If Mitch Stretch had to sum up what the Bear With Me Running Collective is all about, he would do it with three words: inclusion, positivity, fun.
Stretch co-founded the Saskatoon running club with his partner, Brittany Hanson, earlier this year as a way to bring new runners together.
“We felt that Saskatoon could benefit with a run club designed more to promote community, positivity and inclusion above all else. So many people have lost their sense of inclusion and community over the years, especially since COVID, and Bear With Me Running was created to bridge that societal gap and bring people back together in a fun, healthy atmosphere,” he says.
“Our members are often beginners, or just getting back into running. We also have recognized that people are struggling right now, whether that is a lack of positivity in their lives, support or personal reasons and Bear With Me Running is right there for those individuals. We are consistent in a society where people need consistency.”
Stretch and Hanson lead free weekly meetups and are hosting a full-day wellness festival under the Bear With Me Running Collective brand on Sunday, Aug. 25.
Here’s what you need to know about getting involved with the run club and the upcoming event.
Bear With Me Running Collective run club
- When: Runs Sunday mornings at 9 a.m., with group BBQs Sunday afternoons during the summer. Bonus run meet ups are communicated about in advance on the group Facebook page.
- Where: Runs leave from Rotary Park.
- What meetups look like: Meet ups start with introductions, then members run a 5km or 3km out-and-back route. “We like to ensure everyone feels included and their pace is not what’s important,” Stretch says. “Reason we like to do a down-and-back is because everyone feels included. With members crisscrossing each other, the high fives are in full force. Did I mention we bring a music box?”
- How to get involved: Simply show up at Rotary Park at 9 a.m. or, if you prefer, connect with the club in advance on its Facebook page.
Bear With Me Running Collective Wellness Festival
- When: Sunday, Aug. 25. from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Where: Alexander MacGillivray Splash Pad and Park in Stonebridge
- Cost: $55 for an individual or $95 for a family of four.
- What it’s all about: The wellness festival was inspired by a similar event that Stretch and Hanson attended last year in Rome, Georgia. “The original idea came from an understanding that all these running events all over the world you show up, you get your bib, you run and you go home. Where’s the connection, where’s the community?” Stretch said. The Bear With Me Running Collective Wellness Festival aims to create that connection and community by bringing together like-minded people and putting them in the same room as organizations in Saskatoon working in the wellness space.
- Who is going to be there?
- Certified breath coach Norm Fisher will lead a breathwork/meditation session
- Ground Yoga is hosting a yoga session
- Brainsport is hosting a 5km and 10km fun run or walk
- Eric Streisel, Darren Anderson and Djay McGrath are speaking about mental health.
- Alliance Boxing is hosting a BoxFIT class.
- Sage Hunter and The Barrelmen will perform a live show.
- For a full list of vendors, go online.
- How to get your ticket: Purchase online via EventBrite.
