Just one teenager turns up to first ever Schoolies run club
The first ever ‘Schoolies Run Club’ went off with a fizzle rather than a bang, with just one teenager turning up to the 6am event.
When you think about Schoolies on the Gold Coast, what are some of the activities that come to mind?
Drinking, beach parties, clubbing, more drinking and maybe even a cheeky trip to Movie World if you are feeling up to it.
What about a 6am run club?
If your first reaction was “hell no” then you are in the vast, vast majority.
On Thursday morning, mental health charity Sana Days hosted the first-ever official Schoolies Run Club to help attendees move their bodies, meet new people and “do something wholesome”.
The free event had a 6am start time, with people instructed to arrive beforehand for an up to 5km run.
Those who attended would also have access to discounted coffee and food at a nearby cafe.
It is a lovely idea with a positive goal, but maybe not surprisingly, it turns out that teenagers who have already been partying for five days straight aren’t the most likely to get themselves up at 6am to do exercise.
That is, apart from one 17-year-old school graduate.
Brisbane local Zac Hopkins was the only Schoolie who turned up to the planned event, telling 7News he went along to see who would show up and which other attendees would be “keen on going for a run”.
Despite being the only person to turn up, he wasn’t put off, saying, “I am still going to go, I am still going to do it”.
Sana Days founder, Brock Day, thought the run club would be a “great opportunity to do something wholesome” amid such a big party week.
“Get up early, do something wholesome, meet some new people, move our bodies,” he told 9News.
When asked about the low turnout, Mr Day kept it positive, noting that “one is better than none”.
“I wasn’t expecting too much. As long as there is one person here, we are going to have a fun time, we are going to do a good job,” he said.
People were quick to praise Zac for his efforts and for joining in even when others didn’t.
“What a superstar! I love it!” one person said.
“What a legend,” another added, with another saying, “Well done, mate.”
However, there were others who appeared to be confused by the whole concept of a run club during Schoolies.
“WTF … who’s going there to run?” one said, with another claiming people are “there to party, not get fit”.
“Lol … Read the room,” another said.
One added, “you have got to be joking”.
Run clubs have been exploded in popularity in the past 12 months, with footage of Sydney’s ever-growing running scene recently going viral as joggers were filmed charging along Bondi Beach at the crack of dawn earlier this month.
The clip, captioned “POV: Every sunrise at Bondi Beach”, shows a seemingly endless stream of enthusiastic runners in their very best activewear, while helpless walkers try to navigate a path around them.
The video featured participants of The Sydney Run Club, a group that meets twice a week at 5:30am on Wednesdays and Fridays.
The club’s philosophy is that “running is more than just exercise – it’s a community, a passion, and a journey of self-discovery”.
It boasts an impressive 50,000 followers on Instagram, and has seen a dramatic increase in members as run clubs have swept the country over the last year.
“I’m not a runner, but I see a bunch of people doing something good for their bodies while making new friends,” one viewer commented on the footage.
“This is great for meeting new people,” another said.
While many admired the dedication, others weren’t so impressed.
“It’s actually a nightmare when you’re walking, and they run at you like a stampede. I wish they’d just go to an oval or a park,” one viewer wrote.
“This is like a cult,” another commented.
“I fear this would send me,” a third said.
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Originally published as Just one teenager turns up to first ever Schoolies run club
