Having Fun on the Run: Keep Your Jogs Jolly by Finding a Group of Folks Going Your Way

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A SINGLE RUNNING SHOE won't get you very far. The same is true with runners — they perform better when they're in pairs (or with even more buddies). So, think about joining these groups the next time you pound the pavement. There's sure to be at least one that's your speed.

DC Road Runners
Whether you're looking to enter your first race or qualify for Boston, you'll feel comfortable among the 1,200 members of DC Road Runners. Beyond coaching for events, the group meets Saturdays at 8 a.m. at the Iwo Jima Memorial for long runs and Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. at Washington-Lee High School (1301 N. Stafford St., Arlington) for track runs.
» COST: $20 annual membership covers entrance fees for the group's 30 annual club races.

Washington Running Club
These folks are more hare than tortoise — expect folks to keep up a 6:30- to 9-minute mile pace. WRC meets Sundays at 33rd and M streets in Georgetown at 8 a.m. for long runs of eight to 20 miles, and Tuesdays between March and November at American University at 6:30 a.m. for power-building track workouts.
» COST: Free, but $20 yearly membership buys access to WRC race teams and a monthly newsletter.

D.C. Trash Runners
Rid your body and the environment of toxins simultaneously with these eco-warriors, who meet monthly at locations such as Rock Creek Park and Roosevelt Island. They jog off for 30 minutes, then walk back to the starting point, filling their trash bags on the way.
» COST: Free

Front Runners
This group's primary mission is to support gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered runners and walkers, whether they're looking to compete in a marathon or just to socialize, says Dan Puskar, a club coordinator. "We have been accused in the past, perhaps rightly, of being an eating group with a running disorder," he says of their post-run coffee and bagel tradition. The Front Runners offers runs in Rock Creek Park and the National Mall four times a week. There's no minimum or maximum distance, although most runners cover three to six miles.
» COST: $25 per year, which covers a club roster, weekly e-news updates and a quarterly newsletter.

Sixth in the City Run Club
Members of the tribe can socialize while going places with the new Sixth in the City Run Club, part of Sixth & I Historic Synagogue's program to help Jews in their 20s and 30s build a social network. The group meets twice a month, usually on a Sunday morning and a weekday evening. It covers three-, four- and five-mile paths at locations such as Capitol Hill and the Mount Vernon Trail. After the run, participants mingle at area restaurants.
» COST: $12 one-time membership fee, which includes a T-shirt, a headband and e-mail alerts about upcoming runs.

RunHers
Sorry, guys — this group is ladies only. Formed in 1976 to encourage women runners, the RunHers offer weekend long runs and two training programs: winter maintenance and summer track. Women are grouped according to ability for the summer program, and the winter program is more drill- and strength-based.
» COST: $20 per year or $35 for a two-year membership; $90 for winter program, $135 for summer program.

Written by Express contributor Stephanie Kanowitz
Photo by Lawrence Luk for Express