I hate running. There, I said it. 

With my 5’9”, 206-pound stocky build, long-distance running has always been a challenge for me. The pounding of the pavement, the boredom of isolation, the requirement of patience...all factors that combine to make running my least favorite workout of choice.

That was until I recently ran with the Concrete Runners, a running crew based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. Made up of everyday working professionals with a variety of running levels and backgrounds, this non-profit encourages its members to adopt running and fitness as a lifestyle. I’d been hearing about this crew for a while, and decided that I – along with our #ShowerPillArmy – would give their Thursday Night Flight event a try. Did I mention this was the same night as Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Finals?! Let’s just say that I was not thrilled about missing LeBron vs. Steph, and I was really not thrilled about potentially struggling through a three-mile run.

Start time was 6:30 p.m. When we arrived at the rally point, near a cool collection of food trucks in China Basin called SPARK social, we were immediately greeted by friendly faces and cool vibes. After a 10-minute group stretch, we received mini-maps outlining our trek. My stomach was feeling tight. I don’t know if nerves were to blame or the fact that it was hella cold in SF that evening. But once the race began, I was good to go.

One of the group leaders had a “Beats Pill” that was playing some classic Bay Area rap music. There was cheering, encouragement and lot of group selfies. I had a blast! Not only did I PR my average mile, but I learned how to dance while I ran. And of course, after the run was over, we all cooled off and cleaned up with our ShowerPill Body Wipes. Plus, we still had time to grab a bite and check out the end of the NBA game. Bonus!

I think I could get used to running groups. And I can definitely see how Concrete Runners inspires running as a lifestyle. Just might have to give this running thing another try!