The Be Boulder Run Club is one place where Goshen College graduates are building a sense of community. 13 runners congregated on Monday at Warehouse Climbing Co., including several GC students and alumni. At 6 p.m., the runners started gathering in the part of the gym that was not crowded with climbers, between stools shaped like puzzle pieces, a ping pong table and vintage picture frames. Their brightly colored running shoes matched the vibrant decor.

It makes sense that this smiling group of runners meets in such a cheerful place. For Nathan Pauls ’21, these good spirits come from the community aspects of being in a run club. Pauls realized over the pandemic, which occurred while he was a student at GC, that community was essential. Pauls said, as a college graduate, “[Community is] something that you need to work for. Because when I was a kid, it was just provided to me.”

That’s why Pauls accepted the invitation of his friends to come and join the Be Boulder Run Club. Pauls said, “The community aspect is definitely worth it.”  Monday was his second run with the group. He added, “I’m excited. It’s not as much about the running as it is seeing the people.”

Alena Morgunova Miller ’23, is a seasoned member of the Be Boulder Run Club, and a former GC runner. For Miller, the regularity of the group is what makes it special. “It’s consistent and so you know you can see your friends every week,” Miller said. “It’s especially great in the winter because it’s hard to get motivated to run.”

The club runs about three miles in two different pace groups. “We don’t go too fast on the run,” Miller said. In terms of workout intensity, the club is “pretty chill.”

The club was started by Salvador Escamilla ’22, a former runner on GC’s cross-country team. Early members included Jackson Stienmetz ’24 and Tanner Pinks ’24. “We’ve had a lot of turnover,” Miller said. These runners were not there Monday. Escamilla now lives in Colorado.

Most members would consider themselves runners more than climbers, despite the fact that they meet in a climbing gym. That doesn’t stop them from getting on the climbing wall though. Climbing is like “a little strength workout afterwards,” Miller said. She added that the club has encouraged more people to try climbing. Those who participate in the run club get $4 off a day pass or can choose to borrow climbing shoes for free.

Anyone is welcome to join the club. They can be found on Instagram under the username

@teamvibe_ig.