Run clubs are booming. In Las Vegas, and in communities across the country, new clubs are seemingly popping up overnight, bringing more people into running and creating new opportunities for connection, community, and growth. For run specialty retailers, that growth is exciting, but it also presents a challenge: What does a meaningful partnership between a running store and a run club actually look like? Too often, the conversation begins and ends with a request for a discount. Red Rock Running Company believes the best partnerships go much deeper. Successful relationships should create value for everyone involved – the store, the run club, and, most importantly, the runners they both serve.
In this session, Red Rock Running Company owner Mark Jimenez will be joined by two Las Vegas run club leaders whose organizations have very different needs. Haylee Fuentes leads GRACE Run Club, a large and established all women running community, while Michael Rivarde, captain of Black Men Run – Las Vegas and a recipient of The Running Event’s Future Leader Award, partnered with RRRC while building a newer local chapter. Together, they’ll share what these partnerships look like from both sides of the relationship: what works, what doesn’t, what run clubs actually need from retailers, and how stores can support clubs without simply becoming a source for discounts and giveaways.
Retailers will leave with practical ideas for evaluating opportunities and creating sustainable, mutually beneficial run club partnerships. Run club leaders will gain a better understanding of what specialty running stores can bring to their communities, and how to approach retailers with partnerships that create genuine value for both sides. The goal isn’t simply to work together. It’s to build relationships where everyone wins.
