We can not write enough about the Tuesday night part of the Urban Run Club. URC started over a year and a half ago with three friends who wanted to encourage one another to become more fit. This has now become a weekly staple for as many as 50+ runners and a grand total of 80ish for a special event joint run. Over the past year and a half collectively we have run as many as 3,000 sets of feet through out the streets of Atlanta. The June 8th 2010 run was a joy as usual. 50+ runners joined up to support one another up and down the hilly streets of downtown Atlanta. We ran across the Jackson ST bridge and caught a view of downtown at sunset. We used the Stone Mountain Trail that winds along Highland/Baker St. At Courtland ST we realized the one hill ahead was actually a two tiered hill of a challenging grade, walkers and runners took this challenge with minimal sweat. At Peachtree ST the group headed north and quickly west to cut thru a small, short, shaded from the sun street to rejoice at the sight of a nice long two block down hill section. The joy of the down hill was cut short by rounding the corner of a building to see a second set of stacked hills near the World of Coke and the Atlanta Aquarium…Sweat, huff, puff, walkers hanging tight to the rear of the group, we all made it to the top staying inside the one city block zone. From this point on it was a near straight shot back to the starting point and thankfully almost all down hill. One of coolest things about this group is we all support one another. There are runners of all levels and walkers alike who keep a pretty tight pack by the faster runners doubling back to “support the rear”. For first timers it is a little puzzling to see all the front runners get to a certain point and turn around and start running towards the pack and past the pack to the very very back of the group. Usually by the second stopping point the newbies realize or are informed of this practice and they join the group who doubles back. For those who feel like they have to get in shape befor joining us for a run, have no fear, this is the running group where “no one gets left behind”.
