Husky Running Club
Having discovered a passion for running cross country in high school, I knew when coming to UW that I wanted to be involved in a running community here as well. I joined Husky Running Club (HRC) a few weeks into my freshman year at UW, and although it didn't initially seem to have the same sense of team spirit and solidarity I had been hoping to find, I readily adopted it as one of my niche communities on campus. Over the course of that year I became increasingly involved in club leadership, committed to investing in the community and creating a supportive environment for myself and others. And the sense of community I've perceived in HRC has changed over time. HRC is meant to be a community that forms connections and offers a network of support on campus among those who share a common interest, and I have seen it develop into that throughout my time at UW. I knew from my leadership experience in high school cross country that a running community would be a space where I could lead confidently and with impact. I have the knowledge, experience, and dedication to contribute meaningfully to this community and can do so effectively through my leadership positions as a group run leader and club officer. In these roles I'm involved in all areas of club leadership in collaboration with my fellow officers: from managing club administration and event planning to outreach and leading club workouts. Husky Running Club has challenged me to take more of a prominent role in leadership, rather than just the behind-the-scenes organizational work I was very comfortable with coming into college. There's still plenty of detailed planning to do, but without coaches or advisers to look to for overall guidance of the club, we who have stepped into leadership roles are responsible for developing the club as a team and demonstrating the types of interaction and communication we believe will make the club inclusive and cohesive. As an entirely student run club, we are responsible for taking initiative on all administrative duties and for holding ourselves and each other accountable as club leaders. Through Husky Running Club I have played an active role in fostering the kind of running community I want to be a part of. I've seen a sense of team spirit and trust develop among its members, and it's something that spreads among those who regularly attend workouts and club meetings, and is evident in the encouraging attitudes we share as we train and race together throughout the year. Leadership Competencies Gained
Helping Others I have found that as a group run leader one of the most important ways I can impact people is by demonstrating a welcoming and encouraging attitude that meets them where they are. One of my duties as a group run leader is to make sure that every member of the group can follow the route and get back safely. This often means giving up my own workout—in the sense that I’m not running at a pace that is challenging to me—and staying behind with runners at the tail end of the group to encourage them and ensure they get back alright. That’s part of the reason it appeals to me to be a group run leader, though. By taking on that role I am creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment and taking care of my fellow runners. These runners seem to feel guilty that they're being a burden by slowing other people down, but the point of my being a run leader is that I'm there for them, to ensure that they have the best experience possible. I'm willing to make personal sacrifices for my fellow club members in fulfilling my duty as a group run leader and ensuring that we as a club are serving our members. |
~ HRC at the Annual Dawg Dash at UW, 2014 ~
~ HRC at the UW Husky Classic, 2015 ~
~ HRC at the Mt. Si Relays in North Bend, 2015 ~
Throughout the year Husky Running Club traditionally participates in various running events and competitions on campus and in the surrounding community. These events are opportunities for us to challenge ourselves, support each other, and grow as a team and community.
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Empathy
During the first few weeks of the quarter there are often many new runners who do not know the routes and are towards the back of the pack. Occasionally these people have expressed thanks for my impact as a group run leader. Although I would do it without the thanks, it lets me know that my contribution is appreciated, and that reinforces its meaningfulness to me. I want Husky Running Club members to have a good experience participating in club events and to want to come back. By taking the time to make meaningful connections and make runners feel cared for, I can help create an environment of support and compassion which is capable of empowering them. Showing empathy helps runners see HRC as a community that cares about them, even while it pushes them to challenge themselves physically. When a runner came up to me after a workout with the unfortunate news that he had left a bag in the Quad and it had gone missing, I went with him to visit each of the Lost & Founds on campus in the hopes that it would turn up. It didn't, and all I could offer him was my phone to use to call a friend, but when I saw him on campus and checked in a few days later, he was elated to tell me it had been found. The extra effort I had put in to help him search wasn't the solution to his problem, but it did let me represent Husky Running Club as a community where students look out for each other.
During the first few weeks of the quarter there are often many new runners who do not know the routes and are towards the back of the pack. Occasionally these people have expressed thanks for my impact as a group run leader. Although I would do it without the thanks, it lets me know that my contribution is appreciated, and that reinforces its meaningfulness to me. I want Husky Running Club members to have a good experience participating in club events and to want to come back. By taking the time to make meaningful connections and make runners feel cared for, I can help create an environment of support and compassion which is capable of empowering them. Showing empathy helps runners see HRC as a community that cares about them, even while it pushes them to challenge themselves physically. When a runner came up to me after a workout with the unfortunate news that he had left a bag in the Quad and it had gone missing, I went with him to visit each of the Lost & Founds on campus in the hopes that it would turn up. It didn't, and all I could offer him was my phone to use to call a friend, but when I saw him on campus and checked in a few days later, he was elated to tell me it had been found. The extra effort I had put in to help him search wasn't the solution to his problem, but it did let me represent Husky Running Club as a community where students look out for each other.
