Finding Your Stride

Two years ago, Adam Songer could barely run a mile. But this past fall, Lauren Songer cheered with pride for her husband as he crossed the finish line at his first marathon. Lauren, a former high school cross-country runner, had simply been looking for a way to stay active when they first walked into a New River Runners meeting in Giles County. What they discovered was far more than a running club.

The New River Valley region hosts four distinct running clubs, each with its own character but united in making running and walking accessible to everyone. These groups have become vital community hubs, transforming lives and creating connections across Montgomery, Giles and Pulaski counties, extending into southern West Virginia.

The Blacksburg Striders, founded in 1980, is the region’s oldest club. For more than four decades, its purpose has remained constant: Providing community involvement and camaraderie for local runners through group events, races, social activities and community service. The Striders strive to create an atmosphere that is equally welcoming to competitive racers and casual joggers. 

Beyond weekly group runs, they collaborate with Runabout Sports to organize several local races throughout the year, creating opportunities for all levels to challenge themselves in a supportive environment. In addition, they donate both money and volunteer time to local community groups, including the Poverty Creek Trails Coalition, New River Land Trust, and Blacksburg High School track and cross-country teams.

When Morgan Corl, Jonathan Roberts and Sara Yun founded the Christiansburg Run Club in January 2020, they believed their town needed an inclusive place to walk and run together. Their vision proved right. The club has become a welcoming space where people show up to run at all paces, walk with their dogs or push little ones in strollers. As they put it: It’s “never truly about running — it’s about making friends, moving together and creating a tight community.” 

Joshua Soloway embodies this philosophy. After discovering the club while recovering from back surgery, he went from being the slowest runner to completing his first 5K and walking a half marathon. More importantly, he found a supportive group that’s become a highlight of his week. “I cannot think of a way in which Christiansburg Run Club hasn’t changed my life,” he says.

As the region’s newest club, New River Runners has brought fresh energy to Giles County since 2023. Founded to connect neighbors through fitness while showcasing the area’s natural beauty, the group traces scenic routes along the New River and Wolf Creek. What started as weekly runs have evolved into something deeper — genuine friendships, group races and litter cleanups along their favorite trails. This community spirit will culminate in their inaugural Wolf Creek Runs Wild 5K and 10K this October, with all proceeds benefiting Mill Creek Nature Park improvements. It’s proof that running groups can spark meaningful change beyond the finish line.

 

 

The Southern West Virginia Road Runners Club (SWVRRC) extends the running community across state lines, uniting runners throughout the “two Virginias” area. While the club hosts occasional group runs, their real strength lies in showing up for one another at regional races, something they do most weekends during race season. 

Donna Akers of Narrows embodies this supportive spirit. She started power walking and  running when she was 32. Now, 44 years later, Donna has competed in 923 races with her sights set on 1,000. Her presence at nearly every regional race exemplifies how the club fuels lifelong passions and proves it’s never too late to find your stride, walking or running.

What makes these clubs special is their welcoming nature and diverse offerings for runners of all levels. They’ve become essential social outlets, particularly in rural areas, extending beyond running to include gym workouts, hiking, biking, birthday celebrations and social gatherings at local coffee shops and breweries.

As people seek meaningful connections, these running groups prove that fitness doesn’t have to be solitary and that community building happens one step at a time. They create spaces where everyone belongs, regardless of pace or distance.

 

Text by Alicia Lane
Photos by Nathan Cooke

 

Alicia Lane channels her passion for community building through her roles on the Narrows town council, as race director for Wolf Creek Runs Wild, and as founder of New River Runners, where she brings people together through outdoor recreation.