I used to have to psyche myself up...
A guest article by Brooke
Every Wednesday we can get upward of 300 runners… Every Monday, Thursday, or Friday, we can get more than 60… so it’s fair enough if people are intimidated or anxious about attending.
Brooke was one of these people who felt anxious about the size of the group, but has since become one of those people who welcomes newcomers and helps them feel like part of our special community.
Nervous at first…
For the first little while I used to have to psyche myself up to stay after the run and I’d set myself little goals of speaking to one person or staying for an extra 5 minutes each week.
Those first few runs were made easier by someone noticing me and making the effort to come and chat to me. It was really nice and I think it did make the difference in me coming back.
It gets better…
I was still out of my comfort zone, but I just kept coming and it wasn’t long before it got easier, I gradually spoke to more and more people until it got to the point where I really felt like part of the community.
At this point things flipped around and rather than feeling like I was ‘forcing’ myself to go each week, it was actually the highlight, and now R4R makes me feel really proud.
R4R helps people, including me…
It’s such a great concept with an important goal that I feel like we’re all chipping away at. It’s also helped me through a tough time in my life as a good outlet and a great way to take my mind off things, if even for a little while.
It enabled me the space to talk about the things I was going through and I was able to connect with a few other ladies who had been through similar things, which created a great support network when I really needed it.
A friend of mine said that I’m a completely different person nowadays and I think a lot of that is from R4R. I used to find it really difficult talking to people I don’t know, but I found that when I started making a conscious effort to do this at R4R, I got so much out of it, and it just got easier and easier to do… now I don’t even think about it.
Giving back
I’m keen to give something back to this community that has given so much to me. I’m keen to help others feel welcome – knowing how overwhelming it can be to join such a big group when you don’t know anyone… so now I volunteer as much as I can.
Now that I’m welcoming others, I have definitely noticed quite a few people feeling a bit nervous or out of their comfort zone. But after chatting to them, it’s so nice to see them feeling uplifted and like they’re part of the community.
You don’t need to be a volunteer…
So many people at R4R are so welcoming and make an effort to talk to new people. We’ve all been the newbie at some stage so it’s great that we can empathise and remember how awkward it can feel to join a big group when you don’t know anyone.
I also think it can be good to pay it forward. Remember how you felt when you first joined… and someone made the effort to chat to you and make you feel welcome..? Once you feel settled then you can do the same for someone else and so on…
Not sure what to say?
I usually just walk over and say hi and ask how they found out about R4R or how long they’ve been coming along for. Talking about something we have in common (R4R) is a good starting point.
Thank you, Brooke :)
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