Fri. Feb 14th, 2025

RUN 061: The Limerick Run Club That’s Building Friendships, One Step at a Time.

ByAilish Armstrong

Sunday, 13 October 2024, 21:18 , ,
https://www.instagram.com/gromnitskiy/

Picture: @Grominitskiy

“You come into a place where strangers turn into your biggest fans and cheerleaders.”

Originally from South Africa, Prav and Aimee Dana, like many who relocate to a new country, struggled to meet people beyond the workplace: “The only place we really made friendships was within our workplace and we were looking for interactions and like-minded friendships outside of that space”. The couple began an Instagram page with low expectations but saw growth almost immediately.

“We set up an Instagram page that was quite innocent and didn’t expect it to grow legs. We thought we’d make one or two friends, but as luck would have it, it’s kind of grown, and we’ve made a ton of friends and great connections through this.”, Prav says.

The birth of a community.

Beginning with just four members, including its founders, Run061 has now grown to a group of up to 120 people. “I think we’ve been very fortunate for it to grow exponentially already.” Prav shares, “It’s incredible.”

More than just running.

What started as a group of strangers, quickly became a place of support. “You come into a place where strangers turn into your biggest fans and cheerleaders,” Co-founder Aimee comments. For members like Jastelle Hugo, the club is much more than just running:

“When you are in your twenties and your thirties, it’s harder to find friends. I’m not from Ireland, so when I moved here, it was quite lonely at the start. So finding new friends along the way in a new home made it feel more like home because you have something that you belong to.”

A Safe Space For Women

For many women, clubs like Run061 offer a safer way to stay active. Member Vicky Graham shares how running with the group has changed her experience. “I have always liked running, but I felt pretty unsafe running by myself as a woman, especially after work in the dark.” Co-founder Aimee, echoes this sentiment, drawing from personal experience.

“I was attacked while running, so I understand how important it is to feel secure,” she explains. “That’s why we’ve introduced a women’s night on Mondays, where we run together as a group—especially as the darker evenings of winter approach.”

You can find more details about the run club on Instagram @run06one.