Blog: Feature Stories

It’s that time of year. When our social media feeds are filled with finish line pics and triumphant photos from New York, Chicago, Marine Corps, and other marathon stories of personal success… served up with side of feeling that we’re missing out. This sensation can be particularly acute for us runners who find ourselves on the sidelines, whether by choice or circumstance.

Arguably, the running community is supportive by nature, but it’s also a breeding ground for comparison. When you see friends, celebs, and even strangers conquering these events, it’s easy to feel a surge of motivation mixed with a dash of envy. Scrolling through all the post-race selfies and reading emotional recaps can trigger a sense of urgency to participate – whether or not you’re physically or mentally prepared. 

Those feeling can be amplified for runners who can’t find an opportunity to write their own success stories – like those hoping to register for this year’s Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, only to find entries sold out. You read that right. As of this writing, the marathon, half marathon, relay, and rucking divisions have all reached capacity. Entries to the Chick-fil-A 5k are the only ones remaining for the November 16 events. 

What To Do If You Missed Out 

But just because you can’t find an entry for this year’s event, that doesn’t mean you can’t be part of the 20^th anniversary celebration. Here are just a few ways to be part of the excitement:

Register for the Chick-Fil-A 5K: A great option for runners of all levels to participate in the event weekend. 

Volunteer Opportunities: Contribute to the running community by volunteering at the Expo or on race day.

Join the Party: Celebrate with runners and friends this Sunday, November 10^th for the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon sendoff party. It starts at 3pm at Mattie’s Diner. (3100 The Plaza, CLT 28205)

Join the Waitlist: There is a waitlist for the FULL Marathon only. https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Charlotte/CharlotteMarathon 

The Bigger Picture

Remember that running is a lifelong journey, not a single event. FOMO can push you to grow, but it shouldn’t dictate your running decisions. Listen to your body, respect your current circumstances, focus on your personal progress, and plan ahead. At least in the near future, more and more events are expected to reach capacity – and faster. A full 60% of respondents to the Running USA 2024 Global Running Survey indicating they’ll run even MORE events in the coming years.  

And just like that, it’s dark. Really dark.

Remember those lovely evening run club get-togethers, basking in the warm glow of the setting sun? Well, kiss those goodbye. Yes, we know we’ve been losing daylight since the summer solstice, but this is just too much drama. Now, by the time we lace up after work, it’s darker than a black hole’s basement. Soon we’ll be running by streetlight, headlamps on, and it’s not even 6pm.

Literally, just derailing the motivation train.

“I’ll just wake up earlier and run in the morning!” Can confirm that we’ve used that line, but have had little luck executing on that plan. It’s ridiculous how an hour’s difference can wreck your body’s rhythm. Now that 6am alarm feels like 3am, and the bed has never been more magnetic. Even though “falling back” allegedly gains us an hour, we have a hard time convincing our body and brain they’re winning here.

Shifting Gear

At least summer running’s wardrobe is simple. “Shoulder season” requires a whole new kind of study in local meteorology. Shorts or tights? Long sleeves, arm warmers, jackets or vests? Once you’re layered up like an onion, you’ll soon be shedding clothes trying to find that happy place between too cold and too warm. And does anyone remember where they stored all that reflective gear and headlamps when they got stored away last spring?

Running buddies dropping like flies

Running partners can get a little scarce this time of year. The darker and colder it gets, you’ll find those fair-weather running friends will go into hibernation, leaving you with even more reasons to stay put. Trying to organize a group run requires the persuasive powers of a used car salesman. “No, really, it’ll be fun,” you tell them, knowing damned well they’ll probably hate it. You’ll promise post-run coffee, a conversational pace, and all that jazz. At least it’s always a surprise to find out who’ll actually show up.

Here are some tips to roll with the changes from our friend Juliet Kuehnle at Sun Counseling and Wellness: 

• Get as much light as possible in the morning to help regulate your internal clock.
• Consider exploring new indoor exercise routines or joining classes that add some structure and motivation.
• Adjust your goals to focus on the mood benefits of exercise. Rather than chasing personal bests, aim to get moving in ways that feel good.

Daylight savings time’s end feels like a temporal assault on our well-established running routines, forcing us to unnecessarily adapt. Yes, we’ll be irrationally angry about it — for a little while, anyway. We’ll rage against the dying light (literally) until we get to do it all again in the spring. And just when we feel like we’ve gotten into a groove…

“It’s 2024, and the world has gone creepy,” Rebecca Greene said. “Some women just want to run, and they don’t want to be bothered.”

We’re on an ever-so-slight tangent during this interview. We’re talking about women and running, safety in numbers, and the growth and popularity of all-female running clubs. And she has all legitimate points. Sometimes, run club just needs to be about the running.

But as we discussed in the first part of this series, run clubs in Charlotte – and in other fast-growing cities like it – have become increasing popular places for folks to find new friends, learn more about the places they lives, and yes; maybe even find love.

READ: Run Club Romance – Part 1: You never know who you might meet

While the runners we spoke with said they see Charlotte area run clubs as a space for fitness and friendship first, they agreed there’s opportunity to find a potential partner. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re looking or interested or successful. At the very least, the shared interest in running and the time spent logging a few miles together can kindle a friendship or something more. And running is as good a place as any to begin.

For the Love of Running First

“We might enjoy running for different reasons, and there might be something interesting about that as a starting point,” said Jackie Greco, a licensed mental health counselor at Sun Counseling and Wellness in Charlotte.

Greco explained how a group setting, like a run club, generally has some rules of engagement that provide a level of safety and comfort in being able to move in and out of conversations with smaller groups or individuals. That can make it easy for folks to strike up conversations, stick around if they’re clicking, or move along if they’re not.

“Through them, we might find something else that we share a connection on,” she added, “and we wouldn’t have even been talking if we weren’t meeting at this mutual space to run.”

Which is precisely how Lindsey McGee and Tom Holland connected. McGee and Holland met at a run club event – his first-ever run club, actually. He’d been living in Huntersville and had just moved to Charlotte. Their 10 to 15-minute casual conversation eventually grew into something more.

“She was literally the first person I met in the Charlotte running community,” said Holland, who’d been running most of his miles by himself. “She welcomed me when I walked onto the parking lot!”

They would then start meeting up at other running clubs and registering for the same races. That led to smaller, group outings with friends, and eventually a dinner date.

“We were just running together as friends, but after a few months, we realized we had a deeper connection,” McGee told us. But instinctively, she knew there might be more to it. “I just had this weird feeling that he is going to like have an impact in my world in some form or fashion, even if he’s like an amazing run friend.”

“It was really completely organic – I literally didn’t know a soul,” Holland added. “As a single guy, I’d wanted to find some community after my son moved away from college. A few months go by, we find out we have an awful lot of things in common, and then here we are!”

But it’s not always that simple

Billy Shue, who once dated someone he met through a run club, understands both the potential rewards and risks. “When things didn’t work out, we had to give each other some space,” Shue recalled. Over time, he said, they found a way to continue running together without things being weird or uncomfortable. But, the experience didn’t change Shue’s positive outlook.

“You can’t force these things when it comes to a romantic relationship,” Shue said, “but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your eyes open to the possibilities, and if something happens and it doesn’t work out, hopefully we can still be friends.”

Lauren Tamberino also experienced a few romantic connections through run clubs, though none developed into long-term relationships. Her experience was similar to Shue’s; needing a little space after a relationship ended within the club. “I avoided run club for a bit, just to let things cool off,” she noted. While things eventually returned to normal, her experience is a reminder of the risks of dating within close-knit social groups. Run clubs included.

However, as a Gen X-aged runner, Tamberino acknowledged younger runners might feel differently about finding a partner at run club. “I see younger runners, and there’s so much pressure to find someone and settle down. It’s unfortunate, but I feel it’s definitely society-driven,” she said. For her, run clubs still offer both social fulfillment and fitness partners, even if they don’t net a romantic outcome.

“It’s easy to meet people in run clubs because you’re spending time together on long runs. I’ve made great friendships, and while some romantic interests didn’t work out, I’ve created long-lasting bonds,” she explained.

If you’re still looking

For those who navigate these challenges successfully, like McGee and Holland, it’s encouraging for others who are still looking. Their friendship-first approach allowed them to build a foundation for their relationship before it ever became romantic.

And if a relationship doesn’t last long term, that doesn’t mean it was a waste of time. Tamberino, Shue, and others are proof of that the sense of community and camaraderie is the real reward.

“I’ve found my community in these run clubs—great friendships, lots of love, and support. Everything I need in a partner is wrapped up in the people I run with,” Tamberino shared. For her, the relationships she’s formed within the clubs, whether romantic or not, have enriched her life.

“Run clubs can be great for meeting people, but it’s important to manage your expectations,” Greco reminded runners who may be considering looking for romance within run clubs. “Be patient. Rushing into romance can backfire, leading to hurt feelings and awkwardness.”

It’s also important to respect others’ boundaries and read the room, or the run, as the case may be. Not everyone is looking for something “more” from run club.

As Greene put it, “I don’t want to be hit on, I don’t want to be pursued, I just want to run.”

Charlotte’s running club scene is huge. There’s not a day of the week – morning or evening – that you can’t catch a few miles, find community, or grab a coffee or beer with some like-minded folks. 

And it’s more than just the fitness-minded who are seeking out these groups. Folks moving to fast-growing cities like Charlotte are finding run clubs to be great ways to explore their new hometown, make new friends, and participate in a social setting that’s not a booze-soaked bar scene. There are 117 new neighbors in the Charlotte area every day. Not all of them are runners, but run clubs are an attractive, low-stakes hang for newcomers and natives alike. 

Many or even most runners may enjoy run clubs for the miles or the accountability that comes with a regularly-scheduled workout. And there’s no denying it’s easier to make a connection when you’ve got at least some sort of shared interest— like participating in the same run club every week. But can run clubs kindle the kind of sparks to fuel a romantic relationship? Like most things, it’s complicated.  

There’s lots to talk about on a 20 mile run

The pandemic brought us WFH life, remote or hybrid jobs, and arguably forever changed how we interact with each other during most of our waking (and working) hours. It also lit the fuse on a running boom that’s created unprecedented growth in running, races – and run clubs. Even while events remained on hold, were cancelled, or went virtual; running never “closed.” It was, and remains, an in-real-life opportunity to gather. 

Many runners find that social aspect of run clubs is just as rewarding as the physical benefits. Rebecca Greene is a Mad Miles run club regular and a Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassador. Like others, she found running and run clubs during the pandemic.

“Joining other run clubs has taught me so much, and you meet people, which spices up your social and friend group a bit more,” Greene told us. For her, the connections made during these group runs are central to her experience. Green said she feels social media has made run clubs a new and popular option for folks looking to find more than friends. 

“People are trying to find other ways to find their ‘forever,’ and that’s OK,” she added. “But when I’m out there and I’m just trying to get in a run, I don’t want your number. I just want some Gatorade.” 

Lauren Tamberino has been active in Charlotte’s running and fitness community since 2010. Run clubs have helped her meet people and have led to some romantic opportunities. 

 “I feel like the fitness world in Charlotte is super small. You run into a lot of people,” Tamberino explained. “I’ve definitely dated a couple of people because of run clubs. Obviously, it didn’t work out, but I think it’s a great way to meet people… you have a lot of time to talk on a 20 mile run.”  

Billy Shue is a fixture in the Charlotte’s running scene. He’s seriously OG. Like, finding running and training partners on MySpace OG. For him, run clubs have been mostly about finding someone to train with. Shue is also a regular on the podium at area races. With his training schedule, it’s no surprise he’s connected with a few folks within the local running community who’ve become more than running buddies. 

“I’ve met people and I’ve dated a few that I’ve met through run clubs,” he said, emphasizing his own personal caution when it comes to dating within the running scene. “You’ve got to be careful — you don’t want to ruin the group dynamic.” 

For Shue, run groups and clubs have been a big part of his support network as a runner and his social circle. “I’ve been able to establish relationships with people I still counts among my best friends today.”

If I find someone, great… 

As you might expect, not every runner feels run clubs are an ideal setting for finding romance. That includes a runner we’ll call Mary Thornton, who agreed to our interview but didn’t want to use her real name. Thornton has been running around Charlotte for a few years, and recently added run clubs to her routine. She told us she feels dating shouldn’t be the goal of participating in run clubs, but she understand the attraction. 

“I think my generation and younger, we’re getting off the dating apps and we’re trying to find other spaces,” she said, “we’re not really drinking that much, and we’re seeking out other things to do that are more physical, like pickle ball, running, and tennis.”

Like Greene, she said social media has made run clubs and other activity-based options popular choices to meet people. She admits she’s “noticed” other runners she thought were cute, and has even asked friends if they had any scoop. It’s gone no further than casual conversation, and she’s fine with that. She’s content on letting a relationship develop on its own. 

That’s Shue’s approach now, too. “I go for the run and also the social thing, but that thought’s always in the back of my head,” he added. “You never know who you might meet.”

Tamberino echoed those sentiments, highlighting how the weight to find someone can often be self-imposed. “I think there’s pressure, especially for younger people. Society drives that pressure to find someone and settle down,” she said. Tamberino pointed out that she enjoys the community aspect of run clubs, and emphasized that she’s fine whether or not she finds a partner within the group. “If I find someone, great, but if I don’t, I’m just as happy.” 

Again, it’s complicated

Jackie Greco is a licensed mental health counselor at Sun Counseling and Wellness here in Charlotte. She regularly works with couples and others navigating the complexities of relationships and dating. 

“There’s a positive benefit to meeting through a group with some shared interest,” Greco said “when we’re talking about building connections and relationships, whether it’s for friendships or whether it’s for romantic relationships, shared interests and values are the very basis of any good, healthy relationship.”

