Get to Know Your Running Clubs - Seattle Green Lake Running Group

In this edition of Get to Know Your Running Clubs we chatted with Loka Murphy about the Seattle Green Lake Running Group. You’ll often find them running around the Green Lake area of Seattle.

Want to learn more about them? Read on!

Hi Loka! Who are you? Give us your best one line bio

Hi there! I am the co-founder of the Seattle Green Lake Running Group.

Tell us a bit about the club history

The end of 2009 was when things got started, but the official start date that we consider is January 2md, 2010. The group was created with the intent of creating a running community that supports and encourages a healthy and active lifestyle through group events and participation. Our goal is to try and have something for everyone and the more runners that attend events the better chance that there will be running buddies for all.

Nice! Tell us a bit about your members, what level of runners typically run with you?

We are a free group that tries to provide access to everyone that is interested in participating.  Our goal is to try and have something for everyone.  We have runs everyday of the week and the quality of our runs are dependent on who shows up.  We have event hosts at each of our runs, but it is a group effort and we are more successful when everyone is contributing, welcoming in new folks and providing someone for them to run with.  We honestly have not been all the successful with supporting brand new runners.  We have tried leading couch to 5k build ups as a way of getting members to participate and each time they have had very little participation.  Three times a year we lead a 12 week beginner half marathon training and use that as a way to support those members that are new to the group, new to running, getting back into it after some time off or coming back from injury. It is a nice way to help folks become more familiar with our weekly events, meet new running buddies that run their pace and develop some running consistency.  

Where/when do you usually meet and run?

The majority of our runs take place in the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle.  We have morning and evening runs that meet at various locations in the Green Lake area.

Check out the Website or Facebook Page to get the most up to date information about group meet up locations and times!

Any cost to be a member/join?

Membership is free, but I am continually told that if we charged it might get people to be more consistent with their running.  I would prefer that the membership cost isn't an added hurdle to keep people from running with us.

Are you affiliated with any events?

We host weekly events throughout the week for our members (Monday morning and evening track workouts, Tuesday evening run, Wednesday morning tempo run, Wednesday night casual run, Thursday evening casual run, Friday morning run, two Saturday morning long run times (7am and 9am) and on Sunday we host a trail run twice a month, a stair workout twice a month and a easy newcomers run once a month (Easy Like Sunday Morning Run).  The majority of our runs are intended for everyone in that folks can show up and do whatever workout their training plan calls for and still enjoy the social aspect of running.  More times than not others will join in and support that workout, so people rarely end up going solo.  

Where are your favourite spots to run in/around the city?

We definitely have some favorite routes that we rotate through.  Green Lake Park is a very popular area for runners.  There is an outer loop (3.1 miles) and an inner loop (2.8 miles) that are flat and run around Green Lake.  South of Green Lake is Lake Union and that is a 6 mile loop to run around that is another popular option.  We also have the Burke Gilman, which is a paved, flat path for bikes and pedestrians and runs for miles that gets lots of running traffic.  There are some parks that have some shorter routes that are also great for runners- Carkeek, Discover, Seward, Arboretum and Magnuson.  We end up doing a lot of destination runs that will take us downtown with fun sites along the way (Fremont Troll, Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Safeco Field), along the waterfront, across the Ballard Locks, Golden Gardens, along Lake Washington BLVD. Runners World magazine named Seattle the #2 best running city in the country this year.  

Do you have any favourite races? Outside of anything that you’re affiliated with :)

The Seattle area has a ridiculous amount of races each and every weekend! There are definitely some group favorites.  We are also the official pace team for 8 races throughout the year and those races end up being well supported by the group because of our pacers, race participants from the group, the aid station we provide volunteers for and any cheer squads.

Group favorites- Lake Sammamish Half (March), Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon/Half, Ragnar Relay North West Passage (we have built 20+ teams the past two years representing the SGLRG), Iron Horse Half (August), Tunnel Light Marathon, Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon, Lake Union 10k, Seattle Marathon.

Anything else that we should know?

One thing that has been special about running is how it brings so many people together that you might other wise have never crossed paths with.  We started as a very tiny group and we celebrated every little milestone, victory and success along the way.  We are now the largest running group in Seattle and do our best to support all levels of runner.  We have regulars showing up each and every week supporting our events rain or shine and it is always great getting new members, out of towners and anyone else.  Our running community continues to grow and grow and it feels like this is only the beginning.  

Want to learn more?

Want to connect with the Seattle Green Lake Running Group, or just learn a bit more about them? Check out their information below:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Find more runs around Seattle

Looking for runs in and around Seattle? The RunGuides Seattle race calendar can help you find upcoming runs and running races in the area - www.runguides.com/seattle/runs

Published on Dec 17, 2016