Canadian_Running_-_November_-_December_2016

By Sinead Mulhern

M

arch 2, 201 4 was brutally cold in downtown Toronto. Dan Grant stood and

waited, dressed in running gear equipped to handle the elements. In those frigid

conditions, the usually busy streets were nearly void of pedestrians but off in the

distance, a figure ran towards Grant. As he got closer, he stopped, looked at Grant and

said “Are you the one who is running to the brewery?”

That was the first ever run of the now well-known RunTOBeer group – a Toronto

club famous for capping off the run with beer at a local brewery or coveted pub. That

night was also the first time founders Dan Grant and Tej Sandhu met. The run club –

now 2,300 Facebook members strong – started on Twitter. “I put out a Tweet saying,

‘I’m going to run 5k to Mill Street Brewery, who wants to join me?’” says Grant. “Tej

was the only one who showed up.”

The idea behind that 1 40-character message was to gather people to blend two social

activities: running and having a pint. The fact that only Sandhu showed up didn’t

dissuade Grant. There was a lot of interest on social media. The two knew they were

onto something. They decided to form a club. “We thought we’d never get more than

25,” says Grant.

Now, in late 2016, about 100 followers from their broad social media presence show

up to each run. Meet ups initially happened every other Sunday but as the group grew,

so too did their calendar. “Brewer’s Backyard ” is the name given to long weekend

runs, “Venture Off the Beaten Path ” is a Tuesday trail run in summer, and on the first

Saturday of each month, is the Toronto chapter of Mikkeller Club – an international

beer club with the Toronto version hosted by RunTOBeer. On top of that, the group

often partners with Canada Running Series for training runs on Thursdays.

The group which was striving for a couple dozen members has become a staple in the

Toronto running scene, an intro to running for many beer industry people and good

business for pubs and breweries in the city. When RunTOBeer started getting atten-

tion, breweries started reaching out with an offer: bring the pack of runners, their first

pint will be free. “ That was big for us when the breweries recognized what we were

doing,” says Grant. “From there, the runners always have their first beer free.” Usually

they stick around to buy a second or third. It’s a win-win for everyone.

RUNTOBEER

TORONTO,

ONTARIO

Club Stats

FOUNDED 2014

MEMBERS 2,300

FEES Free

WEBSITE facebook.com/groups/RunTOBeer/

T.O. Runs to Beer

RunTOBeer is the Toronto club famous for capping off the run

with beer at a one of the city’s many great craft brewery pubs

RunTOBeer has evolved greatly since 201 4.

Club beer glasses sit in the cupboards of many

runners and at races throughout Ontario, it’s easy

to spot a RunTOBeer shirt in the crowd. When

members travel, clad in that shirt, they often snap

a shot and tag the group on social media. They have

even branched out and done runs in the Muskoka

area, Ottawa and Montreal. How will it grow from

here? That’s hard to say.

“I could maybe see a day where a chapter would

happen in another city,” says Grant. RunTOBeer

offspring in Calgary or Vancouver – that’s a far

cry from when Grant waited on a dark and snowy

corner crossing his frozen fingers and hoping

someone would come.

Sinead Mulhern is Canadian Running’s web editor.

runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 67

Inge Johnson/Canada Running series

club scene