The Running community is unlike anything else I have trained in

I've done gym, running clubs, and team sports. The Running community is different. There's something about shared struggle around tempo effort and threshold runs that creates a genuine bond. People at my gym remember everyone's name. Higher belts and better athletes make time for beginners.

race day energy at a marathon was the thing that made me feel like I belonged. overtraining temptation before a goal race came up early and the gym had good collective solutions for it. Even if the sport itself didn't suit me — and it does — the community alone would be worth the membership.