DISCOVERING THE UN STAFF RUNNING CLUB
LIGHT CLOTHING
RECOMMENDED
During summertime the well maintained lawn of Ariana Park encourages summer dress, open shirts and light dresses. UN civil servants relax under the shade of the many trees on the lawn. In much lighter dress, some run through the park. Close up on the UN Staff Running Club, a group of runners from the United Nations staff, made up of women and men, who are not as hurried as they appear.
Relaxation, friendship and health
These are the key words of the UN Staff Running
Club. One of its founding members and president during more than twenty years,
Gary Crook, as well as its current president
Walid Daher, share the same approach to this
sport. For them the objective is a period of
decompression and friendship. They started
running with the encouragement of their colleagues
and have remained committed to
this sport. The Club was established to allow
civil servants from the international organizations
plus their families and retired staff to
run during their lunch break, and this for
the symbolic cost of 20 CHF per year. Afterwards,
a shared lunch, even quickly consumed,
is part of the pleasure of the running experience.
Credit to the women
When it started in 1983, the Club was made up of about twelve members, mainly men.
Today the Club is composed of about fifty
sportive members, half of which are confirmed
women runners. In fact, Walid Daher noted
that the group of regular women runners
is larger than the masculine group. Further,
while it is often difficult to make up a men’s
team, women’s teams regularly participate in
competitions defending the UN colours.
The marathon, a goal?
The Club statutes state that “the objective of
the association is to encourage running and
the participation in sporting competitions
and other events organized by the Staff Sports
Commission of the United Nations.” The Club
has always participated in the UN Inter-Organizational
Games, with the exception of
this year. It also financially helps members to
participate in other races such as the CERN
Relay, the Geneva Inter-Enterprise race and
even the Geneva Marathon. While the Club
has a twelve week programme for debutants,
there is not a training programme for
the marathon. However, for the New York
Marathon in 2007, a group of women set-up
and followed a training programme together
based on running articles and plans from
other larger running clubs.
The Club’s budget, limited to the membership fees, does not provide financial support for races, but it does help members by paying part of the inscription fees, especially for the Geneva Marathon.
Its strength, its simplicity
No matter where you are or what the weather is like or your physical preparation, you can
run wherever you are and in all types of
weather. It is easy to travel with your running
shoes, but make sure you have a good pair
to provide protection for your joints and feet.
“He is a runner”
Gary Crook, one of the Club founders likes
to recall the words of a famous writer on
running, who said that one way to say the
most about someone in the least amount of
words is that “He is a runner”. He recalls
with pleasure that running helps to maintain
both physical and mental health, plus the
endorphins released during exercise provide
a natural high and help to reduce stress. Sufficient
reasons for Gary to run at lunch time,
with the additional benefit of creating longterm
friendships outside of the office and
even after retirement.
New changing rooms
In 1983, Gary Crook and his team of runners
were able, thanks to the support of the Office
of the Director, to obtain changing rooms and
showers (for women and men) for the Club,
situated near the end of the hallway by the
cafeteria by lift 41, just before the loading
dock 49. Before this, the runners had used
showers on the 8th floor, in fact one shower
for six persons, then those of the Reproduction
Service across the hall from the present
showers. Recently Walid Daher and the present
executive of the Club, with the technical
and financial support of the Building and
Technical Services Section have had the
changing rooms renovated, with lockers reserved
for members who request one. Thus
the Club has the same facilities as larger
clubs.
Running on-line
Until a few years ago, a Newsletter provided
information on the Club to its members: upcoming
races, results of members in competition
and also advice on running. In the web
era, this information is going to be re-launched,
but on-line. The Club site is being developed
by one of its runners and will provide
information not only to members but
also to all those interested in this sport. Thus,
soon there will be no excuse for not running
at the United Nations in Geneva.
Contact until the launching of the web site:
Walid Daher, Président:
wdaher@unog.ch / 022.917.1713
