Enjo Faes, student applied economics
“Football has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I train four times a week. So when the corona crisis happened and competition was temporarily suspended, our team had to go in search of another way to keep fit. Our coach sent us some running plans, but everyone used different running apps! There was no sense of unity. Then I read somewhere that Anderlecht had set up a Strava club where players could keep track of their running training. I immediately shared this idea with my own team. It was a great way of motivating each other. And while I set up our team’s Strava club, I said to myself, why don’t I create a virtual running club for the University of Antwerp while I’m at it?
When I finished creating the club, I shared it with a number of friends in other study programmes. And that got the ball rolling. I was surprised at how fast the membership grew. It’s clear that many of my fellow students have turned to sports during this period to keep fit. Which was the intention, of course.
I regularly check the Strava club to see how everyone’s doing. You’ve got crazy athletes who easily run more than 100 km a week and beginners who are tentatively running their first miles. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re a hard-core runner or not, everyone is welcome to join. I hope that this initiative will be extended to include anyone who feels a connection with the University of Antwerp. Or that it inspires other organisations to set up their own running club.
Obviously, you shouldn’t overestimate your abilities either. You need to stay fit and ensure you have the reserves so you that you’re less susceptible to the virus. Know your boundaries and stay safe!”
You can find Enjo’s Stravaclub here or in the Strava app: UAntwerpen Runs.
This article was written for fromyourkot.be, an online platform that was created in times of corona at the request of the University of Antwerp.
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