Ally Anderson / Arizona Sonoran News

In the spring of 2024, Gavin Richards created an instagram page called "Tucson Run Club" in the hopes of growing the page and uniting a community of runners.

He'd seen it done before when his friends in Hawaii created the North Shore Run Club Instagram account. Within a couple of years, they had 4,000 followers.

Clubs like these have been popping up in cities worldwide, including Phoenix and Scottsdale, as the idea gains traction.

Richards didn’t see why Tucson couldn’t have one of its own, so he created the page.

And then nothing, He became distracted and the page lay dormant.

Until Ben Tighe found it a few months later. He had the same idea to start an account, but found the name Tucson Run Club was already being used by Richards.

Tighe reached out to team up and the strangers met for coffee. They discussed what a run club could be and how it could impact the community.

While they agreed on many aspects of the plan, it was their similar life stories that sealed the deal.

Richards came to Tucson shortly after graduating from Ball State University in Indiana to pursue his career in medical sales. Tighe did the same after graduating from The College of Idaho; he now works in land development.

Upon their moves to Tucson they both struggled to build meaningful relationships outside of work. Both have active lifestyles, grew up playing team sports and enjoying movement and exercise. They missed having people to do this alongside.

With the club’s beginning, Richards and Tighe were determined to create a space, free of charge, for local runners of all levels.

But more than that, they wanted it to be a place where people could make connections with like-minded individuals — something Richards and Tighe needed for themselves.

Apparently, they weren’t the only ones; they now have 9,000 followers on Instagram.

“You need three parts in life in my opinion to really feel good. You’ve got your work, you’re got your family life, and you’ve got your friends… As soon as I met Tighe and we hit it off, he’s a really great guy … I met some other really good friends in the group and I thought wow, this is what I really wanted and needed” said Gavin.

Tucson Run Club meets twice a week. Times vary depending on the season, with the Instagram page updated regularly with accurate information. There's a short social period at the start of each meetup, when people stretch, introduce themselves to new faces and catch up with those they’ve met in previous weeks.

The group runs 1.5 miles in one direction, takes a short break at the turn-around point and runs 1.5 miles back to the spot they started.

During the run, participants can expect to hear all kinds of conversations while surrounded by runners of all skill levels and ages.

There are no expectations and no judgment. Participants can make the three miles whatever they want it to be.

“That’s the good thing about the group; we are runners, we are walkers, we are hanger outers… make it what you want” says Richards as he describes the culture of the club.

Johnny Ramos and his giant Dalmatian Canyon are regulars at the run club. Ramos is an experienced cyclist, but has only been running seriously for the last four months. He recently completed his first ultramarathon, a grueling 100-mile race, which he credits to the support of his run club friends.

“Take a leap of faith. There’s a weird culture about it being embarrassing to try and make an attempt. Things like getting in shape, doing better at work and finding friends,a ” Tighe says. “That holds people back and I think that’s a stigma that needs to get squashed. Go talk to that person, go say hello, you might not ever see them again, or maybe you’ll see them a lot.”

Ramos describes the people he’s met as eager to better themselves, not only by upping their speed and endurance on the trail, but in all aspects of life.

He says he's met athletes who have a zeal for life and motivate him to challenge himself.

The club's following continues to grow as it forms partnerships with other local businesses and organizations, growing their network in Tucson and offering more opportunities for run club members.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.