Club Spotlight: Ronald McDonald House – Providence Running Club
Tell us about your club!
The Ronald McDonald House – Providence Running Club is designed to provide members with coaching, group practices, valuable training information, and social events, while also publicizing and promoting the mission of the Ronald McDonald House of Providence.
The RMHP Running Club began in 2006 with a small band of runners who wanted to raise awareness for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of New England while sharing a love for running. Today the club has more than 300 men and women of all shapes, sizes, ages, abilities, backgrounds, and outlooks. Our members include serious competitors as well as those running or walking for fitness. All of us benefit from the volunteer services of legendary professional coaches, who offer a variety of training days and times each week.
Who is your club open to?
The RMHP Running Club welcomes runners of all ages and abilities. Members range from preteens to octogenarians, and from casual runners looking for a fun fitness group to elite sprinters, distance runners, and triathletes. A few are nationally competitive within their age groups; most compete only with themselves
When and where do you typically meet to run?
Late Fall and Winter you find the Club on Monday and Wednesday at Brown University Olney-Margolies Athletic Center (OMAC) at 6 am – 7 am. Spring and Summer practices are held at the Brown University’s Track at the Football Stadium every Monday and Wednesday from 6 am -7 am. These at structured workouts directed by our Coaches. Each runner works at their own individual pace in a group of similar paces.
Do you host any other non-running events?
A few social events are held on an annual basis. Saturday morning informal group runs start at 8 am on the Hope St end of Blackstone Blvd.
Aside from the Grand Prix, are there any other races that your club attends/competes in as a team?
We compete in various local races.
Does your club offer any coaching or assistance with training plan development?
Our coaches organize structured training on Mondays which is designed for speed and Wednesdays which focuses on endurance. Tempo runs are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:00 AM. Runners meet coaches outside of the JCC on Elmgrove Ave. in Providence. Coaches also offer 12-week training plans for ½ and full Marathons.
Does your club support any philanthropic efforts?
While it is not a requirement to help the House, our club has been able to raise well over $50,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of New England in each of the past few years. We are proud of our signature event, the Women’s 5K Classic, a 3K walk and 5K run, held each October
If someone is interested in joining your club, what is the best way to reach you?
Please email us at rmhprunningclub@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Ronald McDonald House Providence Running Club.
