Strongly motivated by the belief that women should be able to run without fearing for their safety or having to rely on a male partner for company, Aimee Taylor started dreaming of bringing together a community of females that can run together, safely, through the streets of Gqeberha. Her dream eventually became a reality in October of last year when she founded the Chasing Paces running club – its name inspired by the Adele song, Chasing Pavements.
Although the running club kicked off its first run with only 10 participants, it wasn’t long before word began to spread across Instagram with the help of well-known athletes in the running community. Since then, it has grown to more than 640 followers online. With two weekly runs – one in Walmer and another along Circular Drive – and no membership fee, the club is quickly gaining popularity among women in the city from all fitness levels.
“The main focus of the group is that it is a safe space for girls to come and run. They don’t feel pressured to get to certain paces or a certain goal. And there is a social element to it; they can catch up with friends and they can talk. They are running at a pace where they’re chatting, and they feel happy and starting to look forward to the run,” an excited Taylor said.
For Taylor, the highlight each week is seeing how more women are starting to show up and watching the new friendships that form. And she fondly recalls many special moments that have played out since the running club began. While the friendships formed among the women are inspiring, what truly lights up Taylor’s face is when she starts sharing stories of how women grow into more confident runners, and how proud they are of their improvements.
“It really makes me so proud when I get messages from girls saying thank you so much; this inspired me or I am so glad I came, and I feel included. It really warms my heart… because it is for a goal bigger than me,” a humbled Taylor added.
Taking inspiration from a growing trend overseas where female running clubs collaborate with big brands to promote female runners’ safety, Chasing Paces collaborated with Redbull in March for a night run in Walmer, to promote female runners’ safety and to take back the streets. The night run was such an overwhelming success that a second night is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 24.
“I would love to see it grow, to do more interactive events where girls are happy and socialising and putting health and happiness at the forefront.”
Taylor reassured that the routes are easy to follow, with a buddy system in place to make sure everyone returns safely. The weekly routes differ in distance and difficulty, offering something for everyone.
Any running enthusiast wishing to join in on the weekly runs in Walmer and Circular Drive can visit Chasing Paces running club’s Instagram page for more information.
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