Salty Star Run Club
“If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.” – John Bingham
Today, where trends come and go like $80 after one “light” grocery trip to Trader Joe’s, there are some I truly hope will stay for good. Running in particular seems to be reincarnated every couple of decades or so, making it new and exciting every time it gets “reinvented”. Like most 22-year-olds, I love to ask myself what the hell I’m doing with my life a minimum of ten times a day. Recently, the only time of the day where this question is put to rest is during a run, or one of my brisk morning walks (aka my morning no phone hot guy walk).
Running is one of those activities we’ve immensely over-complicated. It’s literally one of the few activities with no barrier to entry, and we have managed to place a hefty list of “must-buys” to start. Even now, the need to look cute and put together while running is non-negotiable. To me, looking cute while running is rather oxymoronic, especially as I hurdle each leg in front of me like an inebriated behemoth running toward fresh water after two dry days in the desert. I’ve received multiple meme bombardments regarding my “unique” Phoebe from friends jogging style. Regardless of looking cute or not, running is something that makes us innately human, bottom line, we would not have made it this far without running.
I commonly hear from various influencers and podcasters that the best diet, workout, morning routine, etc. is the one you can stick to. As social beings, performing physically and mentally taxing acts is undoubtedly easier and more fun with company. Like studying, I find enduring and struggling to be much more enjoyable with others, and despite what grind culture may suggest, the more of your life you spend in enjoyment the more enduring fulfillment and happiness you’ll find. Now if you get it by now, great, if not, here it is; running, together, is the key to the consistent enjoyment of running.
If only there was something that provided an opportunity to run with people, of all different backgrounds, consistently, and all you had to do was show up… *cough* *cough* enter, The Salty Star Run Club. I had been putting off starting my overcomplicated running career for months, when one week one of my best friends, Christian, mentioned how much fun this run club every Saturday was. Fast forward seven weeks, I’ve met over a dozen brilliant new friends and persuaded the majority of my rag tag group of buddies to join as well.
Salty Star has something special, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, so I decided to investigate. I asked Tom Mi, one of the founders, a few questions, which was not easy because he greets nearly every single member and newcomer every morning, and there are over 50 of them. Tom had begun running to accompany his efforts in the pool swimming for the U of U club team, his reason being its simplicity, “It’s really easy, you can just run from your house, you don’t need a pool or a bike or any of that stuff.” His main reason for starting the Salty Star Run Club was to create a space for folks in their early to late twenties who were missing a sense of community that’s interwind with their active lifestyles. Or maybe missing a sense of community and a place to begin a more active lifestyle. In terms of initial inspiration, Tom mentioned RawDawg Run Club, a run club in Austin Texas that’s grown from 30 to 700 people, and a few others like Newport and Venice Run Club. When asked what Salty Star meant to him, Tom said it’s mainly about a space to meet new people, whether they’re “graduated or they’re moving to a new town or even in their undergrad, it’s hard to meet people.” Tom and his team have fostered an environment conducive to creating friendships and he mentioned he’s even gone on trips with his friends from Salty Star.
Looking forward, future plans for Salty Star is to grow as sustainably as possible and get to the point where anyone in the valley feels welcome to join at any time and pace. Salty Star brings energy, excitement, and camaraderie to what is often considered a dull and grueling activity.
Next, I interviewed one of the other cofounders, Tim Odjav, who handles the social media and financial side of things for Salty Star. When I asked about his running background, he mentioned it was actually a New Year’s resolution this January that got him on the roads and trails. Quickly following his newly minted running hobby it became apparent that running alone all the time was… well “fun” isn’t the first word that comes to mind. This sparked Tim to look for running buddies to stay true to his resolution and thus began his friendship with Tom. Tim and Tom are working to establish a truly accepting environment, where community and approachability come first. I asked Tim how starting Salty Star has changed his running, he said “As a cofounder people count on me to have that leadership role, and lead by example.” After he stated that he’s consistently running with people from the club and his community three to four times a week.
Not only do Tim, Tom, and that Salty Star team organize all the runs, but they also have brand deals and sponsorships with BlackDiamond, Gnarly Nutrition, and PitViper to name a few. Every run there’s a raffle where everyone gets a chance to win some sweet new gear ranging from a water bottle or pair of socks to a new pair of running shoes when collabing with shoe brands like Adidas. They started Salty Star in early summer and have already gained nearly 3,000 followers on Instagram along with 40-60 consistent runners each week.
Lastly, I interviewed a few members on their experience with Salty Star. One member Ali, who has been running for 8 years and with Salty Star since June, said this club has helped her run more overall while building community. Another member Samantha who has been running for 6 months, mentioned she appreciated the approachability of the club shown through the various pace groups that allow for a broad inclusion of running abilities. Whether you’re running the 7:30 pace or the 11:30 pace everyone starts and ends at the same place and the stoke is shared equally.
It’s all about showing up. This is true for most pursuits in life, but in this case, you’re never alone. Milan, another member, alluded to the wide range of abilities that foster an environment where you will “never be left in the dust,” and mentioned how inviting this club has been for him and his friends. All these members highlighted how well Tim, Tom, and the Salty Star team have done with creating a diverse and welcoming community.
Back with Tim and Tom, I had to get past the sunshine and rainbows to inquire about the obstacles and difficulties moving forward with the club. Tim spoke on the intricacies of starting an organization with little to no experience, now every week tons of people are counting on them to deliver. Versatility is key, and the job description starts to spread across a multitude of different requirements and seemingly arbitrary tasks. Moving forward, both mentioned the cold snowy elephant in the room, winter. Now that Salty Star has gained a larger following the question is; can they last through the long snowy winter? Will Salty Star outlast and grow through the ephemeral trendiness of running and run clubs? Time will tell, and until then I’m going thrifting for some running tights.
I mentioned Salty Star had something special to it, and after my investigation, it has become quite clear. For the same reason Tim and Tom introduce and greet everyone at the club every week, Salty Star has made running a friend. A friend you see every Saturday morning, and thus a catalyst to making new friends every Saturday Morning.
To join the club, or to find more information, follow @saltystarrunclub on Instagram, and look out for stories or posts about Saturday runs and other weekly events.
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Source: https://wasatchmag.com/salty-star-run-club/
