It’s 4 p.m. on a summer afternoon in Memphis.

It’s hot. Temperatures are scorching, easily reaching the upper 90s.

There’s a lot of things you could be doing on a summer Sunday in the Mid-South—sitting in a theater watching a blockbuster movie in the freezing cold air conditioning, grocery shopping, doing chores around the house, enjoying an ice-cold beverage or frozen treat. The list is substantial.

But for dozens of the athletically inclined around Memphis and the Mid-South, Sundays are for running.

For the past three years, Sunday afternoons have become a weekly ritual for one social athletic club that sees countless men and women slip on their favorite running shoes and gather at Crosstown Concourse.

In a greenspace where North Watkins Street and North Cleveland Street intersect with Concourse Avenue, people are spread out and participating in a group warm up by 4:10 p.m.

Ten minutes later, the runners take off.

You can spot the regulars and their accessories as they hit the pavement: sunglasses, headphones, hydration backpacks, weighted vests.

This is 901 Run Club, the brainchild of Jarius Powers, Jeremy Jones, and Darryl Sims—three 31-year-old men from Memphis that came together to start a club to give like-minded people community and support in getting active and healthy.

Powers and Jones went to high school and college together. Sims knew Jones and Powers through mutual friends and co-workers. All came with various exposure to recreational running.

“Running has been a part of my life forever,” Sims said. “It used to solely serve as training for basketball but in 2018 I picked up running as recreational.”

“In 2018 I moved back to Memphis post-grad and expecting my first child. I remember talking to a co-worker and thinking that 2 miles was the most that I could do, specifically the lake around Shelby Farms. After some consistency, I was hooked. In 2019 I got the opportunity to work the Chicago Marathon and my running journey was official,” Sims said.

For Jones, he was a bit aimless after college and needed something to help recenter him and give him some structure. He found meaning and purpose by setting goals.

“I’d just finished college but still felt insecure about my future,” Jones said. “I needed a big win, something that symbolized my ability to persevere. Running a marathon was that for me. With that goal, I discovered a community where I felt I belonged. I was hooked after that,” he said.

For Powers, he was looking for a spark to help get him moving after long days behind a desk in a corporate office setting.

He had some experience and a solid foundation from his days playing basketball and running the 3200M in grade school. Now, his job in the IT and eCommerce sector required him to be sitting behind a desk for much of his day.

“I remember going up a flight of stairs and feeling so out of breath, which was foreign to me. Then I started the commitment and never looked back, Powers said.

You don’t have to run marathons or half marathons to enjoy the benefits of running, all three explained. Everyone has different reasons for starting their running journey. It might be to get more physically fit, to earn accolades, gain mental clarity or just to get out in nature and away from screens.

“Make it yours,” Powers said of someone looking to kickstart their running journey. “You don’t have to train for a race, hit a certain pace, or look like a ‘runner.’ You can simply run because you enjoy how it makes you feel,” Powers said.

“Start where you are,” Jones added. “If you can’t run fast, run slow. If you can’t run slow, walk. Just start.”

One of the great things about running is it’s free. It costs nothing to go outside and start moving. You can do it alone or do it with a social group. Study after study point to evidence of running (or even walking) offering up numerous positive physiological and psychological benefits as well.

“[We’re] here to give people a true sense of community and a place to get better. Whether you are new to Memphis, or looking to meet other dedicated people, this is the place to be,” Sims said.

Jones enjoys the community they’ve built, both physically and virtually—the latter of which is nearly 11,000-strong on Instagram. He finds the community they’ve built over the last three years to be encouraging and motivating.

“There are many days where my energy is low before attending run club but by the days end, I feel more encouraged to keep going because of the energy from the team,” he said.

“Life’s a marathon that one day we’ll be forced to quit,” Jones said profoundly. “So, why stop?”

These three men and their social club are a great example of what Healthier 901 is all about—healthy living through movement and community.

You can get tips on how to prepare for a run, areas around the Mid-South to run outdoors and ways to fuel up before or after a run across the Healthier 901 website.

Looking to kick-start your own running journey?

Register for the 4k timed run at the 4th annual Healthier 901 Fest or sign-up for a free one mile walk if that’s more your pace.

Image by Stephanie & Justin Goodman via SprinkleCreative.com