ORLANDO, Fla. – Would you consider joining a running club? Central Florida has dozens of running clubs bringing together groups of people centered around similar interests from pub crawls to mom groups.
“I am not athletic at all. Last year, I started just walking with the group,” Astride Hill said.
Hill is a member of Black Girls Run and said the group has motivated her to start her fitness journey, hitting the pavement with a group of local women.
“It’s just an accountability thing, really,” Hill said. “They are big motivators. It’s something special to have them at the finish line saying, ‘Come on girl,’ and their motto is ‘No woman left behind.’”
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Now, Hill is running 5Ks each month, training to improve her time and distance.
“I admit, when I first started running, I thought to myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ and then it’s, ‘I can do this, I can do this,’” Hill said. “I just wanted to do something for myself, instead of for my husband and child. I do this for my mental health. As a social worker, it’s a release. Just being able to hit the pavement feels great.”
Many of the races Hill runs are organized by Track Shack in Orlando. The company is celebrating 47 years of bringing together runners from all over the country. Track Shack even hosted the Olympic Trials this year for distance runners.
“It was just incredible to have kind of the entire national distance running community of enthusiasts come together in our hometown and get to see our run community,” said Chris Hughes, vice president of business operations at Track Shack. “That, I really think, helped put us on the map and made people realize Orlando is a running town and people are so passionate here and so supportive of the sport.”
On Aug. 17, Track Shack will host its annual Celebration of Runners 5K in Orlando, and Hill will be there crossing the finish line with hundreds of other runners.
“It’s the best feeling ever. I always cry at the finish line, it’s the weirdest thing. I’m emotional because I never thought I could do this. You get such a rush and when you finally accomplish it,” Hill said. “Whether you’re running, walking or ‘wogging,’ just get up and move.”
Click HERE to find a running club near you.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: