"People who did not think they could run are now running every week”

Madrid / 16 August 2021

Optimistic people tend to think that with every challenge, a new opportunity arises. For Mark Champney, running was that opportunity. Running was an escape from distress and a turning point to a healthier daily routine. And the best part is that he didn't keep the secret to himself; he created the SGRE Virtual Running Club to connect and motivate colleagues to join him.
Corporate Affairs Department
Not all heroes wear capes
The world is full of unnamed heroes, like Mark, who is helping colleagues stay healthy and motivated in the middle of a pandemic. The project started growing in September 2020, when Mark and the other members of his club released a promotional video explaining how they have benefited from running.
A commitment to health and daily exercise is both physically and psychologically rewarding
This was their way to attract more members and motivate other Siemens Gamesa colleagues to join their club. "This is open to all. If you thought 'running is not something for me, I haven’t done it since school, and I will hate the thought of even putting on running shoes,' maybe go out for a very short jog, it could be sort of a walking pace, a few hundred yards. Log it in Strava, and you will see that people from the club will like it! That will encourage you, and people appreciate that aspect. But then as you do more, yes, your legs will probably hurt, but as you gain strength, it becomes a little bit of a bug, if I'm honest," Mark said.
Members come from all over the company. In the future, Mark hopes "that everybody knows about this club across the business, and we see the numbers grow accordingly."
Strava: the app that unites the global sport community
Strava is an app used to track, store, and inspire exercise. It incorporates social network features, allowing users to connect and motivate each other through the platform.
It is primarily used for cycling and running and uses GPS data to track people's routes and exercises. It is also the running app where our SGRE Virtual Running Club members register their runs.
Today, more than 170 employees are part of the running club, and some of them weren't even runners before joining. Tom Boden said: "People who did not think they could run are now running every week. They are losing weight, feeling healthier, motivating each other and sharing achievements and ideas across continents. It is really embodying SGRE mindset and bringing people together for a good cause (health and wellbeing) openly and collaboratively - that wouldn't have been possible before".
More than 170 employees are part of the running club, and some of them weren't even runners before joining
A commitment to health and daily exercise is both physically and psychologically rewarding. It is one of the best ways to cope with the fatigue and stress of daily life.

Share

Further information about data protection can be found in our privacy policy.