When I first started Still I Run in October of 2016, I had the plan of embedding SIR ambassadors in local running clubs around the country. The idea behind that is that there are already a ton of run groups, so why add more? But as time has gone on, I see the real, clear need to have Still I Run Chapter Running Groups. Right now, Still I Run is primarily a virtual community. If you haven’t joined our private Facebook group, I highly recommend it. Everyone there is on the same journey to run for mental health. In there, we share our joy, triumphs, struggles, and bad moments. There’s not ONE shred of judgment in that group and in today’s world, it’s SO rare to have a virtual community where no one judges another. One person even referred to it as the “unicorn of the internet” because it’s so judgment-free. The more I thought about that private Facebook group, the more I realized it’s because we truly all know what the other is feeling to some extent. That’s why I think that having local running groups just for people that run for mental health (or are advocates for mental health awareness) is so important. Why not take this virtual community we have, and make it so that it’s local to so many more people!
Start a Still I Run Chapter Near You
The plan is to kick off our chapter program on a small scale first with the help of SIR Chapter Co-Lead, Brian Reip in Southern Maryland. He heads up the Still I Run Southern Maryland Chapter. Being a Chapter Captain means you’re taking on a lot of responsibility and you should treat it as a part-time volunteer opportunity. You’re essentially becoming a local representative of Still I Run and people in your chapter will look up to you for guidance and leadership. Don’t worry, Brian and I will help guide and support you as you start up your chapter though. There’s also a Chapter Captain Handbook you can refer to that has a ton of resources and tips for you. In addition, there’s a private FB group for support for Captains. As time goes on, and your chapter is fairly well established, we’ll give you a stipend to provide food and water for your runners, the option to do team shirts down the road, and a discount to Still I Run’s store To learn about the type of commitment we’re looking for, and the benefits of being a Chapter Captain, check out the Lead a Chapter page.
The Process
After you’ve read the Lead a Chapter page, we invite you to fill out the application. This just confirms your intent to become a captain and also gives you the option to add a co-captain if you so desire. Once we have that, it will take anywhere from 1-2 weeks for us to get back to you. At that time, we’ll send you a link to our Chapter Captain’s Handbooks which has a ton of great info for you and things to think about such as when/where to hold your regularly scheduled group runs. At the end of the handbook, there’s another form to fill out which will ask you for more details about your chapter. We’ll use that chapter information to create your chapter’s very own page on our website so that people in your area can join in on your group runs! For a peek at what we’ve done for other chapters that are just gearing up (or to get inspiration for your own chapter), check out our current chapters.
