For over a decade, the Ottawa City Run Club (OCRC) has been bringing together runners of all backgrounds every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., rain or shine. What began as a simple idea has grown into a vibrant community that recently made its presence felt at the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
A different kind of run culture
When Kayla Hunt started running in her early 20s, she felt alienated by the traditional run culture of the early 2010s, which often catered to an older, more competitive crowd. She noticed the emergence of "social" run clubs in cities like New York and Toronto, where people gathered weekly for a run and social connection. "I remember thinking Ottawa really needs something like that," Hunt said. "And that was what I was looking for at the time."
With no running background, Hunt launched the Ottawa City Run Club in August 2015, initially curious to see who would show up. She convinced about eight friends and family to support the initiative, but word spread quickly. "People just started showing up," she recalled. "And we've been doing it every Tuesday since."
Growth and inclusivity
The club exploded in popularity, with hundreds attending during summer evenings. There are no sign-up sheets or fees—just a commitment to show up at the same time and place each week. The pandemic briefly paused in-person runs, but the community remained strong. Hunt emphasized the inclusive nature of the club, welcoming runners of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Cheer station at Race Weekend
At the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend on May 23-24, the OCRC cheer station at Frank and Queen Elizabeth Drive was one of the loudest. The community enthusiastically encouraged peers to cross the finish line. Hunt has cheered from the sidelines for eight years, often with her children. "It's a big party," she said.
This year, Hunt ran the 10-kilometre race on Saturday, aiming to show her children what she is capable of. "It's just kind of showing them what I'm capable of, but also what they're capable of because they see so much of themselves through their parents," she explained.
Personal transformations
Robin Gandy, who joined the club in 2020 and became an admin lead in 2021, cheered from the sidelines this year with her six-month-old baby. She initially joined for accountability during a new life stage but found much more. "The run club morphed into something much bigger," she said.
The Ottawa City Run Club continues to demonstrate that running can be a powerful tool for building community, fostering inclusivity, and changing lives—one Tuesday evening at a time.
