As the air gets colder and most students retreat inside, the dedicated members of Carleton’s newest running club lace up their shoes and do the opposite.
The CU Run Club meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Hartwell Locks by the Rideau Canal. It runs run beginner-friendly, five-kilometre routes that alternate each week.
With the growing popularity of social run clubs around Ottawa, the absence of a formal l running club at Carleton shocked Alex Porter, the club’s president and fourth-year Carleton computer mathematics student.
“Among our demographic it’s just really huge right now,” Porter said. “All over social media you’ll see running content.”
As an active runner himself, Porter saw an opportunity. He reached out to Nam Chu, a fourth-year Carleton economics and statistics student who had long been interested in starting a run club at Carleton. Together, they launched CU Run Club and held their first meeting on Sept. 18.
Chu, the vice president of finance, said the club’s aim is to foster social connections while maintaining a focus on fitness and health.
“We wanted students to be able to talk with each other and meet new people that they’ve never met before, but also run seriously,” Chu said. “That’s what sets us apart from other city-wide run clubs.”
Rebecca Wieler, a fourth-year health psychology student, said she found the club to be a great social outlet.
“If you want something other than going out to the bar or drinking with friends on a Friday night, it’s a great way to meet people in a different context,” Wieler said.
She said running in a group can be a great motivator.
“It makes getting in all those kilometres a lot less lonely because you’re doing it with others,” she said.
The routes also familiarize students with the greater Ottawa region, which was a major benefit Chu only realized after launching the club.
“A lot of students aren’t from Ottawa, so the run club gave them a chance to see different parts of Ottawa,” Chu said. “It gets people who aren’t from here to see [Ottawa] in a different light.”
Porter said he enjoys the community that the club has built.
“Being able to provide a platform for people to meet fellow runners and stay active is awesome,” Porter said.
“[CU Run Club] has created these friendships that you wouldn’t have had before,” Chu said. “Sometimes you do have to create the community or the club if you want to get involved.”
Featured image courtesy of Alex Porter/CU Run Club
