August 22, 2023 By Carol Britton Meyer
The Harbor Run Club, an inclusive group that meets at picturesque Hingham Harbor every Sunday to run either a 3- or a 5-mile route, is open to everyone, regardless of their running level or pace.
The group, led by Hingham residents Jane Lebel (who started the club) and Cindy Chin Smith and Hull resident Liz Higgins, welcomes men and women from the South Shore area and beyond who enjoy having company while they run.
“We change it up every week,” Smith told the Hingham Anchor. Past routes include World’s End, Bare Cove, Turkey Hill, and Crow Point.
“This is an opportunity to explore lots of different areas in Hingham and surrounding communities,” she said. “The harbor is a gorgeous place to meet and also a central point from which to go off on different routes.”
After moving to Hingham from California, Smith was looking for ways to connect with people in her new community and learned about the Harbor Run Club, which was in its early stages at that time. “I participated in the group’s first run,” she said.
The club — which has a total of 20-25 regular participants and averages from 7 to 10 people every Sunday — meets at 8 a.m. next to Redeye Coffee Roasters, where they can enjoy a cup of coffee and conversation before or after their run. A photo is posted on Instagram each week before the runners set off.
“This is a great opportunity to meet and get to know lots of other runners as well as to learn about the best restaurants in the area, their jobs, [and other interesting information],” Smith said. “Running is also good for stress relief.”
Participants run regularly during the Spring, summer, and Fall, taking a break in the winter when it’s too icy to run safely.
The group enjoys sharing a holiday get-together in December “to get to know each other even more outside of the running we do together,” Smith said. “It’s all about community building and having some company while running.”
Watch for updates on Instagram and Facebook — harborrunclub. For more details, email harborrunclub@gmail.com.