Running clubs offer accessible entry to exercise, organizer says

Kris Süld, leader of Buns Run Club, told ERR’s Raadio 2 morning programme that running clubs combine socialising with physical activity and provide a good starting point for people taking up exercise.

“You can socialise and communicate in good company while also getting your active minutes counted. It is a great combination of two things,” Süld said.

He said Buns Run Club uses a fixed pace that is manageable for the average recreational runner. Other clubs offer different speeds, including several pace groups within one club, as well as walking projects.

“The pace is generally chosen so that you can talk while running,” Süld said. He added that Tallinn alone has several dozen running clubs, while Estonia may already have more than 100, with groups active in almost every city and small town.

“So a running club is a very good place to start exercising,” he said.

Süld also said that people can find romance through running clubs. He recalled that a photo of a baby had recently been shared in the club’s chat, after the child’s parents met through the club. He stressed, however, that this was not the club’s purpose.

This year, Buns Run Club is marking the well-known party night on the last Friday of August in a different way. The club is organising the Telliskivi 5000 running race, which will pass through the streets of Kalamaja. Süld said hundreds of people had already registered.