In 2022, I found myself living in Montana. I was just getting serious about running. I was just settling into my queer and nonbinary identities. I was finally getting to a place where I wanted to run with others. A big deal coming from someone who refused to run with another person since 2016. There weren’t a lot of runners out there in Billings. There was an elite, fast, group that trained together. Too fast for me, since I was/am just a baby runner. The more casual running group was more walkers than runners and there was the overwhelming concern of being ostracized as a queer person. I never went. The fear won over at the time.
Two years later in 2024, I made my return to my home state of Minnesota. I moved to Duluth in May, just in time to settle in before running my first Grandma’s that June. I still had my eye out for Run Clubs. One that looked welcoming for someone like me. After my body settled down post marathon I started hunting for that run club. I ended up DMing Tortoise and Hare to ask about some outdated information I found on their website. It turned out that the store was about to reintroduce a run club and they were just finalizing those details when I reached out! When August 7th came around and their run was starting, I took a deep breath and made my way to Dovetail Cafe & Marketplace. That first gathering was maybe 8 people and I had no idea how to socialize. Once we got running it was clear that everyone was faster than me. But I pushed myself and went probably too hard. After the turn around of our out and back course, I ended up running with a man that turned out to be the Run Club Leader’s, Sun’s, husband. I felt a massive amount of relief knowing there were other queer folks around me. He ended chatting the rest of the way back since I could barely breathe, but he stuck with me so I wasn’t alone. That interaction kept me coming back every Wednesday for the next year and a half.
Things progressed naturally after those first few runs. Having a queer leader and at least one queer regular attracted just about every queer identifying runner in Duluth. The club, now the Flying Tortoises, outgrew its beginnings and now operates separately from any businesses. I’ve been able to grow along with the club and now co-lead the group with Sun.
We spend our Wednesday evening enjoying each other’s company with a latte or a lager while cracking jokes about having at least 3 token straight folks at our group runs. All while celebrating our unofficial moniker of Duluth’s Gayest Run Club.
While it may sound simple, this group is proof that showing up and being visible as you are creates spaces that are safe for others to step into.
How do you create or find inclusive spaces in running?
The answer is both simple and complicated.
It starts with you.
The real you. The one that’s a little weird and maybe hard to digest for some folks. The version of you that’s a little too loud and has out of pocket ideas.
Be Odd. Be Visible. Be Inclusive.
It starts with you and it’s good for everyone.
Ryn Rose
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Favorite Grandma’s Marathon Memory: I just moved to Duluth in May of 2024 and immediately engrossed myself in running and community. All of that came together for my 2025 Grandma’s Marathon. I kept seeing friends and community members along the entire course, both as supporters and fellow runners. Being known in your space truly fills the heart and I’m so happy it happened at Grandma’s. And maybe the 19 minute PR helped a little!
Favorite Pre-Race Meal: Peanut butter, banana, and chia seeds all wrapped up in a flour tortilla. I call it my breakfast burrito!
Reason you absolutely won’t run outside: Heavy smoke is really the only thing that can deter me, otherwise nothing will stop me if I want to get a run in. You will find me running at night in the dead of winter in -20 degree temps.
Advice to Other Runners: Forward is a Pace.
2026 Running Goal: Continue creating and growing inclusive and welcoming spaces for all types of runners and complete my first Ultra!