LAUDERDALE RUN CLUB DRAWS 1,000 RUNNERS A WEEK WITH FREE EVENTS AND COMMUNITY FOCUS
Lauderdale Run Club is drawing 1,000 runners a week, and its founder says the secret is simple: put community first and keep it free.
Christopher Gualano founded LRC after moving to the area in July of 2023 with no connections and a vision for something better than what he had found elsewhere.
"I moved here in July of 2023, and I didn't know a single person. Every run club that I had, you know, kind of found my way to really didn't have a social component, so I thought I could build that better. And somehow we're here," Gualano said.
The club's signature weekly event, Takeover Tuesday, runs every Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. and packs a full evening into about 30 minutes of activity.
"The biggest thing we do is we run and we fun; we do a quick two-mile run. Come back. Legacy has an amazing boot camp workout for us," Gualano said.
After the run, members move through a stretch session with Peach Pump, a physical therapy mini session with Force PT, and then gather with partner Mr. Smash, which brings a keg and provides 250 free beers each week.
"It kind of all comes together with our partners, Mr. Smash, who bring a keg out every single week and give 250 free beers. We've got it all. There's definitely something for everyone," Gualano said.
Member Bernadette "Bee" Ayala said the giveaways may get people in the door, but it's the people who keep them coming back.
"The giveaways. I mean, can I say that on camera? It's the giveaways that get you in the door, and it's the people that make you stay. The people are the whole reason," Ayala said.
For members Lucy Calaway and Julian Delgado, LRC has become a regular date night.
"It's nice to find an activity that we were able to do together outside and stay active. We can practice by ourselves and run alone, but then it's really fun to just come and do it together sometimes," Calaway said.
"And it's perfect. It's just a quick 30 minutes and you get to spend some time together," Delgado said.
Ana Sofia Carreno, a member who also handles social media for LRC, said the club is welcoming to runners of all paces.
"Everyone's super nice here. Everyone's super welcoming.” Carreno said.
“It's a very sexy pace. There's absolutely nothing to worry about. Nobody gets left behind. The slowest pace doesn't mean anything. We always have a back pacer, so you'll never be the last person back," Gualano said.
Carreno encouraged anyone on the fence to just show up.
Just give it a try like you could. You could be making the best decision," Carreno said.
Gualano described the atmosphere as something that echoes a team sport.
"Running in these groups kind of feels like you're on like a cross-country team pushing each other," Gualano said.
Takeover Tuesday takes place every Tuesday at 6:15 p.m.
More information about Lauderdale Run Club is available on their social media channels and on Strava.
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