EP# 4: Building an Inclusive Fitness Community: The Story of Run It Up Dallas with Theo Murdaugh

What makes Theo Murdaugh with Run It Up Dallas a good neighbor?
Curious about how a community fitness club is breaking barriers and fostering inclusivity? Join us as we chat with Theo Murdaugh, the passionate founder of Run it Up Dallas, who has been making waves since launching his vibrant club in March. Theo sheds light on how Run it Up Dallas has rapidly become a beacon for runners of all levels, with a special focus on newcomers. Beyond just running, Theo is on a mission to address health disparities within the African-American community through engaging health and wellness events. He debunks the myth that you need to be an expert to join, emphasizing the club’s welcoming atmosphere and varied pace groups to cater to everyone from walkers to marathoners.

In this episode, Theo shares the secret sauce behind the club's popularity: camaraderie and positive energy. He highlights the importance of post-run happy hours that help build strong community bonds. Whether you're aiming to get back in shape or you're a complete beginner, Theo's warm and inviting approach makes a compelling case for joining Run it Up Dallas. Plus, get a glimpse into Theo’s personal passion for wine and how it complements his fitness journey. We conclude with heartfelt wishes for Theo's growing venture and encourage listeners to nominate their favorite local businesses for a feature on our show. Don't miss out on this inspiring conversation!

To learn more about Run It Up Dallas go to:
https://www.runitup_dallas

Run It Up Dallas

+13464937449

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 2: 0:10

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a fitness business? Surprisingly, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to your neighbor, Theo Murdaugh, with Run it Up Dallas, Theo, how are you doing?

Speaker 3: 0:27

I'm doing good, Sophia. How are you doing today? Happy Tuesday.

Speaker 2: 0:30

Great. Thank you so much. Happy Tuesday. We're excited to learn all about you and your business. You want to tell us a little bit about it?

Speaker 3: 0:37

Yeah, so I started Run it Up Dallas March 1st of this year, you know. So it's kind of blown up in four months, as we're all over Instagram, all over TikTok. I've been a runner for 10 plus years and you know, on average right now we get about 250 people that come to our runs on, you know, tuesdays and Saturdays. Sundays to us is a lighter crowd, maybe around 150 people, and we're designed for new runners. If you want to run your first 5K, 10k, half and even full, we're the group for you. We got training plans and things like that. But then also we like to consider ourselves a health organization as well, as we want to bridge the gap between health disparities in the African-American community, so we do a lot of health and wellness events as well. So it has been a hell of a ride, for I would say like the last four months, so it's been pretty dope.

Speaker 3: 1:35

Wow, that sounds very, very interesting. And how'd you get into this? You know, I've been a runner for a long time and I know that there was a need for a space mainly for African-Americans. You know, everybody is welcome and invited, but you know, a a space mainly for African-Americans. Everybody is welcome and invited, but a lot of people in our culture are like, hey, there are no black run clubs in Dallas, can we?

Speaker 3: 1:49

have a black run club in Dallas that kind of has our vibe, our style and things like that. And it's funny, a lot of our people don't really do a lot of distance running. It's more track and field work. So now I want to introduce us to more. Hey guys, you can do a 5k, you can do a 10, you can do all the way up to a marathon. So that's why I really created this group as well. So and it just I knew it would do well, but I didn't expect to do this well in such a short amount of time. So it's been overwhelmingly good. I'll say that.

Speaker 2: 2:19

Wow, that's definitely good news to hear. And what are the myths or misconceptions in your industry, if there are any?

Speaker 3: 2:27

That you have to come out there and be an expert runner, that you have to come out and automatically run a six minute mile and and be just a pro runner. And I think that's the difference between us and a lot of other run clubs. Again, not knocking any other run clubs, but if you're a brand new runner I completely understand how it can be intimidating. You know, I've been running for 10 years. I could pull up to any run club. Do my thing. I'm good with a lot of people.

Speaker 3: 2:53

I would say 99.9% of people do feel the opposite. They're like hey, I don't want to go to that run club, nobody's going to talk to me, everybody looks fast. I'm not trying to be a marathon runner, I'm not trying to be a runner, I just want to do a little bit of cardio. And I think that's what is why we've attracted so many people and a lot of our walkers have now turned into walk joggers. Then from walk joggers they've turned into runners and things like that. So we were kind of trying to get rid of the snobby scenario, stereotypes of runners, where if you go to a run club you got to be a good runner. No, come to run it up, we prefer you to be a bad runner, so we can make you a good runner, and that's kind of how we've been getting down.

Speaker 2: 3:25

So okay, and for someone who is a new runner, what can they expect their first day coming to Run it Up Club?

Speaker 3: 3:32

So first day, you know we do a big group. So again, it's like you're coming to a cookout, you're coming to a party, you hear the music, we'll see trap music and you know you'll see people congregating and talking and things like that. And I make a few announcements. And the cool thing about our group is we have different pace groups for all levels. So we have the 7, 8-minute mile group, the 9, the 10, the 11, the 12, the 13-minute mile group and the walking group. You know we got a walking group and that's really put a lot of people at ease.

