We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brittany Pastor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Brittany , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
The idea for Wednesday Run Club really started back in 2010 when I joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program.
At the time, I simply wanted to learn how to run. The program’s model was unique: participants raised money to support blood cancer patients, and in return they received coaching and training for endurance events. What I didn’t expect was how much the experience would change my perspective on running and community.
Through Team in Training, I learned that running doesn’t have to be a solo activity. Every training run was filled with encouragement, accountability, and camaraderie. More importantly, there was a purpose behind every mile. We spent time with patients and families, volunteered at Children’s Hospital, and saw firsthand the impact that our fundraising efforts had on people’s lives. Running became about much more than fitness—it became about connection, service, and being part of something bigger than yourself.
Fast forward to when I moved to the Northshore. I knew I wanted to find that same sense of community again.. I wanted to bring the same joy to others vis running that I experienced for all of those years. That’s when the idea for Wednesday Run Club began to take shape.
I saw an opportunity to create a community where everyone felt welcome regardless of pace, age, experience level, or ability. I wanted a place where someone training for a marathon could run alongside someone taking their very first walk-run steps, and both would feel equally valued. The goal was to build a welcoming run club.
The problem I was trying to solve wasn’t that there weren’t enough places to run. Running can be intimidating. Showing up alone can be intimidating. I wanted to remove those barriers and create a community where people felt comfortable from day one.
What excited me most was the idea that running could be the catalyst for something bigger. The real mission wasn’t about miles; it was about bringing people together. It was about creating friendships, supporting local causes, and making sure everyone had a place to belong on a Wednesday evening.
Today, that vision continues through partnerships with organizations like Ainsley’s Angels and Team Pack a Lunch, helping ensure that running and walking are accessible to as many people as possible.
Looking back, the reason I believed it would work was simple: I had experienced firsthand how powerful community can be. Team in Training showed me that people don’t just come back for the exercise—they come back for the people, the purpose, and the feeling that they’re part of something meaningful.
That’s the same feeling we strive to create every single week at Wednesday Run Club.
Brittany , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Brittany Pastor and I’m the founder of Wednesday Run Club, a community-based running and walking group in Old Mandeville, LA. While people often see us as a run club, I like to think of us as a community organization that happens to use running and walking as the vehicle that brings people together.
My journey into this space began in 2010 when I joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. I originally signed up because I wanted to learn how to run, but I quickly discovered that the most meaningful part of the experience wasn’t the running itself—it was the people. Through fundraising, volunteering, and training together, I learned the power of community, accountability, and having a purpose bigger than yourself. That experience shaped my belief that fitness should be inclusive, supportive, and accessible to everyone.
When I moved to the Northshore years later, I was looking for that same sense of connection. While there were existing running groups, I felt there was an opportunity to create a space that was intentionally welcoming to all ages, abilities, and paces. In 2023 or thereabout, I launched Wednesday Run Club with a simple goal: create a place where everyone feels like they belong.
Today, Wednesday Run Club serves runners, walkers, beginners, experienced athletes, families, and individuals who simply want to be active and connected to their community. We host weekly runs and walks, social events, volunteer opportunities, and partnerships with local organizations. Our mission extends beyond fitness—we strive to combat isolation, encourage healthy lifestyles, and build meaningful relationships throughout the community.
What sets us apart is our focus on inclusion. We believe movement should be available to everyone, regardless of pace, experience level, or physical ability. That’s why we’ve partnered with organizations such as Ainsley’s Angels and Team Pack a Lunch, helping create opportunities for people of all backgrounds and abilities to participate and feel welcome.
The “problem” we solve isn’t necessarily a fitness problem—it’s a connection problem. So many adults struggle to meet people, make friends, and find a sense of belonging. Wednesday Run Club creates a low-pressure environment where people can improve their health, build confidence, and become part of something larger than themselves.
What I’m most proud of isn’t the number of miles we’ve run or the size of our events. It’s hearing stories from people who found their first group of friends after moving to the area, completed their first race, gained confidence to become more active, or simply found a place where they felt accepted. Those stories remind me why we do this.
