It may be a little intimidating when searching for a running club.  Luckily, many of the running clubs here in San Diego are very helpful and friendly.  Just remember, they all share the same passion as you, which is running.  There are many different ways to locate a running club in San Diego.  Look for other runners while running that may be wearing their running club’s shirt.  Ask the person if anyone can join their running club (some clubs are by invitation-only) and what kind of activities/benefits their club offers. 

Also, it doesn’t hurt to ask other runners you know if they belong to a running club or if they can offer a recommendation for a particular club in your area.  Another great way is to search the internet to see what running clubs are available in San Diego.  We offer a directory of running clubs that are available to anyone that would like to join. 

Another great source is at the local running specialty store in your area. Many of these stores offer group training runs, usually for free, that starts and finish at the store. Even if they don't host runs, the employees are part of the running community and can probably suggest local running groups to you.  Many races offer free group training runs to registered participants.  If you’re training for a specific race, check the race website to see if they have any organized training runs scheduled. 

It’s definitely worth making a few enquiries to find out a few details, such as what days of the week the club meets, so you know it meets with your own weekly commitments. Before joining, why not show up for a session to get an idea of the type of people that go along, and see whether your own running ability is provided for. Some clubs do much of their training on the tracks, whereas others are more road-running focused. Others are driven by results and county league tables and may be more suited to those planning to race regularly.  As you can tell there are many different diverse running clubs, so it is important that you find the one that is right for you.