Rhal meets the Run Dem Crew

Although I regularly run with the Women's Running girls and even brave a speedy session with the Men's Running boys once a week, outside of work running has always been a solitary sport for me. This was never intentional. Although I do enjoy a bit of Rhal-time, it’s mostly because I could never persuade any of my friends to run with me. I tried, but they all thought I was nuts, so running became a solo pursuit and I got used to pounding the city streets alone. But recently the fabric of my running reality has changed. I first heard about the Run Dem Crew a couple of years ago when I saw a group of happy looking runners in matching T shirts skipping along the canal. Founded by Charlie Dark, teacher, poet, mentor, social entrepreneur and-all round running guru, I was intrigued by the concept of the Run Dem Crew, but also secretly a little bit scared. I followed their progress on Twitter, and even got the inimitable Mr Dark in the office for early MR focus groups, but I savoured my solo running and couldn't bring myself to join them. But with so many races lined up this autumn and some serious training to be done, I realised that if I didn’t turn running into a social event, I was going to be spending a hell of a lot of time alone. So last week I summoned up the courage and got my arse over to Nike 1948 space in Shoreditch, and suddenly the tectonic plates shifted and the planets aligned.A collective of runners of all different ages, RDC is not strictly speaking a running club. Sure they run together, they collectively obsess over sexy trainers together and support each other through running events, but the subtle dynamic of the RDC is much more than just a running club. Borne of Charlie’s desire to encourage and mentor disengaged kids while simultaneously hanging out with his friends and getting his own kicks from his favourite sport, the RDC is a family built on social progression, where creative people mix and promote positivity through running, while simultaneously networking, making friends, having a great time and exploring the diverse urban environment of the great city of London. The Nike 1948 space provides a natural home, and it is here that the 100-strong crowd meet every week, and also host post-run workshops, films, talks and of course a bit of sexy trainer worship.Judging by my first run, their simple yet effective ethos clearly works. Upon arrival at the start of season six, the atmosphere was infused with emotion. The crew had gotten together to nominate Charlie to be a torchbearer for the 2012 Olympics and after reading out his entry application, the whole house was in tears before we'd even hit the tarmac. The crew may love running, but they love their mentor Charlie even more, and as he casually chatted to his congregation about recent events and plans for the evening ahead, you could actually feel the love bouncing around the room. After a tearful speech or two and a Nike presentation of fancy kicks for all the runners who'd successfully completed the Virgin London Marathon 2011, Charlie then made every single person in the room introduce themselves by name and occupation. With nearly 100 people in there this took a while, but was a fantastic opportunity for the RDC youngers and the newbies in the house to get an understanding of the crew, and it reinforced the notion that the RDC are about much more than just running. Realising I was surrounded by designers, artists, writers, teachers, musicians and more, I couldn’t wait to make friends with them all. Charlie has a way of making each and every person in the room feel important, and I felt like part of the crew instantly. I met so many warm, friendly faces that I felt like I'd come home long before I even laced up my trainers and have since decided to dedicate the rest of my life to running with them.Then the actual running started, and my fate was sealed. We started off en masse to Spitalfields. Like a flash mob in motion, 100 runners dashing through Liverpool Street Station must have been a sight to behold. Commuters stopped and stared and tourists applauded our efforts before we'd even gone a mile. We stopped in Spitalfields and one of the youngers got up and bravely entertained the masses with a running rap (yet more tears were shed) and then we set off. Separated into different groups depending on your ability, I modestly chose the hares, which was the perfect pace for chatting while watching the beautiful city unfold before me. I saw more unexplored sections of secret London in 45 minutes than I have for the entire five years that I’ve lived here. We then ran back to the HQ and after making a few new friends, I left for home smiling with a handful of phone numbers and a promise to return.Be it health, fitness or achieving a long-term goal, many of us take up running as part of a dramatic life change. I fell in love with running when I joined the WR team, but finding kindred spirits to run with has reignited the spirit of why I run, and now I’m just not sure I’ll ever be able to hit the streets alone again.Meanwhile back at WR HQ, fuelled by my spiritual awakening of the running kind my training has come on leaps and bounds and I clocked up 30 miles last week! The interval training sessions have also had a huge impact on my running and I now feel ready to take on the world, one city at a time...