Can you name an activity that combines exercising, boosting your self-organization skills, listening to your favorite tracks, meeting like-minded people, strengthening your muscles, and building endurance? Running, running, and again running!
The Zazmic team is madly in love with running. It’s been several years since our running club started, and it’s being replenished with new devotees every year. This year, the Zazmic team has participated in various team races and even a triathlon. Our HR specialist Anastasia Yaremenko assembled a team to participate in the “10k Night Run” as part of the “Dnipro Sports Capital” program. Nadiya Katkova, Anastasia Kasatkina, Oleksiy Hulay, Stanislav Popovych, and Anastasia Yaremenko took part in the night race.
“Zazmic was represented by two teams in the 4×2.5 km relay. When you realize that your team results depend on your individual contribution, you run with all your might. For me, team racing is not just a hobby; it’s an opportunity to get to know my colleagues better and share this experience with them,” says the initiator of corporate runs — Zazmic’s HR specialist Anastasia Yaremenko.
We didn’t stop there. Within a month after the first race, our team conquered Race Nation, the biggest and most famous obstacle race in Ukraine. Race Nation is a specially designed obstacle course where professional and amateur athletes can test their strength, spirit, and stamina. Obstacles include climbing over walls, carrying heavy objects, balancing, crawling under barbed wire, jumping through fire, etc. Nadiya Katkova, Anastasia Kasatkina, Anastasia Yaremenko, Anna Kuksova, and Stanislav Popovych took up the challenge bravely.
Speaking of challenges, the real one was the Lviv Triathlon Cup later this year. The Lviv Triathlon Cup is an international competition that consists of three stages: swimming, cycling through the streets of Lviv and running in the city center. Our athletes Natalia Baranova (a runner who participated in 5 marathons in different countries), Andrey Duhovniy (a candidate master of sports in swimming), Yuri Yakovlev (an amateur who’s been fond of triathlon since 2013) participated in the team relay where each team member had to cover a specified portion of the distance:
1500m for a swimmer;
40 km for a cyclist;
10 km for a runner.
This year was the first-ever time we managed to assemble a team for a triathlon, and we won the prize on our first try!
“The main difference of a team relay as compared to an individual race is that the whole team depends on you and your results. If you fall out of the race, the rest of the participants will be disqualified too. Besides, you need to think in advance how and where to pass the baton — team cohesion affects the result, “- says Natalia Baranova.
As we don’t just talk the talk but walk the walk (or rather, run the race), here’s why we believe you and your colleagues should start running as soon as possible:
- Running helps keep team spirit high.
If you want employees to be more than just a group of people, start a sports club in your company. Colleagues get to know each other better, communicate more, and quickly become friends while training. The team race is an excellent example of teamwork where there is always support for one another. It puts you in a “win-win” frame of mind rather than a “win-lose” competitive view. You are working together as a team toward achieving a common goal. This cohesion has a significant impact on corporate culture and work processes. Team races teach you to negotiate and discuss each other’s strengths and weaknesses to build an effective strategy. And finally, teamwork doesn’t just divide the task; it multiplies the success. After all, shared joy is double joy!
- Running comes with a number of health benefits.
Physical activity has dropped dramatically over the years, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, as more than half of the global workforce is working remotely. While working from home is here to stay, running can be a great option if you want to catch up on all the exercise. Numerous studies have shown that running can significantly improve your physical and mental health. Running increases self-esteem, improves your mood and reduces stress. Have you heard of a “runner’s high”? Yes, it’s just as great as it sounds — that blissful, euphoric feeling that comes during a run that can suddenly make your workout feel easy. Besides, runners make great employees, not just because they are more disciplined and productive but also because they are less prone to burnout. And healthy and happy employees are every company’s main asset.
- Team races are fun.
Imagine how great it is to be around your team, wearing the same T-shirts, while your supporters are waving flags. Preparing for the race is so much fun itself. We at Zazmic regularly organize various running competitions, and the most active participants receive valuable gifts. Participants share the results of their jogs and exciting photos (someone runs in the woods, on the beach, or takes the whole family for a run). No matter how many miles apart we are — sharing this hobby makes us all feel like one big team.
- Running is simple.
Believe it or not, starting a running club is the simplest, most affordable way to unite your employees. Most likely, there are already several active runners on your team. These could be the first members of your running club. And then everything is simple: as you run and share impressions with colleagues, you inspire more and more people to join. Yes, running is socially contagious. And it’s addictive too! Sometimes all it takes is just one run and that single dose of euphoria to get hooked. We know it first hand.
So, the Zazmic running club is not just about running and its benefits. Running together makes us a better team, at work and outside of it. We become a synergetic unit that performs its best when sharing a common goal and vision and working toward it as a team. That’s how we push our limits and achieve what seems impossible at first.
