On most mornings, you are likely to see people breezing down sidewalks or along Charlotte’s vast trail network. There are more than 74 miles of greenway trails in Mecklenburg County where people run, bike or simply get from one place to another.
Each Monday, a group of 50 or more of those runners meet at 6:05 a.m. at the Atherton Mill Shopping Center. It is Charlotte’s first women-only run club.
What began as a small idea between two runners has transformed into a thriving community of women. According to the Strava fitness-tracking app, the Morning Run Club, founded by Pauline Schwerbrock and Jordan Sosa, is 562 members strong. They do 3- and 5-mile loops each week, encouraging runners to go at their own pace, and they welcome any experience level – but “girls only,” at least for their Monday runs.
Schwerbrock and Sosa met in 2022. They were training in the same track workout and then started running together on a regular basis. “We found we love to run with other friends,” said Sosa.
A track workout is just that – a training run on an indoor or outdoor track. Schwerbrock and Sosa were training to run in the Boston Marathon.
The connection they had made soon turned into the idea for the Morning Run Club, a group for women runners in Charlotte that offers, according to Schwerbrock and Sosa, a space for personal growth and friendship in addition to its obvious fitness benefits.
The club’s mission is simple: to bring women together for group runs while also cultivating strong friendships.
“We want girls to run together on Mondays, but the bigger picture is like what Jordan and I have – our hope is you meet someone you vibe with and end up running together throughout the week,” Schwerbrock added.
Safety is also a concern.
“There were a lot of stories about women getting kidnapped or hurt while running alone,” Sosa explained. “We wanted to offer a community where women could feel safer and supported.”
In April, after heightened concerns in Mecklenburg County, two runners from Run CLT Run spoke in front of Charlotte City Council and requested that cameras be installed along the greenway. At the time, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation responded in a statement to several news outlets that “Park and Recreation does not install cameras on greenways because greenways are mostly located in floodplains.” Cameras are installed at trailhead parking lots.
Location signs were first installed along the greenways last year – continuing into 2024 and planned for future greenways – that identify a specific location with a posted “911.” These are located every one-quarter mile and are meant to quicken the response time for emergency services.
Nearby city officials in Mount Holly approved the installation of five security cameras along the RiverHawk Greenway in July.
But some runners might still be hesitant to run alone. The club provides that extra level of safety in numbers. “It’s a great way to bond and for safety reasons, it’s better to run together,” said Sosa.
Running a mile or a marathon
Since its launch earlier this year, the Morning Run Club continues to grow. At the beginning, it consisted of only a small circle of friends and family. Now it has expanded to include a wide range of women with a variety of paces and running goals.
“We have added more pace options, and we now have a 2-mile route that can be more approachable for beginners,” stated Sosa.
The club promotes events and collaborations with local fitness studios and businesses, offering members additional opportunities to connect. “We’ve done group workouts at Orange Theory, Hustle House, and Barry’s,” Schwerbrock mentioned. The club also did a “long run” on Global Running Day, June 5, partnering with Every Woman’s Marathon. Some members are headed to Savannah, Ga. in November for the only female-focused race in the country, with 7,000 runners.
Members of the Morning Run Club often bond over their own personal running journeys and celebrate milestones like one’s first 10K or another’s first half marathon.
“It’s been so fun seeing girls chasing after their running goals,” said Sosa. “Whether they run a mile or a marathon, everyone’s welcome.”
In the future, Schwerbrock and Sosa hope to see continued growth in their community of women runners, and plan to offer more social opportunities and collaborate with local fitness brands.
For the vast number of women runners in Charlotte, clubs like this play a critical role in helping people get active and build strong relationships.
Sosa and Schwerbrock’s advice for new runners is simple: anyone can be a runner.
“You don’t have to run a marathon. You can run a mile, walk, or just show up. It’s all about setting personal goals, and we’re here to support you no matter what,” Sosa encouraged.
Macie Newnam
Reporter (she/her)
Queens University News Service
