When I opened The Brick on April 14th, 2012, the business plan was simple: sell running shoes and be really good at fitting them. The group runs were almost an afterthought — a way to get people in the door and build some buzz. That very next Thursday, 7 people showed up. Fourteen years later, those Thursday group runs have become the single most important thing we do.
The Early Days
Our first group run had 7 people. We ran together through downtown Danville, came back to the store, and stood around drinking water and talking about running for an hour. The next Thursday, those 7 people each brought a friend. By the end of the first month, we had a couple dozen runners showing up every Thursday at 6:15pm. No social media campaign, no flyers — just people telling other people that something good was happening at 410 Main Street.
What Makes It Work
I've thought a lot about why our group runs took off when so many store-hosted runs fizzle out. Here's what I think it comes down to: we never made it about pace. From day one, the rule has been "no one runs alone." If you're a 7-minute miler, great. If you're walking, great. Everyone starts together, everyone is celebrated when they finish. The community told us what they needed, and we listened.
The Stories That Keep Me Going
I could fill a book with the stories that have come out of our Thursday runs. Three couples have met at The Brick and gotten married. Two of them met in the store, and I had the honor of officiating one of those weddings myself. The woman who came in for walking shoes after her doctor told her she needed to lose weight — she ran her first 5K six months later and cried at the finish line. The college kid who moved to Danville for a job and didn't know anyone — he found his entire friend group through our Thursday runs. These aren't marketing stories. These are real people whose lives changed because they showed up.
More Than Running
In 2013, we launched our event timing management company. Now we race direct, build databases, and time everything from 5Ks to half marathons in Danville, Clarksville, Rocky Mount, Lynchburg and more. In 2015, we tagged "We Run the Ville" — changing Danville one "sole" at a time. Our group has become a support system that extends way beyond the trails. The running is just the excuse to get together — the relationships are what actually matter.
Come Run With Us
Our group runs and walks meet every Thursday at 6:15pm outside The Brick at 410 Main Street. There's no sign-up, no membership fee, no minimum pace requirement. Just show up in whatever shoes you've got (though we're happy to fit you in better ones afterward) and introduce yourself. You'll leave with a few new friends and the start of something that might just change your life.
That sounds dramatic. But I've watched it happen hundreds of times. Come see for yourself.
