Letter Regarding the Barrie Running Room's 10th Anniversary

This letter is being sent to the Running Room Magazine (hopefully for inclusion in a future issue). Thanks to Hellaina for putting it together.

Ten years ago this spring, Barrie finally transitioned from regional urban centre to a progressive big city. Well, in the minds of runners, anyway! No longer did we have to travel an hour to find a suitable selection of footwear, and we now had a place to meet and share our passion. The Running Room had arrived.

The first managers, Craig and Jason, established the store in a downtown plaza, accessible to the waterfront recreation trail, and at the foot of the ancient shoreline (hills!). Roger was among the first run club members, soon followed by Clarence, Nancy and Eric. Keith started while taking a clinic, and Hellaina started coming out. Georgian College runner Nataliya joined in, and thus formed, in the first year of the Running Room in Barrie, a dedicated group that continues to this day. Along the way, Anne, Mike, Peter, Tim and Renee shared the running trail before their lives took them elsewhere across the country.

While the group started small, the running movement swept into Barrie and along with the energy supplied by a super new manager, Kathy, Run Club in Barrie flourished. Clinics were full, and Wednesdays and Sundays erupted in popularity. So much so, that a new location became desirable. With the help of run club volunteers, the store was packed up one Saturday evening, moved two blocks further downtown into a larger location, and reopened Sunday morning. What a team effort!

Barrie’s Running Room continued to serve a local population eager to "Learn to Run or Walk," achieve their "Personal Best," or try "Marathon Training." Run Club volunteers including Jim and Janet lent their talents to create a downstairs clinic room at the store which, thanks to the hard work of current manager Lindsay, is often double-booked on any given evening. Members and clinic leaders Terry and Sandra have been among the most active Run Club members, organizing numerous bus trips to various events. Barrie runners represent their city as "The Barrie Roadrunners," a group that provides an online forum, social networking, and identity through team gear. The Barrie store now ranks among the top stores for registration in the Resolution Run and participation in the 20 Minute Challenge events, a testament to the dedication of Barrie’s running community.

Meanwhile, that original group has seen its own members progress: we have travelled together to several local and international events, including the Boston Marathon; when a few of us tried some ultras several years ago, the others questioned our sanity until they tried it and loved it, and a couple of us have taken time off for injury or to have children only to return to the continued support of the others. And of course we have grown: Terry, Brendan, Kevin and Oliver are now long-standing, and Jamie and Theo have recently joined the ranks.

It would be impossible to measure the years in miles, but the strength we have each gained by what we have done and where we have gone together, will carry us through the next 10 years, the new running adventures, and beyond.

Happy 10th Anniversary, Barrie Run Club!

Quotes from the group:

Getting together socially outside of running is a big part of the successful longevity of the group. Supporting each other as runners in our momentary escapes from the realities of daily living . . . but then the willingness to share those realities after the run is in part what keeps us together.
Terry from Barrie

Of those who have been part of the group, the one who deserves mention would be Peter. He was our speed teacher and had been to Boston: wow, he was a real runner. I don't think any of us would ever have dreamed we would get there.
Roger
When I first met Keith, he mentioned to me that he saw me running around the neighbourhood and wondered "what the hell I was doing running up and down the hills" and to this day I still don't know. It is through running that I forged strong friendships with Barrie running community. I want to thank each and everyone of my running friends for getting me through some challenging times both in my personal life and in my running career.
Clarence