While many students find themselves on the rehearsal button most of the mornings, a group of campus meets to run a three -thousand loop at 7 am every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday while the sun rises. They remain motivated by the sponsored treat at the end of most of the races and the connections they establish along the way.
Founded in 2022, healthy celebrations serve a way for students to maintain an active lifestyle with friends. The club recently started to focus on using its Instagram platform to obtain brand sponsorships and, therefore, it has become a larger student community. The brands serve as a reward to encourage members to get up for the first races around Lady Bird Lake and to feed them for the day. Sarah Smith, a second year student in German and economics and a member of the club, helped direct the club’s initiative to increase members and the interaction of social media.
Smith said that after focusing on sponsorship and held the hand to a hundred brands per e-mail last semester, notably Poppi and Minerevil, the group’s social media increased by more than 50%. At the same time, participation increased by almost 65%.
“I am looking for brands that prioritize clean ingredients or a positive representation of the brand,” said Smith, a second year student in German and economics. “I want (the brand) to focus on something good in the world, rather than just selling food or making money.”
After the races, the members normally meet at the starting point of the lake to try the godfather brand that day. This offers members the opportunity to try healthy brands before spending their money. The advertising student Hannah Harp said that she liked to have incitement as a way to try the brands that she had not heard of, especially when they are more expensive.
“Before getting involved, especially as a broken student … There are a lot to test the product,” said Harp. “We had these barebells (protein bar) this morning, and I said to myself:” I could see myself going to the grocery store and buy this. »»
While the brand gives new members, the co-leader of healthy celebrations, Olivia Chapman, said that the club’s inclusive training community was what motivates it. Chapman, a second year student of international relations and global studies, saw the growth of the club as a member and said that she hoped that this will continue.
“I want to call on a larger demography,” said Chapman. “I want it to be less based on the sorority (and) more inclusive, as come as you are, wherever you are.”
Harp said that she hoped that club demography continues to grow, real friendships extend to members beyond their morning races.
“The mission and the objective of healthy celebrations as a whole is to meet new people,” said Harp. “Coming to university is so overwhelming, and everyone is just trying to be able to be open to meet new people.”