This month, thousands of new students across the UK will embark on the next chapter of their lives at university. To support those students to make new friends and kickstart healthy fitness habits, nationwide low cost gym chain The Gym Group, is offering special Student Run Clubs during Freshers Weeks. These student-specific run clubs at gyms around the country are designed to help spark new friendships and help students settle into their surroundings with ease.
Google Trends data shows that searches for ‘run club near me’ has increased by 90% over the last five years, and The Gym Group now offers Run Clubs in the majority of its 240 gyms nationwide. Recent research also shows that students are choosing to socialise alongside exercise, with 46% of students surveyed saying they regularly work out to either meet new people or socialise with their peers, in addition to maintaining their physical and mental health.
The Student Run Clubs will offer an alternative way for students to socialise with the research also showing that they are looking for more balanced lifestyles, with over a third (37%) reducing the amount of alcohol they consume, or stopping drinking altogether, in the last six months.
The freshers-friendly run clubs will be hosted at gyms in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Euston, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Sheffield, between 23rd September – 11th October.
Setting off from the gym, each Re-Freshers’ Run Club will be led by an expert fitness trainer and will take students on a 5k run around their local area, aiming to cater to all levels of running ability, before ending with a guided warm down on the gym floor.
Jenni Tardiff, Group Master Trainer for The Gym Group:
“Our new Run Clubs are already a really popular part of our group exercise class timetable, and so we’re excited to expand them with our ‘Student Run Club’ especially for Freshers Weeks. Our gyms help to form new communities of friends and exercise has always been a fantastic way to bring people together.
These Student Run Clubs will offer new students a place to come, meet new friends and check out the local area, all while doing something positive for their health too. Once the new term sets into gear, regularly making time to visit the gym or exercise with friends is a great study break option too, proven to help boost concentration and focus when it’s time to head back to lectures!”
