC’s work to create healthy school environments. Right now, we are recruiting runners and running clubs to join our teams in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in Oct. 2008 and the ING New York City Marathon in Nov. 2008.

Individual runners or groups of runners may join HSC’s team. Corporations may sponsor their employees’ participation, match their gifts, or sign on as an official corporate sponsor, with all the accompanying benefits.

As the weather gets warmer and runners begin to prepare for these Fall races, a few are taking the opportunity to share their passion with co-workers who may never have defined themselves as runners. The article profiles one devoted runner who makes it his mission to recruit teammates:

As companies around Chicago sign up workers for races . . . other Dr. Shalhavs likely will be sticking their heads in cubicles and trying to give non-runners a taste of their addiction. Aficionados expect that at least a few of the runners who try a race for the first time this summer or watch from the curb might find themselves inducted into the runners club. Before long, they'll be throwing around lingo like "fartleks" as they talk about doing speed work, and logging the miles they've run in a particular shoe.

Co-workers are "initially like, 'What do you want? Leave me alone,' " Dr. Shalhav says. "Then slowly but surely they're getting into running."

He's persuaded a number of residents, fellows and other co-workers to join him in races, recently taking a group to Indianapolis for the half-marathon that is part of the Indy 500 festival.

One of the best parts about this story is the way it captures the contagious zeal of “obsessed” runners who recruit co-workers to join them on the trail. We invite runners around the U.S. – “obsessed” or not – to grab a few friends and run this Fall for healthy schools.

You can learn more or register online at our Charity Athletics Team page.