Digital Champion Cheryl Kozoriz has always been active and health-conscious, but never athletic. As a shy, introverted kid, track and field day gave her anxiety attacks in grade school, so it wasn’t until 2013 that she took up running! After only three short runs, she was in love and last year she completed the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon. This was a major accomplishment for Cheryl, both in running and in life. When she’s not running, Cheryl is the marketing and communications manager for GlucksteinHome. She also enjoys cooking, eating, and travelling. Connect with Cheryl on Twitter and Instagram.
No One Left Behind: Running with an Urban Crew. By Cheryl Kozoriz
Running initially appealed to me partly because it’s a solo pursuit. A dedicated introvert, I’ve always avoided team sports and group undertakings in general. When I first started running, I quickly fell in love with long, slow, thought-clearing runs and intense speed sessions where I ran against myself. After a year of running and training alone, something shifted: I actually started to crave the company of other runners. After creeping a few local crews on Instagram, I worked up the nerve to join Night Terrors Run Crew on New Year’s Day for their Thursday night run. After a warm welcome, I found myself in the middle of a single pack pushing the pace through icy city streets as darkness fell over us. My earphones were out, my energy was up. It was exhilarating and I was hooked on that crew life.
Urban run crews have been popping up in cities around the world for a few years now and while they’re as varied as the runners who join them, crews generally differ from traditional running groups in a few ways: crews mainly run at night, they’re drop-in and free to join, they welcome both new and seasoned runners, they’re not affiliated with a particular store or brand, and they operate under a “no one left behind” mandate.
Here are some reasons why you may want to seek out a run crew:
Get Social: Obviously running with a group is more social than running alone, but you can also look forward to post-run beers or tacos as well as pre-race carb-load potlucks when you run with a crew.
Rut Relief: Running solo, I tend to stick to the same old routes either out of habit or convenience. Run crews keep things fresh with different routes week after week.
Get a Push: As a city runner, I’m intimidated by trails and hills but my crew has pushed me to embrace them. New routes, new terrain, faster paces, longer distances – there are so many ways a crew can help you grow as a runner.
Stay Accountable: If you’re a runner who has trouble staying on track, the rain-or-shine regularity of running crews will appeal to you.
Travel Perks: One of the best things about travelling is the opportunity to run in a new city. Your hometown crew can hook you up with a local one, guaranteeing you not only a solid route in a potentially unfamiliar city but immediate access to a new community.
#CrewLove: On the pavement, on race day, and through injuries, crew support is like no other support out there. They’ll help you chase your goals, cross the finish line and find your next start line. They get it and they’ve got you.
If you’re interested in running with a crew, there are many to choose from. Here are just a few options in Toronto:
The Food Runners [http://thefoodrunners.co/]: The Food Runners is a group of rockstar restaurant industry pros whose unique schedule led them meet up at the Nike Loft on Richmond Street every Wednesday morning. I can only imagine the delicious intel that gets passed around on these runs but thankfully, they do share some recipes through their refuel project [http://thefoodrunners.co/refuel/].
Parkdale Roadrunners [http://www.parkdaleroadrunners.com/]: PDRR started four years ago and they’ve grown steadily since. So much so that they’ve just moved to the Gladstone Hotel for their Tuesday night meet-up point. On Saturdays they focus on women’s running with a ladies-only morning run. If you’ve ever raced in Toronto, you’ve experienced their epic confetti-infused cheer station.
East York Runners [https://twitter.com/eytrunners]: If you’re in the east end, check out this group of social athletes who train and race together three times a week. With runs that range from beginner to long distance, most East York members are experienced runners but they welcome newer runners who are working their way up to a continuous 5K.
Night Terrors Run Crew [https://instagram.com/nightterrorsrun]: This is my crew, so I’m totally biased, but they’re awesome. With chapters in Toronto and Los Angeles, NTRC Toronto runs from Trinity Bellwoods Park three times a week, exploring the entire city with innovative routes that incorporate urban landmarks, art installations or festival spots – and badass photo opps. We’re in it for the run, but I know the Instagram shots are a pretty big draw too.
Running communities are growing and thriving across cities around the world and urban run crews are driving the momentum. Bridge the Gap is an international gathering of run crews that occurs at a major marathon every year and this year, it will be hosted in Toronto at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I’m looking forward to connecting with crews from all over! In the meantime, this video produced by Berlin Braves might inspire you to find your own crew.
Photo Credits: ckozoriz_header.jpg: William Chaupiz / Night Terrors Run Crew / ckozoriz1.jpg: Richard Kuchinsky / Night Terrors Run Crew / ckozoriz2.jpg: William Chaupiz / Night Terrors Run Crew
