RUNNERS SOUL LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA Club Stats
Running in Lethbridge is anything but lonely. With one of Alberta’s largest and most well-established running communities, the club associated with the Runners Soul store boasts hundreds of dedicated members. Lethbridge runners are known as some of the friendliest around, and it’s no surprise they keep coming back for more, since the biggest benefit of joining the club is the lifelong friendships made.
In 1995, club founder Ron Bain created a solid foundation that has brought together community members who otherwise may never have had a reason to cross paths. Current owners Shawn and Erin Pinder have created a unique club culture that values competition and education equally, and the club welcomes recreational as well as elite runners. Shawn, a competitive swimmer, and Erin, a physiotherapist, encourage the club’s runners to compete against themselves and each other while taking pristine care of their bodies. In addition to Running, Marathon and Racing Team clubs, Runners Soul also offers Learn to Run, 10k and Destination Marathon clinics. After self-navigating a first half-marathon, Laura Mrak decided to “up [her] game and run a full marathon.” The club’s posted weekly mileage plan with mapped routes gave her “no excuses to back out of the plan.”
Tracy McNab and Carol Williams are a perfect example of the club’s mission in fruition. They met in the Runners Soul marathon club in 2000, and began training for road marathons, then graduated to trail ultras – not an uncommon next step for club members. Running side by side for 20 years, they’ve supported each other through various
FOUNDED MEMBERS ANNUAL FEES
INSTAGRAM WEBSITE races, including the Rim to Rim to Rim Grand Canyon ultra (twice).
Runners who are not sure they’re ready for Marathon Club may attend a build-up clinic, which is free of charge and helps participants build their base. Members pay an annual fee that includes customized club swag, post-run breakfast tickets, access to educational clinics and a discount on Runners Soul retail.
Kick-off is in January at the University of Lethbridge, with guest speakers who have included 2018 Boston Marathon third-place finisher Krista DuChene; John “the Penguin” Bingham; Olympian Dylan Wykes; and Indigenous activist and 1998 Saskatchewan Marathon winner Tarrant Cross Child.
Southern Alberta sees frequent weather changes, with high winds and heavy snowfalls, so most members love the motivation of meeting together regardless of what the forecast may bring. Mrak appreciates “encouragement when the weather is bad or you are having a rough day,” and describes the club as beneficial because you get to meet different runners with different goals. McNab would agree. “The club’s belief [is that] we all can be runners, that we can finish, and no matter what, our experience matters,” she says.
You know you are a part of the Runners Soul Run Club when you are running uphill and into the wind, still smiling.
Chantelle Erickson is a repeat marathon and ultramarathon finisher with an affinity for racing in the mountains. She is also a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor for Kinetic Indoor Cycle & Fitness in Lethbridge, Alta.