Intown Runaround: Urban Renewal

By Tim Sullivan

Indra Tobias wants you to get off of your sofa. The Old Fourth Ward resident and Healthy Eating Liaison at Whole Foods has inspired scores of intown Atlanta couch potatoes to lace up their running shoes and get active.

What are the origins of the Urban Run Club (www.urbanrunclub.com)?

It started about two and a half years ago with three friends and for the first three weeks we only had three people. We now have over 500 Facebook followers and about 700 people on our email list.

You employ an admirable practice of not leaving anyone behind on the runs. How do you know who won?

Everyone is a winner. The winners are the fast asses to everyone in the middle of the pack to those in the rear, to the supporters of the rear. We now support walkers too. We push them to keep up a brisk pace, but we don’t leave them behind either

Aside from the nirvana of being ultra-hip and fit, what have you enjoyed most about the group?

Honestly last year was a tough year for me.  I closed my hair salon because I was planning a move to Portland but that didn’t happen.  The Tuesday night runs picked me up – smiling faces, people sharing their stories with me.

Your (very large) group ran by my house last month and my 3-year-old son was clapping and shouting, “go runners!”  He thought it was a sanctioned race!

Our largest group yet was last summer for a special event where we had nearly 100. On a cold, rainy, winter night last year we had three girls who ran three miles in the pouring rain. Our neighborhood tavern gave us pints to celebrate our foolishness.

Even though it is called a “run club” your group promotes and supports a variety of active pursuits like…

We do events called “Are You Trippin’?” where we pick a location, carpool, and spend the day running, hiking, swimming, overnight camping or whatever the location has to offer.

Now that’s original – a run club that promotes tripping!  Who inspires you?

I think everyone who has gone from a chill-out loafer to a half or full marathoner. We have a good number of runners who fit that bill.

I think organized run clubs actually thwart crime in the city. They liven up the corridors and keep the shadows more honest.  At the very least there is safety in numbers right?

I agree. Most crimes against individuals take place because the knucklehead perpetrators take advantage of situations of opportunity. I have zero tolerance for crimes committed against our neighbors. Love your neighbor as yourself. Every major city needs an Urban Run Club and I plan on finding a way to make that happen.

Although I suppose if some fitness-conscious criminals wanted to get out and case some joints while perfecting their getaway, this may be a perfect way to spend a Tuesday evening.

I often ask the neighborhood dope boys if they will be joining us for the evening and they always say, “one day, miss lady, but not this time.”