PATTA RUNNING TEAM // AMSTERDAM

‘We don’t take everything too damn serious,’ says Edson Sabajo, who started Patta in the summer of 2008. ‘Of course we want to go all out and break personal records, but we also like to party, have a good glass of whisky or have a long stroll around a museum. We are just showing other people that, no matter what you do, your age, weight or the weather, you can do this.’

On Tuesdays the Patta crew run intervals, Wednesdays are easy pace and Sundays are long-run days, but they’re not slaves to structure: ‘Most of the time we just call up somebody and say “Hey, you wanna run?”,’ says Sabajo.

The group’s welcoming philosophy has created a diverse mix of members, ‘in running speed, height, weight, gender and age’, says Sabajo ‘Work environment doesn’t matter, either – we have members who are lawyers, police officers, you name it. As long as they have fun while running and do their best, everything is fine. If you want to join the group, just come and train. Everybody is welcome as long as I have space. Crew-love, all day everyday!’

Sabajo is conscious of the debt owed to the early crews and the importance of the Bridge The Gap movement in the continued evolution of the scene. ‘After what these crews started, a lot of new crews from all over the world joined the movement.’ says Sabajo. ‘We need to keep on moving and bring in new generations, new crews, new projects. A big shout-out to all the crews worldwide: keep doing what you’re doing and we will meet on the road somewhere in the world.’

WE’RE INSPIRED

‘I want to give a special shout-out to Mike Seas and Charlie Dark from Bridge Runners and Run Dem Crew, who planted the seeds of this global social-running movement,’ says Sabajo. ‘And to the crews pioneering the Bridge The Gap movement [which connects running crews from around the world; search #bridgethegap #btg on Instagram]: NBRO, Berlin Braves, Paris Running Club and Moscow River Runners.

WORDS WE LIVE BY

‘“S’avonds een man, s’ochtends een man” is a Dutch expression that means that if you party hard, be prepared for the consequences in the morning…’

FOLLOW US

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