Florence’s Epic 20Km Race
How did you find out about Friskis?
I found out about Friskis thanks to the free summer sessions organized in July and August at the Parc du Cinquantenaire. If I remember well, I saw a post on Facebook and thought “oh that looks great”.
What actually convinced you to join Friskis?
When I started the Friskis running session last summer, I realized that I was much more motivated to run with a group of people (and a great instructor 😉 ) than just by myself. I found the running session very interactive and dynamic. The running session is so much more than just “running”, we actually exercise a lot and work out all body. Moreover, I liked the idea of exercising outside and enjoying the outdoors, regardless of the weather. In the end, I found the class very complete and my ideal sports session.
What was your experience with running before joining Friskis?
Before joining Friskis, I was a casual runner. I’ve always enjoyed running, on a sunny day, listening to my music but without paying too much attention to my posture or my performance. I had never had a running class before so I was never told what the best posture is and how to improve my performance. With Friskis, I have been learning a lot and, as I was seeing improvements, I started to get more and more excited to join Friskis.
What did you like about Friskis’ running sessions?
As I mentioned before, I like the Friskis’ running sessions as they are much more than just “running” with a group. Firstly, I like it because there is a very nice atmosphere with all the runners and we get to know other people. Secondly, I like that we do exercise a lot and we are given the opportunity to push our limits, to improve our performances and progress, but at our own pace. Thirdly, there is no competition or rivalry between the participants. It is not a race and everyone can pursue their own objective.
In addition, I love exercising outside and enjoying the outdoors, regardless of the weather. I had never thought that I would enjoy running under the rain or when it’s cold, but it’s really cool.
How did Friskis’ running sessions prepare you for the 20k of Brussels?
When I joined Friskis one year ago, I was the slowest runner of the group (in the “start to run” session). I had the impression that I was struggling more than the other runners, but nobody left me behind or judged me. Little by little, I have gained more confidence and I felt empowered.
Antonio, one of the instructors, used to tell us that the year before, a beginner runner who had been running with Friskis had run the 20k of Brussels in just 2 hours. So I thought “why not me?”. So, thanks to all the good advices and the practice in various Friskis’ running sessions, I went from a casual runner to a regular runner. To get prepared for the 20k of Brussels, I was also running alone in the morning, just before going to work. The day of the 20k, I felt much more motivated to know that I would meet with the other Friskis runners at the end of the race (and I was also very excited to get the nice Friskis T-Shirt) 😀
What would you tell friends or acquaintances about Friskis?
I really love Friskis, their moto, their atmosphere and their people, so if anyone wants to join a big friendly team, they should try Friskis. 🙂