If there’s one thing I want people to know about Wednesday Run Club, it’s that you don’t have to be a runner to belong here. You don’t have to be fast. You don’t have to be experienced. You simply have to show up. Our goal has always been to create a community where everyone is welcomed, encouraged, and celebrated—and that’s what we’ll continue to do, one Wednesday at a time.
Another accomplishment I’m especially proud of is the creation of the Northshore Run Collective. The idea came from a simple challenge I kept running into. As Wednesday Run Club grew, I found myself constantly trying to share information about other local run clubs, group runs, and community meetups. I wanted to support everyone, but it became difficult to keep track of every event, and I hated feeling like I had forgotten to mention a group or missed an opportunity to help connect people.
Rather than viewing other run clubs as competition, I wholeheartedly see them as partners in a shared mission: getting more people moving and building a stronger running community across the Northshore. I reached out to leaders of several local and emerging run groups, along with other individuals active in the running space, and proposed an idea—a collaborative effort where we could work together instead of separately. The response was overwhelmingly positive.
After several meetings and conversations, we officially created the Northshore Run Collective. Today, the Collective features approximately 13 different run clubs and community running groups on a single website, giving people an easy way to find opportunities to run, walk, and connect throughout the week. If someone can’t make a Wednesday run, there are Monday options. If Monday doesn’t work, there are Tuesday, Thursday, and weekend opportunities as well. The goal is simple: make it easier for people to find their place in the running community.
What makes me most proud is that the Northshore Run Collective represents collaboration over competition. Every group has its own personality, leadership, and culture, but we’re all working toward the same goal of creating healthier, more connected communities. The Collective demonstrates what can happen when organizations put aside the idea of ownership and instead focus on serving people. At the end of the day, it’s not about which run club someone chooses—it’s about helping them find a community where they feel welcome and supported.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I believe my reputation has been built through consistency, authenticity, and a genuine desire to help others succeed.
From the beginning, my focus was never on building the biggest run club or being the most visible person in the running community. My focus was on creating opportunities for people to connect, be active, and feel included. Week after week, year after year, we’ve shown up and worked to create a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued, whether they’re running their first mile, training for a marathon, or simply looking for friendship and community.
I also think people recognize that I genuinely want to see others succeed. Whether it’s supporting another run club, promoting someone else’s event, helping a local nonprofit, or collaborating through the Northshore Run Collective, I’ve always believed that a stronger community benefits everyone. There is room for all of us to grow, and I think that collaborative mindset has helped build trust and strong relationships throughout the area.
Another factor has been leading by example. I try to be approachable, positive, and willing to help wherever I can. I believe people can tell when someone’s motivations are sincere. The relationships I’ve built over the years have come from showing up consistently, listening to people, and following through on commitments.
More than anything, I think my reputation reflects the people around me. Wednesday Run Club and the Northshore Run Collective have attracted incredible individuals who embody kindness, encouragement, and inclusion. I’m proud that when people think about our organizations, they often think about community first. That’s the reputation I’m most grateful for and the one I work hardest to maintain.
It brings tears to my eyes to write this!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Without question, the best source of growth for Wednesday Run Club has been word of mouth.
At its core, what we offer is community, and that’s something people naturally want to share when they’ve had a positive experience. Some of our strongest advocates are members who came to their first run feeling nervous or unsure and then found friendships, support, and a sense of belonging. When people have that kind of experience, they tell their friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors.
Social media has certainly helped us reach new people and showcase what we’re doing, but the real driver has always been personal recommendations. Someone brings a friend, that friend brings a coworker, and before long those connections create a ripple effect throughout the community.
Partnerships have also been an important source of growth. By collaborating with local nonprofits, businesses, schools, and organizations, we’ve been able to connect with people who may not have considered themselves runners but were looking for community, fitness, or volunteer opportunities.
The Northshore Run Collective has also played a role by making it easier for people to discover running groups throughout the area. Rather than competing for participants, local run clubs have worked together to grow the overall running community, which has benefited everyone involved.
What I’ve learned is that people don’t join because of a marketing campaign—they join because someone they trust tells them, “You should come. You’ll feel welcome there.” Creating an experience people genuinely want to talk about has been far more effective than any advertising strategy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://runsignup.com/MemberOrg/WednesdayRC
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wednesday.run.club?utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1EDzF96jCs/?mibextid=wwXIfr
