BUFFALO, N.Y. — There’s a running revolution taking place across the city of Buffalo, and each Thursday it all starts at a local bar.
Dozens of runners—decked out in shorts, headbands, ball caps, visors, and of course, bright running shoes—flood to the city for the weekly Buffalo Run Club meeting.
"You could run a half mile and go have a margarita and it would be great,” laughs Susan Bentley, whose been a part of the group for nearly a year.
Yes, that’s part of what makes the Buffalo Run Club so fun: getting the chance to hang out and grab a drink with some friends while getting a workout in.
"I think I saw a Facebook post about it initially and I was like 'Okay, I'll go, I'll try it out,’” Bentley remembers fondly. “The drinks were an added bonus, so it was a fun way to meet people that way. And it just kind of stuck."
Bentley’s story is similar to many in the group: she’d always loved running, but mostly did it alone before finding the Buffalo Run Club.
Others found the group despite not being huge running fans.
With several thousand followers across social media, and run groups growing each week, their slogan apparently holds true: "Even if you hate running, you'll love us."
Buffalo Run Club’s creator, Kathleen Granchelli, says that slogan started as something fun she thought up one day, but the growing popularity makes it ring true; in fact she says Lululemon—who sponsors a lot of running groups like this—says the Buffalo Run Club is one of their most well-attended groups in the country.
"I think people are starting to like see it and recognize that it's something not ordinary,” says Andrew Henesey, one of Granchelli’s friends who has been with Buffalo Run Club since it first started 3 years ago. "A lot of the people I talk to honestly are intimidated. But [Buffalo Run Club is] kind of positioned where it can be for people who want a hard run, but also people who want to just start to exercise lightly and not stress about 'I'm running this many miles at this pace.'"
And yes, they do hold more serious “speed nights” on Tuesdays, but the Thursday evening runs are what draw a truly unique, diverse crowd.
With run routes ranging from 1-6 miles on any given night, truly anyone at any skill level can jump right in.
Bentley says she recognized the benefits almost immediately.
"We push each other a lot harder than we would if we were running independently,” Bentley says. “And it's fun to just chat with people while you're running too."
From the run, to the friendships, and even to the pre- and post-run drinks, the group should only grow as the spring and summer months finally settle in.
You can follow along with the group’s location calendar by following their Instagram at @bflorunclub, or on Facebook by following lululemon Buffalo Run Club.
Added bonus—it doesn’t cost anything! The group says all you need to do is show up, ready to run and have a good time.