Sarasota run club turns weekly workout into the city’s hottest social event

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Forget the bar scene. In Sarasota, the hottest weekly hangout starts with sneakers.

Run clubs are booming across the country, with participation growing by nearly 60 percent in the past year. But one Sarasota group has been ahead of the curve for more than a decade — and it just keeps getting bigger.

From 25 runners to 250 — and counting

The weekly run kicks off at 99 Bottles in downtown Sarasota and winds through some of the city’s most scenic stretches — along the bayfront, across the Ringling Bridge, and back again. What started in 2010 as a small gathering has grown into one of the city’s biggest weekly social events.

“We started actually back in 2010, before it was around,” said Mark Tuchman, owner of 99 Bottles.

Regular runner Duncan McKillop has watched the crowd grow from the very beginning.

“I think our first, we had like 25 people and after it I was like, this is great,” McKillop said. “This is like the most popular one. Eventually got up like 50 and I was like, this is definitely the most popular run club in town — and now we’re 150, 200, 250 every single week.”

More than miles

For McKillop, the run club has become about far more than fitness.

“It started off with my friendship with Mark — I wanted to support that — and then after that it’s become a daily habit, just get to meet new people, and there’s not a downside,” he said.

Organizers say the event is open to everyone, whether you’re training for a marathon or running your first mile. No pace requirements. No pressure.

“You’re gonna be accepted with warmth, because everyone who is here is here for the same reason,” Tuchman said.

The real reward: what happens after the finish line

Once the run wraps up, the fun doesn’t stop. Runners stick around at 99 Bottles to grab a drink, swap stories, and meet new faces — and that post-run hangout might be just as much of a draw as the miles themselves.

“We offer a unique opportunity to get exercise in, to kickstart your social calendar as you’re heading into the weekend — a great way for people to meet new faces,” Tuchman said.

The run club meets weekly at 99 Bottles in Sarasota.