Juan Charria pictured in the center alongside other attendees during first event this past week.{Coral Sprints Run Club}
Lace up those sneakers and grab your towels. Coral Springs has a new run club. As word spreads throughout the community, the club aims to inspire many residents to enhance their physical fitness without requiring a pricey gym membership.
Coral “Sprints” Run Club meets every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. outside Burgerfi restaurant in The Walk plaza on University Drive. But before the club came to fruition, it was an idea that evolved from founder Juan Charrias’ motivation to achieve his own fitness goals.
“I was trying to find an activity to get more active, develop a healthier lifestyle, basically, and would not put me at risk of injuries,” Charrias explained.
Charrias developed a passion for the sport and the community surrounding it by getting involved with his previous local running club in Fort Lauderdale. So much so that after moving to Coral Springs in April, he knew it was only right to continue participating in groups here in town.
“I started running with groups of people in Fort Lauderdale,” he said, adding, “running with that group for about six months really sparked this fire in me.”
Team photo {Coral Sprints Run Club}
But when he noticed the lack of a fully developed run club in Coral Springs, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
“ I didn’t really find something that was very organized,” Charrias reasoned. “People would occasionally get together, but not really try to unite the community and develop that running culture, which is kind of taking over, all the cities you kind of see have a Run Club nowadays. I just wanted to put Coral Springs on the map.”
The club founder also mentioned initial concerns when forming the safest routes for running, as selecting cautious paths was their primary concentration.“Obviously, safety is first,” Charrias insisted. “People are running out on the street, there’s going to be some concerns. That was the main focus: finding a central spot that would still offer safety to runners and walkers alike.”
While centralizing the importance of inclusivity and community building, Charrias is confident of the ethos he wants to promote. In addition to the fact that the club is not competitive, they gladly welcome walkers, joggers, and even people pushing children in strollers.
He also resonates with the family-oriented culture that the city of Coral Springs heavily values.
“I would 75% of the time go with my daughter in the stroller,” Charrias said, recounting his previous experiences in the Ft Lauderdale Run Club.
“People have different goals in running. Some people want to do it for the exercise, others for training, and looking to compete in a race in the future, but everybody runs their own run.”
Charrias also explains the role of pacers in guiding the runners, ensuring that no one is left behind. In addition, the club is a welcoming space for people of all fitness levels.
“Right now, it’s a team of five pacers, including myself. Everything from fast runners to walkers, that way attendees have some sort of guidance if they have any questions whatsoever. Somebody is there with them, so nobody’s lost.”
The Coral “Sprints” run club is free and does not require paid membership. It also has an open-door policy, provides water, and a safe space free of negativity. The group’s next event is on Thursday, June 5, at 6:30 pm, where the group commences on a two-mile run.
Charrias shares words of positivity and encouragement in hopes that the club’s popularity grows. He also tells those hesitant to join not to worry about feeling intimidated by the sport.
“Everybody leads busy lives, and we don’t want to put any kind of pressure on anybody,” Charrias finalized. “We just want to bring the love we found in running to others, because it is contagious.”
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