The Fresh Brew Run Club is a blog for the everyday runner.
We get up way too early. We put on short shorts, and head out to dodge cars, bikes, pedestrians and local cats in the blistering heat, cold and rain. And we do it all for extremely strange reasons, like crossing a line painted on the cement before a giant clock strikes a certain number, or to earn a piece of cheap metal attached to a ribbon with a bank’s logo on it. Or maybe we just want to get out of the house for an hour or so. Does that sound like you? If so, welcome to the Fresh Brew Run Club. Congratulations, you’re a member. Don’t expect your information packet in the mail anytime soon.
Running writing is weird though
Don’t get me wrong, there’s tons of great running-related work out there. But for every Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear, there are hundreds of tasteless “race day” recipes, useless fad workout ideas, reviews of gimmicky running “tools” like organic multi-directional space foam rollers, and flat out narcissistic running influencers bragging about their splits or how perfectly their outfit matches in a perfectly framed and edited photo on Instagram. Oh, you ran 10 miles and didn’t break into a disgusting sweat? Must be nice. It is incredible seeing people take something simple and turn it into a complicated, exclusive hobby for snobs.
That’s why I want to start writing again. Well for one, I miss writing. But I mostly want to bring a little fun to the running blogosphere. I’m not the fastest runner in the world; my fastest mile was in 10th grade (5:09, second place in the slow heat of the Anchor Bay Classic, thank you very much). But I’ve come to re-enjoy the sport over the past five years, and I have some thoughts.
I want to hit on the elements I enjoy, the random things that make me laugh in the middle of a long run and the stuff I like to use. Maybe bring up a few timeless debates, like running in the cold vs. the heat. Or the time that I thought it was a good idea to eat at an Italian fast-food chain the night before the state XC meet. I’ll also review some products I use and show some of my favorite places to run. Maybe interview a couple sled dogs. Who knows.
So what’s with the name?
Fresh Brew Run Club? What’s up with that? Before every run, I do two things: apply a thick layer of Body Glide and drink a cup of coffee. I never liked coffee, but I picked up the habit after a few years of working in the corporate world. It’s not so much the caffeine, but the idea of a liquid comfort blanket that I enjoy. I used to down a glass of C4 EXXXXXPLOSIVE LIQUID RAGE FUEL pre-workout before every run, but I don’t think artificially giving myself a heart murmur is a healthy way to start the morning. So I brew a cup of coffee.
For me, that first cup of coffee is as much a part of my running routine as tying my shoes or dodging a Jeep driver that thinks stop signs are optional. So that’s the name. Do I envision printing a limited run of t-shirts and giving them as Christmas gifts to my family? You bet. A brand is born. Happy trails!
If you have any topic ideas, questions about running or general commentary on proper sidewalk width, comment below. Operators are standing by.