What are the benefits of being a member of the Merced Running Club? Benefits of Merced Running Club membership include:
• Participation in local races, fun runs, and track workouts
• Attend our monthly club meetings
• Discounts on entrance fees to MRC-sponsored races
• Long-distance running with other MRC members
• Camaraderie-club affiliation to proclaim on race entry forms
• Enjoy a safe environment to run on dark evenings in the Winter
If I become a member, do I have to come to the weekly workouts or the meetings?
No, it is completely up to you how involved you become. We understand that you have a life outside of running. Some members only come to a couple of events per year and some are at each one.
Do I have to be a member to come to the workouts?
No, please come out to a couple of our weekly runs to check us out! If you start coming on a regular basis, we would like you to become a member but it is still not mandatory. Membership is only $15/year for an individual or $20 for a family.
I’m new to running and can’t run very long.
Don’t worry! The only way to get better is to run more! Running with others also distracts you from your pain. The club is perfect for that! Runners love to talk about running (imagine that) and will give you more advice than you probably want.
I’m really slow. Can I still come out to your weekly workouts?
Yes, please do! We have runners of all paces in our club. They run anywhere from a 6-minute mile to a 15-minute mile. We have road runners and we have trail runners. The Tuesday night workout at the Merced College track is a series of speed work tasks. We all finish at different times and don’t start the next one until everyone is done with the previous run.
I usually run alone or I’m not sure about running with others.
We can all agree that running alone gives you time to think or do some soul-searching. Sometimes though you may need some motivation to get out on the road. That is where the club comes in. Some of our runners come out on Tuesday and Thursday evenings specifically to socialize while running knowing they will get their alone runs on other evenings. The club is a great way to meet other runners to run with on the weekends.
Can I bring a stroller/dog to evening workouts?
Our Tuesday evening workouts are at the Merced College track. We have to follow their rules so no dogs. Strollers are allowed. Dogs and strollers are both allowed on our Thursday evening runs. We ask that you keep your dog on a leash.
I’m putting on a race, can you promote it on your page?
Yes, just send us the information about your race and we can post it for you on our FaceBook page. If you are trying to make money for a cause, please let us know. We love to promote races that help a charity!
I’m putting on a race in the area and need some help. Will anyone in the club help me?
Yes! We have several people in the club who have directed races and can give pointers to lead you in the right direction. Some of our members may even volunteer to help out on race day. Please contact our president. You can also come to one of our monthly meetings to promote your race to our members
What do you do with the money you make at your races with the membership fees?
Money from both the Indian Gulch run and the Run for Independence is donated to the Buhach Colony Cross Country Team. Some of the proceeds from the Turkey Trot go to the Merced Mission. Membership fees go towards the pizza at the monthly meeting and fees that go along with running a club. We have also donated to organizations within Merced.
Where can I go running in Merced?
Here is a map of trails in Merced: https://www.alltrails.com/us/california/merced
Are there other running groups in the Central Valley?
Yes, there are!
Shadow Chase Running Club in Modesto
Dusty Bottoms in Sonora (trail running group)
Sierra Challenge Express Running Club in Fresno
Visalia Runners in Visalia
Where can I find out about races in the area?
The best place to find local races is right here on the Merced Running Club’s page of course! We try to post other local races in the Central Valley also. Some other resources include: