⚓ DEEP DIVE ⚓ Going the Distance: Exercise Groups Offer Community and More in Stamford
Learn About Them and How to Join
STAMFORD — There are many ways to connect with like-minded city residents in the community. An increasingly popular option is through exercise with one of several groups that have sprouted up in recent years.
Whether seeking to get in shape or stay fit, meet new people, or explore areas of Stamford, members of the groups are building stronger bonds along the way with a fun and passionate approach.
At the Starting Line
Beginning in July 2017, Davidson McCulloh founded the running group Stampede. “We started after the local Fleet Feet running store went out of business,” he said. “They used to host runs and had developed a nice community of runners.”
Fast forward to earlier this year and three other community groups began appearing on the scene.
Ally Kochersperger kicked things off with City Girls Who Walk Stamford, a local walking and social club for women in their 20s, in January followed by AJ Schrag and Stamford Rub Club then Omar Fortt and Runners Collective, two running groups, in June.
“The group was officially launched in June 2024, sparked by the desire of many Life Time Stamford members and staff to connect outside of the gym,” Schrag said about Stamford Run Club.
Conversations began and people became excited at the possibility. “We developed Stamford Run Club to help people connect through running, welcoming all levels and ages,” Schrag said.
For the Runners Collective, the launch was a way to connect and enjoy some of Stamford’s outdoor scenery.
The “group started with the longing for a young, affluent, fitness community in our city,” Fortt said. “Our team — including Ava Coleman, Marcel Roberts, and Jon Michael — came together to host runs and events all summer to push people athletically and have a third-place community that can give young people an escape, away from home and work.”
Keeping Pace
Membership ranges from in-person to social media and in corresponding phone applications like SweatPal and Strava, but in-person meetups usually have groups seeing between 50-100 attendees for each meetup.
For Stampede, “Stampede is a running club,” founder McCulloh said. “We generally have routes in the 3-5 mile range but people can add on if they wish.”
Schrag with Stamford Run Club said that the group also offers several pace options. They include:
A fast-paced group going 7–8 minutes per mile and covering around 3.5 miles
A moderately paced group going 9–10 minutes per mile and running about 3.0–3.2 miles
A slower-paced group going 10–11 minutes per mile and covering 3.0–3.2 miles
A run-walk group going 12–13 minutes per mile and completing 2.0–2.5 miles
When it comes to Runners Collective, they offer a running exercise ranging from 20 to 35 minutes.
Lastly, with City Girls Who Walk Stamford, Kochersperger said that members usually connect “at a local destination where we meet up, say our names, and answer a question of the day. Then we all walk between 2-3 miles around Stamford, always ending with a group photo.”
Interested in joining one of the groups? Here’s when each group meets for a walk, a run, or other activity.
City Girls Who Walk Stamford
Mondays “after work”
Sundays at 12:00 pm (about twice per month)
Social events at least once or twice a week
Runners Collective
Thursdays at 5:30 pm
Saturday mornings
Stamford Run Club
Wednesdays at 6:00 pm
Sundays at 11:00 am or 11:30 am (twice a month)
Stampede
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm
Saturdays at 9:00 am
Mondays at 6:30 pm (during the Summer)
Looking Forward
“Our main focus is to provide an opportunity for people to run together,” Stampede’s McCulloh said. “It’s always attracted newcomers to the area as well as locals.”
Stamford Run Club has sought to expand beyond their regular running opportunities with community engagement too.
“We were proud to sponsor the SPEF 5K at the Gold Level, and we regularly collaborate with local businesses, like Winfield Coffee, to strengthen those connections,” Schrag said.
On Sunday, October 27, the Stamford Run Club hosted its first “unofficial” 5k, raising funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with generous support from Stamford-based businesses.
“Our goal is to create a supportive and inclusive community where runners of all levels feel welcomed and encouraged in their journey,” Schrag said. “We plan to host an official 5K in the spring and are developing training programs for those aiming for longer races.”
Runners Collective is taking a similar approach, having raised funds to support Laurel House’s mental health resources and partnering with Restore Stamford, Evolve Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation, Elektric Water, Sign of the Whale, Juice Kings, and Pickleball America.
In the future, they are even planning an expansion of activities to include pickleball games by the end of fall and winter, Fortt said. “We are at a Social Athletic club that prioritizes genuine connection and community while pushing ourselves athletically.”
Kochersperger said that City Girls Who Walk Stamford is “always looking to do community events and partnerships, and give back.” They donated money to ovarian cancer research and are looking to do an event to support mental health.
To stay connected, City Girls Who Walk Stamford also has a “Discord channel to continue chatting with others and promote our community.” In the meantime, they “continue to plan more walks, activities, and build our communities.”
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