By Keziah Rutschow

At 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday, participants gather at Jogg’n Shop for the weekly Raccoon Run Club Ladies’ Night. Gradually, runners arrive, greeting each other and catching up before the run. Olivia Black, one of the founders of Ladies’ Night, welcomes everyone and begins leading the group towards the Arcata Community Forest to complete a five-mile loop.

The Raccoon Run Club was started in Arcata by two locals, Thomas and Wes, who wanted a space for younger runners to get together in a fun yet casual environment. After a few months of the 6:30 p.m. Monday runs, Black and her friend Lily decided to come together and start a second session with a ladies’ night on Wednesdays.

“It’s super chill, there’s never pressure to run a certain pace, look a certain way — anything like that,” Black said. “Most of the time people show up in Hawaiian shirts and it’s just silly and it’s just fun.”

Moving from West Virginia to Humboldt for work, she continued to build and find her own community through running.

Beyond being friendly to all running levels, many runners at the club come from different backgrounds, experiences and abilities.

“We all come from a different sports background or lack sports background,” Black said.  “But we’re all out here doing the same thing every night, having fun together.”

Runners often introduce each other to different sports, such as surfing or biking. Not only have they shared interests with each other, but they have also created a space of support and strength for one another.

Dana Merrill grew up in Humboldt and began attending Ladies’ Night six months postpartum with her second child, eventually running an ultramarathon a year after joining the group.

“Running is super social. And I think people think of it as, ‘Oh, I, like, have to grind on the treadmill,’ or ‘you’re always miserable.’ And, starting, running is not easy.” Merril said. “I wouldn’t sugarcoat that, but once you’re in it, so many runners just want people to run with. They don’t care about your pace.”

This run club not only inspires those who join, but provides a social scene. For some, running is a solo personal journey.

Sol Fernandez kept running after spending just a year on the Cal Poly Humboldt cross country team during COVID before leaving, but she found herself missing that social side

“It allowed me to fall in love with running. For a personal love for it, versus I have to be at practice after school every day. Like the way it was before,” Fernandez said. “It just allowed me to actually find peace in running rather than punishment.”

Whether someone is new to running or a seasoned athlete, the Raccoon Run Club Ladies’ Night offers an inclusive and supportive space for community, personal growth and fun. The group demonstrates that running can be about connection, encouragement and enjoyment — making it more than just a workout.

Keziah is the science editor with an interest in crime & justice and politics