Written by Maya Spratley

The low patter of footsteps and the occasional labored breath can be heard throughout downtown Chattanooga. A group of strangers gather due to their shared interest in running, but in the process, they gain community. 

Those exploring North Chattanooga early Saturday morning might run into the Chattanooga Run Club.   

The idea that someone actively chooses to push their body in a way that causes their heart to race, blood to pulse, and sweat to drip can seem daunting to some. The Chattanooga Run Club aims to change that perspective on running. According to the club’s founder, Lucas Gallon, the club prides itself on welcoming all speeds and experience levels. 

Lucas was a former athlete aiming to continue his pursuit of fitness after he no longer played his sport, soccer. Lucas, seeing how other areas had run clubs, wanted to bring that to Chattanooga making a space for fitness and community. He wanted to create a safe space for a diverse audience that would allow people of all age ranges and races to participate. The participants range from former collegiate-level athletes to those just wanting to get plugged into the running scene in Chattanooga. The overall stance on inclusivity can be seen through Lucas Gallon’s approach to the club’s routes.

“We usually run about three miles every Saturday. However, we try to stress that the run is really about what you are trying to get out of it for yourself,” Gallon said. “We will have someone there to help you feel prepared for your goal, whether that be a mile down and back or a half-marathon. We want everyone to feel like there is someone in their corner.” 

Along with being inclusive to all speeds and running levels, the Chattanooga Run Club aims to build community. The club was built with the intent to create a space where people could come together and be physically active while surrounded by a community that encourages and motivates. 

These ideals can be seen in the Chattanooga Run Club’s Instagram bio, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” 

“A rising tide lifts all boats,” Gallon said. “ I liked the concept and wanted to apply the same mindset to this [the run club]. When we have a strong community that is grounded in good principles, I would hope that all areas of life are benefited.”

This mindset is what attracted University of Tennessee at Chattanooga freshman Alec Blauvelt to become involved with the Chattanooga Run Club. Alec discovered the run club through Instagram and decided to attend. Doing this in hopes of getting plugged in while living in Chattanooga.

“I was just really looking for a good welcoming environment and a way to meet new people. This was close, and it was something I could just pick up on the weekend,” Blauvelt said.

Blauvelt went into the club without knowing anyone and has now been a part of the club for five weeks. Meeting new people within the club has become easier for him due to the club’s approach towards being a culture of community. When running with the Chattanooga Run Club, it is suggested that you run with someone you have never run with before. This helps to gain more connections and push the runner to try and pace themself with the person beside them. 

Making connections is the cornerstone of the club. Members of the club have run outside of the run club’s Saturday 8:00 am run time to race in half-marathons together. The community that has come from this club has even exceeded running with Chattanooga Run Club members. The Chattanooga Run Club occasionally runs with other run clubs within the Chattanooga area. 

The community established by this club goes leaps and bounds beyond just running. Members have stepped outside the bounds of running through events that include watching football games, getting coffee to discuss everyday life and doing exercise classes together. 

For those involved, Saturday mornings have become more than the patter of feet. Saturday has become a time for fitness and connection. The Chattanooga Run Club allows growth in community and running. The run club provides a time for people to push themselves to meet new people and fulfill their personal run goals in a space curated for inclusivity and encouragement. 

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Fit Nooga 45

Written by Lexi Foley

As the two finished their morning 5k with the Chattanooga Run Club, Carly Mossburg and Liz Wood posted a circuit on their portable whiteboard, queued a motivating playlist on their speaker and prepared to lead an outdoor 45-minute functional workout (F45) for anyone wanting to join. 

The two fitness enthusiasts wanted to make F45 even more accessible to the Chattanooga community. Workouts are made for any level of fitness and feature simple, compound movements to burn fat and gain muscle in a short amount of time. Box jumps, elevated push-ups, bear crawls—it is a no-equipment-necessary burnout. 

Making the workout outdoors created a space for experienced F45ers to change their routines and for newcomers to have a comfortable atmosphere to try the intense workout. Instead of a stuffy, slightly intimidating gym, the brisk morning air and rays of sunshine peeking through the clouds were the perfect greetings for the varying skill levels of participants.

“The weather is beautiful and we wanted to have an option for people to bring a friend and get outside. It always seems to be a crowd favorite and challenges them in different ways,” said Mossburg. 

Workouts begin with Mossburg introducing and Wood demonstrating each movement. The coaches encouraged participants to get in as much as possible in 10 minutes. Bright faces would fade into looks of determination after around a minute of work, but the voices of Mossburg and Wood carried over the morning wind. 

Both Mossburg and Wood come from athletic backgrounds and use their prior experiences as inspiration for their later love of training others. Mossburg learned early in high school she had a passion for fitness—making time to get an early run and workout in whenever she could.  Wood took her athletic career to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where she played basketball, coached as a graduate student, and later found a love for training others. 

“Being a college athlete provides a team atmosphere that holds you accountable and pushes you to new levels of your fitness,” Wood said. “It was after I retired from competing that I grew a new love for fitness, and it is now fueled by a desire to empower and encourage others in their own fitness journey.”

Wood pushed with her group through their last hill as the sun began to beat on the pavement, signaling the tail-end of a 45-minute routine. All the exercises on the whiteboard were completed, and a group of mostly strangers celebrated with a high-five. 

Smiles etched across the faces of a small, diverse group of people who found an accessible way to stay fit and enjoy community. Mossburg and Wood congratulated them on a job well done as they went to erase their whiteboard, turn the music off and rest from a functional 45 minutes of work. 

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