Some runners are wary, other want no part, and others still are fully willing to embrace the possibility of finding more than friends through run clubs. After all, if you’re spending a significant amount of time (or miles) around the same people, there’s always the possibility that particular friendships could turn into something more. But again, it’s complicated. 

“There’s always the risk that a failed relationship could disrupt your participation or cause tension within the group,” Greco said. She reminded runners to be careful of their expectations and to weigh the potential fallout. 

That’s a point Tamberino touched on during our interview, too; recalling how after a brief romantic involvement with someone in run club, she felt the need to temporarily distance herself from the group. “I didn’t want to deal with it, even though no one knew about it. I just needed some space to let things settle.”

In the second part of our series, we’ll get into some success stories and cautionary tales from the Charlotte run club scene. 

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As accessible as your kitchen or the corner store, there’s probably no performance-enhancing substance more studied than caffeine. It’s pretty much the OG energy drink. Please tell us we’re not the only ones who remember the “Coffee Achievers” ad campaigns?? (We’ll wait here while you dig on this oh-so-80’s vibe.)

Regardless, we know we’re not starting the day without it, but we wanted to know if caffeine’s kick is all it’s cracked-up to be when it comes to running and endurance. We asked Dr. Ryan Stempniak, a family and sports medicine physician at Novant Health.

The Benefits of Caffeine for Runners

Caffeine is widely-recognized as an ergogenic aid, meaning it can enhance physical performance, Dr. Stempniak explains. “It can help people with decreased fatigue during their run and can improve performance even during shorter runs”. This makes caffeine an easy and popular choice for folks like runners and cyclists.

The effects of caffeine can last for some time in your system, too. “The half-life of caffeine is about 6 hours, so it stays in your system for about 6 to 12 hours,” Dr. Stempniak notes. This prolonged effect is something to keep in mind when planning your caffeine intake, especially for evening runs.

Timing Your Caffeine Intake

For optimal performance benefits, Dr. Stempniak recommends consuming caffeine, “45 minutes to an hour before running”. If you’re pressed for time, 30 minutes before your run can still be effective. However, be cautious with evening runs, as the lingering effects of caffeine might interfere with your sleep. And, caffeine can get your bowels moving, too. So plan accordingly.

How Much Caffeine Should Runners Consume?

The amount of caffeine in a typical cup of coffee ranges from 80 to 120 milligrams. Dr. Stempniak suggests that “you can do probably 2 cups of coffee, and you should be kind of around that 200 milligram dose”. This dosage has been shown to be effective for many runners.

It’s important to note that individual responses to caffeine can vary. Some runners may benefit from lower doses, while others might need more. Dr. Stempniak reminds us that you can become tolerant to caffeine, too. So if 200 milligrams isn’t working for you, it may be okay to increase to 300 milligrams. If you’re no longer getting that bump from caffeine, consider backing off a bit, then getting back on the sauce. 

Coffee vs. Energy Drinks

While both coffee and energy drinks contain caffeine, they’re not created equal. Energy drinks often contain additional ingredients like ginseng or taurine, which can have their own effects. Dr. Stempniak recommends checking the NSF website for regulated caffeine supplements if you’re considering alternatives to coffee, and advises starting “low and going slow” if you’re new to using caffeine as a performance aid.

Potential Side Effects and Precautions

While caffeine can boost performance, it’s essential to be aware of potential side effects:

1. Dehydration: Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it can increase fluid loss. Make sure you’re properly hydrated, and plan to drink fluids before/during your run. 

2. Jitters or Palpitations: Some people may experience nervousness or rapid heartbeat with high caffeine intake. Dr. Stempniak’s advice on starting with lower dosages makes good sense. 

3. Digestive Issues: Caffeine can stimulate the bowels, which might be inconvenient during your run or race. Plan accordingly. 

Charlotte Runners’ Caffeine Strategies

Of course, we had to crowdsource some local runners about their own caffeine strategies. We tapped into our Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors for the intel:

– Jeniece Jamison, training for the Charlotte Half Marathon, opts for “a full cup of coffee with fish collagen” on race day. 

– Kayla Corbin, preparing for the Novant Health Marathon relay, avoids caffeine before races but looks forward to her post-race coffee.

– Ameya Datey, gearing up for several half marathons, prefers “a shot of espresso before heading out to the race (if possible) or a small black coffee.”

Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or caffeine-cautious, understanding how caffeine affects your running can help you get the most out of it as a performance enhancer. Being smart about it can also help limit any negatives you could experience from caffeine use. Listen to your body; and if you have questions, consult with a healthcare professional like the pros at Novant Health. 

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