Hello. Thank you for visiting the Good Life City Runners website.
There is no denying that the last three years have been very challenging. The Good Life City Runners entered 2020 with a lot of optimism about what the new decade would bring to the running community of Southwest Georgia and the role that we would play in promoting a healthy, running-based lifestyle. On March 7, 2020, runners from all over the world descended upon Albany to run in the Snickers Marathon or Half Marathon. No one who ran on that crisp, cool morning knew that the Snickers Marathon would be the last significant running event in Albany for the rest of 2020.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced the Good Life City Runners into hibernation. However, the time has come for the Good Life City Runners to emerge from that hibernation and fulfill its mission of promoting running in SW Georgia again.
How are we going to bring the Good Life City Runners back to life?
In my vision, I see the Good Life City Runners becoming relevant again in one significant way: by hosting events. I am currently trying to assemble an executive board to help me with the particulars, such as dates and locations, but here are the ideas that I have for now:
Tuesday Group Runs (Beginning March 14): Prior to March 2020, Wild Side Running hosted Tuesday night group runs at its location. However, the responsibility of hosting Tuesday night group runs now falls upon the Good Life City Runners. I have chosen March 14 as the date to revive the group runs because it is the first Tuesday after everyone sets their clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time. The group runs will be held at 6 pm at the Veterans Park Amphitheater, next to the Civic Center, starting on March 14.
GLCR 5K: The premise of the GLCR 5K is simple. Any runner who has already paid his/her yearly dues will not have to pay an entry fee for the race. Any runner who is not a GLCR member will automatically become one once he/she pays the entry fee for the race. I envision the GLCR 5K taking place in April. Time and place TBA.
GLCR Summer Series: I want to revive the Summer Series on Thursday afternoons in June and July. The Summer Series will be held on the dirt track that circles the softball field at the Albany State University west campus on Gillionville Road.
Beer/Mountain Dew Mile: The Beer/Mountain Dew Mile has been a very popular summer event. In a Beer/Mountain Dew Mile, runners start the race by drinking a 12 ounce beer or a 12 ounce Mountain Dew product as quickly as possible. Once the runner has consumed all 12 ounces, he/she must run ¼ mile. Upon completion of that ¼ mile, the runner must consume a second beer or Mountain Dew before running another ¼ mile. The runner completes the mile once he/she has consumed four beers or Mountain Dews and then has run a full mile, one quarter mile at a time. This event will take place in the summer. Time and place TBA.
Not Peachtree July 4 Run: While many runners will be running the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta on the morning of July 4, Southwest Georgia residents who do not want to make the trip to Atlanta will still be able to get in an early morning Independence Day run by taking part in this event.
Guess Your Time 5K: In this event, all runners will run five kilometers. Prior to running the distance, runners will have to guess how long it will take them to cover the 5K distance. Runners will not be allowed to pace themselves with smartphones or wrist devices such as Fitbits or Garmins while they are on the course. I envision this event happening during the fall.
Training for Combos Marathon/Half Marathon 2024: I know that I am not alone in looking at the 2023 Combos Half Marathon with dread because I have not trained properly for it. My goal is that come November 2023, the Good Life City Runners will start training sessions to prepare local runners for the 2024 Combos Marathon/Half Marathon.
I truly believe that the best way to promote running in Southwest Georgia is to host events that will get people out of their houses and into running environments. Let’s all join together to revive the Good Life City Runners and the Southwest Georgia Running in 2023.
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