Speaker 3: 4:02

And I tell people I said, hey, use the pace groups as a benchmark. Right, use it as a benchmark. So if you're a 13 minute mile runner, all right, your goals get through 11 to 12, your 11 to 12, your goals get the nine to 10 and so forth. And even for the walkers, your, your goal is to walk and then slowly transition into one of the, the, the actual running pace groups. So a lot of people have told me they've been very, very pleased with us doing those pace groups. It's because it's just more inclusive instead of just saying, hey, guys, seven, eight minute mile guys and girls only you know. So it's helped us a little bit with our reach.

Speaker 2: 4:37

Okay, and outside of work, do you do anything for fun other than running? I would assume.

Speaker 3: 4:42

You know I my other life outside of running is wine. I love wine. I have a whole Instagram page dedicated to wine, so I'm a wine nerd. You know I love Italian reds and things like that, so I literally do, study, study wine. I have like five or six wine books in here and I literally will be on home. I don't like really going out that much. I'll be home on a Friday night. I have a wine tasting journal and I literally sit here and have my own like personal wine tasting by myself. It's the nerdiest thing you could ever come up with, but that's literally. My other life is wine. I'm a wine junkie and I try to get other people into wine.

Speaker 3: 5:20

So that's the fun, the fun side of me, if anybody looks at that as fun.

Speaker 2: 5:24

So Okay, Well, I mean, hey, we all have our thing right.

Speaker 3: 5:28

Exactly. You got to have something outside of it. I don't want people to just look at me as a running guy. You know I try to be a little bit more balanced, but you know that's that's the social side of me is why so.

Speaker 2: 5:39

Okay. Well, we've talked about all the positives, got to know you a little bit, so let's go ahead and change gears. Can you describe one hardship or life challenge that you rose above and can now say because of it, you're better and stronger? When I say that, what comes to mind?

Speaker 3: 5:54

You know, starting in this run club, I used to lead another run club out here in Dallas, you know, and it was a chapter of a run club so I didn't personally own it, I just own that Dallas chapter and our ending wasn't that great. You know what I mean. I was removed from that run club because we just had different ways we wanted to do business, so I had to literally start from scratch. I've been in this run space in Dallas for about four or five years and the ending with my old run club wasn't the sexiest, most admirable ending. There was a little bit of drama behind it.

Speaker 3: 6:26

So it's kind of like I had to kind of revamp, recreate and kind of bring my culture into light and what I wanted to do with this run club, and it's been nothing short of amazing. You know what I mean. You know, from March 1st, when I was removed from my old run club and I started running up and I had a little pre-logo on there that wasn't as sexy as the one we have now and literally about two to three weeks later we just blew up. We had a few smaller runs that had maybe 20 to 30 people. Some people from my old run club moved me, followed me over here, but overall it was a nice revamp so we were able to blow up within three weeks. One video went viral, then the next one, then the next one. Then all of a sudden I blink we have like 250 people out here. So that's kind of was the hardship, but it became a success story as well.

Speaker 2: 7:17

So Okay, well, theo, please tell our listeners one thing they should remember about Run it Up Dallas.

Speaker 3: 7:25

Just come out and have fun. Don't worry about coming out. The one question I always get is do you have to be a good runner? Am I allowed to walk?

Speaker 2: 7:31

Yes.

Speaker 3: 7:32

Please walk, because we don't want you trying to run and pass out. But come out, walk, jog, have a good time and it's a way to build community. Again, I'm not from Dallas, I'm from Columbus, ohio. It's a great way for transplants to meet each other and way to build community outside of running. And we have doctors, we have lawyers in that group, we have physical therapists, nutritionists. It's just a great way to meet people. So come out, don't worry about being a great athlete. Run, jog or walk. We are made literally for for everybody. So that's why I really want people to come out and just see it for itself. And we're not as intimidating as we look on Instagram. I promise half those people are new runners, just like, uh, just like you.

Speaker 2: 8:12

So I was just about to ask you how can our listeners learn more about run it up Dallas?

Speaker 3: 8:18

Yeah, just follow us on Instagram at run it up Um, is it at run it up? Underscore Dallas. You can follow me as well. Uh, the underscore meddler. My personal page is nothing but a run page. So if you have any questions, I run the Instagram page reach out. I'm pretty responsive on there. But again, don't be intimidated. It's good vibes, trust me. Nobody's concerned about how fast you are. I think the number one thing they may be concerned about is going to the happy hour we do after after the run, you know. So that's, that's the main part. So it's good vibes, it's good energy, and I highly, highly recommend it, especially if you're just trying to get back in shape or you're a new runner.

Speaker 2: 8:56

So well. Theo Murda, I really appreciate you being on the show. We wish you and your business the best moving forward.

Speaker 3: 9:02

Awesome. Thank you so much for having me, Sophie. I appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 9:09

Thank you so much for having me, Sophie. I appreciate it. Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfriscocom. That's gnpfriscocom. Or call 469-2214-5.