Dr. Kimberly Stoltzfus and Professor Delphine Broccard, both communications professors at Pepperdine, are organizing a women’s running club. According to Stoltzfus, it is an opportunity to meet others, learn how to run properly and have fun.
The club will meet weekly beginning Jan. 30 at 7:15 a.m. at Stotsenberg Track. Those who wish to join should wear running attire to the club’s first official meeting.
Runners of all skill levels are invited to join. The club is for all types of people — from those with no experience to those who have run multiple races.
“It is mostly about creating a community of women who get to know and support each other and feel good about ourselves and each other,” Stoltzfus said.
The first 15 minutes of each meeting will be “Running 101.” The duo will discuss good running habits and tips like basic running form, proper nutrition and hydration and even advise the runners on which type of shoes to buy.
The club will be more than about running, however. Stoltzfus and Broccard hope to partner with Steve Spear, who plans to run across America and through funding, provide clean water for 30,000 people in Africa. Spear has reached out to the founders of the runner’s club and wants to run his first mile with its members in Santa Monica.
Stoltzfus reiterated that running is both a physical and a mental sport — she has been running since she was 8 years old.
“I’ve applied running to different parts of my life. Last year, I finished my thesis and thought of it as a race,” Broccard said.
The goal of the semester is to participate in the Hollywood Half Marathon and 5K/10K on Sat. April 6. Members are by no means required to run the race, but they are encouraged to do so.
For more information, contact Dr. Kimberly Stoltzfus at Kimberly.Stoltzfus@pepperdine.edu or Professor Delphine Broccard at Delphine.Broccard@pepperdine.edu.
