Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Koons, Cristina Davis, Beverly Briley
Hi Rachel Koons, Cristina Davis, Beverly Briley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The three of us started Girls Run Nash back in January, 2024. The idea began small: why aren’t there any female only running clubs in Nashville? As seasoned runners, we had experienced the trials and tribulations of being a female in this sport. From experiencing cat-calling to hearing about women being attacked on their runs, there is a sea of reasons why women shouldn’t run. We started Girls Run Nash because we wanted to create a space where women could come run safely, build community, and learn about issues dealing directly with women in endurance sports. We also wanted to increase access for female runners in Nashville – access to information around running and other female-centered topics and access to products and brands that enhance your running experience. It is really important to us to ensure that women in Nashville feel supported in their running journey and feel a part of a larger community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our club immediately pulled large crowds. On our first meeting, we expected maybe 50 women to show up but were surprised when 157 did. Since then, the growth has been exponential with over 300 women at our last event. Though it has been amazing to see so many come out to support us, the logistics of planning the events have been an uphill battle. Getting 300 girls out for a run is no easy task. Luckily, we have such an amazing group of people behind us who are willing to support and so we have a few other girls who help throughout each event from setting up giveaways, greeting women, or leading our ace groups of runners throughout the run. We are grateful for the growth we’ve experienced and hope that we can provide more in the future outside of our monthly events.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
While run club management is a fun side hustle, we all three work full time. Cristina works in Tech specializing in HR, Rachel is an insurance agent at a local insurance agency, and Bev just started her 1L year of law school at Belmont. The three of us met while co-coaching The Exchange Running Collective’s Marathon Training Program.
We are all super proud of the career paths we have built outside of running and because each of our jobs translates into helping others in some way we try to collectively use our skills within the work we do for our running community. We each love building relationships and helping our athletes reach their goals within the training program we are a part of. It has been so fulfilling expanding into Girls Run Nash and we think what sets us apart from others is not only the events we put on but the fact that we each come from different backgrounds and have unique perspectives that we can share with each other and our community.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
If you want something great, you need to take risks. Starting an all girls run club in Nashville could be considered a risk mainly because there are so many other amazing co-ed running clubs in this city and at first we weren’t sure if it would be a success. We run with other female runners regularly and so we knew there would be some excitement around the idea of an all girls running club. However, there was still a lot of uncertainty about the logistics behind planning information sessions, how often to meet, and making the club a unique and special experience for women. Taking a risk and putting on events like ours so far has been so rewarding and seeing a community of women come together to run, learn, and inspire each other has been well worth the risk. If you have a crazy idea or feel passionately about something, take the risk! You may end up with a 300+ community of people behind you.
Pricing:
- FREE
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlsrunnash/
