Picture yourself running to your favorite playlist as the adrenaline rush kicks in and the fresh ocean breeze coming from Sunset Cliffs cools you down. This experience can be a weekly occurrence for Point Loma Nazarene University students with the school’s new running club.
Loma Run Club started this semester and is open to any student who is interested in running in a group that shares the same interest. Students meet to run at a designated time twice a week, where they can run at their own pace, allowing for conversations during the run to foster community.
Fourth-year art education major Caitlin Donovan is one of the founders of Loma Run Club, who started it this year to find and connect with runners on campus.
“Personally, running brings me immeasurable joy, and I know that there are a lot of other people on campus that run alone, so I figured that making the run club could create a great opportunity for building community,” said Donovan. “It’s so cool to connect veteran runners and introduce running to new runners. Essentially, we get to share the love of running with everyone and make new friends along the way.”
Third-year media communication major and sustainability minor Christopher Broze is passionate about running and has been a part of Loma Run Club since it started this year.
“I love running because it serves as an escape from school and other things that could be bothering me,” said Broze.
According to Broze, Loma Run Club has been able to create a welcoming environment for its members and those that are showing up to run in the club.
“It’s been a cool experience to foster a community on campus,” said Broze. “It’s cool to see people from Run Club hanging out with each other outside of it and seeing them around campus interacting and making plans with each other. We already have plans for runs that we’re going to do together and other events such as club dinners.”
Loma Run Club is flexible with different people’s running abilities because ultimately its main goal is to create an active club where everyone can feel like they are a part of it.
“Everyone has different reasons for why they come, but at the end of the day, we are all meeting new people and making connections,” said Donovan. “Nothing bonds people better than running and talking and laughing while sharing the pain of running up the Cliffs. We welcome everyone, no matter how far or fast you think you can — or can’t — run!”
For people like Donovan and Broze, running is an activity that they enjoy doing at any time.
“I love running because it is such a tangible and immediate way to feel amazing,” said Donovan. “If I’m stoked on life, I run. If I’m going through a tough time, I run. If I’m bored, I run. All the time is a good time to run.”
Loma Run Club meets on Mondays and Fridays in the Young Hall parking lot at 5 p.m. Anyone who would like to run with other runners, regardless of speed or skill, can show up. The club members tend to run along the Cliffs.
“My favorite location to run in San Diego is Sunset Cliffs because something is always happening,” said Broze. “There could be a wedding one day or a proposal, and that’s why I love it so much, because it’s always changing.”
Follow @plnurunclub on Instagram for more information and updates on the club.
