Run clubs are not a thing of the past; in fact, it seems more trendy than ever to join one. Chico’s absence of run clubs is a challenge that Andrew D’Lugos has embarked on to eliminate for runners in the Chico community.
Andrew D’Lugos is an assistant professor of exercise physiology at Chico State. He and his wife, Jess D’Lugos, moved to Chico in 2022. Both share a passion for running, and sought to join a club to meet others with their shared interest, while getting to know the area.
Andrew D’Lugos and Jess were involved with a run club while living in Florida, and were surprised that it was difficult to find an active group to join in Chico. So, they decided to create one themselves, calling it the Bidwell Run Club.
“When we first moved here two years ago, it seemed that there were isolated pockets of folks who were interested in trail running and ultra-running,” Andrew D’Lugos said. “But there wasn’t a centralized place or group for them to co-mingle and run. We’re trying to provide that now with the BRC.”
The BRC is a free running group that meets three days a week at Bidwell Park and various trailheads. The club is not exclusive to Chico State students, and everyone is encouraged to join.
Andrew D’Lugos said that his objective is to eliminate factors that would discourage runners from joining. The runs are designed to accommodate all levels, and routes can be shortened or lengthened depending on the runner’s ability. No one is ever left behind or expected to know how to navigate the trails alone, he said.
The club started out small. Andrew, Jess and one other showed up for the first run. But that was enough to build momentum for the now 15-20 people who regularly attend the runs. Through word of mouth and posting on their social media pages, the group continues to expand each week.
The women’s 6 a.m. Tuesday workout focuses on speed work and interval training. Around 15 women regularly attend each week.
Kim Stine recently moved to Chico and describes herself as a “casual runner.” The BRC has given her accountability to run consistently, she said. She has made it to almost every Tuesday morning run.
“This group seems to welcome any range of fitness or distance or speed,” Stine said. “When it’s all ladies, there’s a special level of support.”
Julie Bartel has attended two of the Tuesday runs. She has run with various run clubs in Chico and said that she enjoys the community aspect she finds in them.
“When you run with a group, you find people who run the same speed as you,” Bartel said. “Which is nice because you develop friendships. And that’s what makes you get out and run.”
Andrew D’Lugos is passionate about educating people about the outdoor spaces Chico has to offer. He said that the run club serves as a place for people to meet up and get to know the trails without the pressure of competition.
“I teach exercise physiology, and I always preach that exercise is medicine, and so this group is one way of practicing that,” Andrew D’Lugos said.
In the future, the BRC plans to begin organizing races, along with collaborating with running communities in other cities to create events for runners in Northern California, said D’Lugos.
The BRC hosts a Tuesday women’s workout, a Wednesday night run and a Saturday morning run. Times, dates and locations can be found on their Instagram page or on their Strava page.
If you want to read the article in Spanish, go here.
Lexi Lynn can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