Personal Contributions Although I may not be the type to go out of my way to lead—particularly if I feel there is already effective leadership in place—I am more than willing to step up if I see a need that can be fulfilled or something I can contribute. I first showed up at an HRC club officer’s meeting because I wanted to be more involved in the club as a whole, wanting to establish it as a supportive community for myself and others and hoping that I would be able to contribute something valuable. As a group run leader and eventually an officer, I found that I was able to contribute by bringing my own integrity to the club’s leadership. I convey that integrity through my respect for all, determination, genuine caring for others, and resiliently positive attitude, and I think I have been able to spread that throughout my time in the club. I bring to HRC my own dedication to running, loyalty to the group, and commitment to building a supportive community, and by standing for those values I have gained trust, respect, and friendship from my fellow HRC members. I also bring an attention to detail and a high level of organization which has been beneficial to managing some of the behind-the-scenes organization of the club and has made officer meetings more productive. |
My role in keeping organized agendas and minutes for club meetings since becoming an officer has allowed meetings to proceed more productively for all members and has increased our transparency--as we can share these notes with club members unable to attend.
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Inclusion
One of the qualities of running communities that most appeals to me is that anyone is welcome. People of different ability levels can intermingle and support each other, there is a lesser learning curve compared to other sports, and individual improvements are easy to see over time. Husky Running Club encourages those of all levels to join, which requires a certain effort on the part of group run leaders to ensure that runners of all levels are supported and cared for. Having a tendency towards democracy and horizontal collaboration, I appreciate communities that are open-minded, open in communication, welcoming, and encourage growth for all. In club leadership that also extends into ensuring transparency and welcoming club members to play larger roles in making decisions for the club. There is a balance between guaranteeing transparency and inviting involvement and not overwhelming those who wish to remain casual club members with information they don’t care much about, though. I strive through my own attitudes to represent Husky Running Club with a welcoming attitude, making myself approachable and inviting ideas, feedback, and participation from others. We invite all club members to take part in meetings, but fostering an inclusive environment means that we must make an effort to give them room and a voice at those meetings.
Productive Relationships
In all of my relationships through Husky Running Club I strive to treat others with respect and demonstrate an attitude of warm welcome and encouragement. Despite my tendency to be reserved and withdrawn, I make a point of talking to new runners during group runs and making them feel welcome. When I joined Husky Running Club as a freshman, it seemed that the atmosphere was more competitive than collaborative, in the sense that I often saw more unkindness or indifference between running club members than I saw encouragement. This mindset also may have created an environment that was inaccessible to many runners of varying skill levels. As a club, we have expanded our outreach and club organization in recent years to make running club more accessible to the campus community--especially since joining the club can seem intimidating to those who aren't already well-trained runners. By participating in various Dawg Daze Events, we promote HRC as a community that is welcoming to all and forges connections between students, and it has indeed lived up to that. We encourage group introductions at the end of group runs so club members have the opportunity to learn names and faces and feel a part of a community. As a club member I've found that competitions can be some of the most rewarding experiences in Husky Running Club: racing side by side with others from my team and cheering each other on at various racing events builds trust and a sense of comradery that infuses itself through the daily interactions of club members.
Creating Change
When I first joined HRC I was somewhat disappointed, feeling that it was more distant and less caring than the community I had found in my team in high school and which I had been hoping to discover at UW. However, this emboldened my resolution to get involved and promote the type of community I would be proud to represent and belong to. I have perceived a change in HRC since my freshman year, which I can’t attribute to myself alone, though I feel that I've played a significant role through the attitude I bring to and encourage in the club--redefining what I want it to be for others. The leadership organization of HRC my freshman year was rather hierarchical, with titled officer roles managing all club decisions. I became an official club officer as a sophomore and helped support the idea to bring a more horizontal arrangement to the leadership in the club--giving all group run leaders the title of officers and downplaying the authority of a club president and vice president. This sought to give all members deeply involved with the club more equal influence in decisions, even if they hadn't become one of the 5 official officers. We've since spread out club leadership responsibilities amongst all members interested in having a role, and maintain a policy of transparency so that feedback and involvement by anyone is welcome. Although it's hard to recruit new leadership in the club, we try to be transparent about decisions and encourage runners to attend meetings and be involved in club leadership. We've also revised our group run leader plan to include an agreement which lays out our expectations--that group run leaders are to be role models in the club: demonstrating inclusion, welcoming attitudes, and willingness to sacrifice their own workout for the experience of others at workouts. Through these changes, I feel we have shifted towards a more collaborative and team-based approach, rather than acting as individuals with our own interests at heart.
Lessons Learned and Future Oriented Statement
Many including myself join HRC because they want a community of support and companionship among others who share their commitment and passion for running. Although HRC is a casual group of runners spanning many different skill levels, we’re all looking for a sense of team on some level and the spirit that accompanies that. I love investing in my communities and see it as my responsibility in HRC leadership to create an inclusive, supportive, inspiring community for its members. I am committed to building and sustaining this community for myself and others, establishing a space where students can build connections and feel encouraged as part of a group of runners. My leadership in HRC has demonstrated to me that I have the ability to impact those around me by taking on responsibility and making an intentional effort to contribute. Through my own integrity, dedication, and attitude of service, I can earn the respect and trust of others and influence the direction of a group.
One of the qualities of running communities that most appeals to me is that anyone is welcome. People of different ability levels can intermingle and support each other, there is a lesser learning curve compared to other sports, and individual improvements are easy to see over time. Husky Running Club encourages those of all levels to join, which requires a certain effort on the part of group run leaders to ensure that runners of all levels are supported and cared for. Having a tendency towards democracy and horizontal collaboration, I appreciate communities that are open-minded, open in communication, welcoming, and encourage growth for all. In club leadership that also extends into ensuring transparency and welcoming club members to play larger roles in making decisions for the club. There is a balance between guaranteeing transparency and inviting involvement and not overwhelming those who wish to remain casual club members with information they don’t care much about, though. I strive through my own attitudes to represent Husky Running Club with a welcoming attitude, making myself approachable and inviting ideas, feedback, and participation from others. We invite all club members to take part in meetings, but fostering an inclusive environment means that we must make an effort to give them room and a voice at those meetings.
Productive Relationships
In all of my relationships through Husky Running Club I strive to treat others with respect and demonstrate an attitude of warm welcome and encouragement. Despite my tendency to be reserved and withdrawn, I make a point of talking to new runners during group runs and making them feel welcome. When I joined Husky Running Club as a freshman, it seemed that the atmosphere was more competitive than collaborative, in the sense that I often saw more unkindness or indifference between running club members than I saw encouragement. This mindset also may have created an environment that was inaccessible to many runners of varying skill levels. As a club, we have expanded our outreach and club organization in recent years to make running club more accessible to the campus community--especially since joining the club can seem intimidating to those who aren't already well-trained runners. By participating in various Dawg Daze Events, we promote HRC as a community that is welcoming to all and forges connections between students, and it has indeed lived up to that. We encourage group introductions at the end of group runs so club members have the opportunity to learn names and faces and feel a part of a community. As a club member I've found that competitions can be some of the most rewarding experiences in Husky Running Club: racing side by side with others from my team and cheering each other on at various racing events builds trust and a sense of comradery that infuses itself through the daily interactions of club members.
Creating Change
When I first joined HRC I was somewhat disappointed, feeling that it was more distant and less caring than the community I had found in my team in high school and which I had been hoping to discover at UW. However, this emboldened my resolution to get involved and promote the type of community I would be proud to represent and belong to. I have perceived a change in HRC since my freshman year, which I can’t attribute to myself alone, though I feel that I've played a significant role through the attitude I bring to and encourage in the club--redefining what I want it to be for others. The leadership organization of HRC my freshman year was rather hierarchical, with titled officer roles managing all club decisions. I became an official club officer as a sophomore and helped support the idea to bring a more horizontal arrangement to the leadership in the club--giving all group run leaders the title of officers and downplaying the authority of a club president and vice president. This sought to give all members deeply involved with the club more equal influence in decisions, even if they hadn't become one of the 5 official officers. We've since spread out club leadership responsibilities amongst all members interested in having a role, and maintain a policy of transparency so that feedback and involvement by anyone is welcome. Although it's hard to recruit new leadership in the club, we try to be transparent about decisions and encourage runners to attend meetings and be involved in club leadership. We've also revised our group run leader plan to include an agreement which lays out our expectations--that group run leaders are to be role models in the club: demonstrating inclusion, welcoming attitudes, and willingness to sacrifice their own workout for the experience of others at workouts. Through these changes, I feel we have shifted towards a more collaborative and team-based approach, rather than acting as individuals with our own interests at heart.
Lessons Learned and Future Oriented Statement
Many including myself join HRC because they want a community of support and companionship among others who share their commitment and passion for running. Although HRC is a casual group of runners spanning many different skill levels, we’re all looking for a sense of team on some level and the spirit that accompanies that. I love investing in my communities and see it as my responsibility in HRC leadership to create an inclusive, supportive, inspiring community for its members. I am committed to building and sustaining this community for myself and others, establishing a space where students can build connections and feel encouraged as part of a group of runners. My leadership in HRC has demonstrated to me that I have the ability to impact those around me by taking on responsibility and making an intentional effort to contribute. Through my own integrity, dedication, and attitude of service, I can earn the respect and trust of others and influence the direction of a group.