Front Runners & Walkers
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale's Premier LGBTQ Running and Walking Club
Couch to 5K New Runner Training Ongoing from Feb 14th to April 20th
Who We Are
Front Runners & Walkers Fort Lauderdale, is not only an LGBTQA friendly running and walking group, it also has a social component that provides a supportive environment for its membership. The group offers activities designed for runners and walkers of all abilities. Although the group primarily has a LGBTQ membership we welcome people from all walks of life and see diversity as a strength. The club seeks to build bridges of belonging across south Florida's running & walking communities.
Member's Spotlight
Christie Henderson
In addition to being the subject of our MEMBER SPOTLIGHT, we are stoked to have Christie joining our Board of Directors as our Triathlon Coordinator.
More about Christie in her own words:
My life has always been on a path of discovery. As time goes in the more enlightened I become with the world around me and understand what is about life to be Rich! Rich in living life, not money rich.
Born and raised in New Zealand at 28, I migrated to Australia for 5 years then immigrated to America in 2001. Since then I’ve traveled the world with my career as a Marine Engineer.
From an early age I was always into sports....read all her story here.
IN THE NEWS
The Best Sports League & Best Sports Team in Broward County Goes to...
By Jason Parsley,
The Front Runners organization started in San Francisco in 1974 as a jogging class. In 1978, they adopted the name Front Runners after Patricia Nell Warren's 1974 novel The Front Runner, about a gay track coach and a gay runner. Today there are running clubs all over the world including Fort Lauderdale.
As the name suggests the organization is about running and walking, but as Eric Runyan, president of the club, says, it's really about celebrating everyone.
“The comment that I hear most often from our visitors and members is how welcoming, and friendly we are for a sports organization,” Runyan said. “While we offer opportunities and push our participants to excel and be more fit, we celebrate everyone's efforts, whether they place first in a major race or simply attend and walk at our meetup on a regular basis.”
The group meets regularly three times a week on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at Holiday Park; Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. at the Galleria Mall; and Sundays at 5 p.m. at the Pride Center in Wilton Manors.
“We are truly a diverse sporting community that brings together people from across the LGBTQ spectrum and our allies,” Runyan said.
Youth Race Grants
In order to promote the sport of running, racing and general health among LGBTQ Young Adults (18-22) who are residents of Broward County Florida, Front Runners & Walkers Fort Lauderdale is offering a limited number of Race Grants worth up to $50 to pay whole or in part for races in Broward County. Jump to our Race Grants page to apply.
Where To Find Us
Join us for a run or walk.
Wednesday at 7PM
3, 4 or 6 mile Run or Walk
Holiday Park (Between the Gymnasium and the Football Fields), Fort Lauderdale
Saturday at 7:30 AM
3, 4 or 6 mile Run or Walk
Galleria Mall
Meet behind the Bank of America, west end of the mall, Fort Lauderdale
Sunday at 6:00 PM
3, 4 or 6 mile Run or Walk
Pride Center, Wilton Manors
What's Coming Up
Strava Challenges Grand Prize Contest
Strava is an app that can run on your phone or smartwatch to track your runs, walks and other athletic activities. If you use another tracker app, most will sync to the Strava Platform. Each month a "Challenge" is issued for Running and one for Walking. We also encourage other club members by giving them "kudos" for their workouts. At the 2024 Annual Banquet will will have a Strava Challenges Grand Prize Drawing. Here is how you participate:
The Strava Challenges Grand Prize for this Race Season run from October 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024 will culminate with a drawing to be held at the Annual Banquet in May 2024. One winner will be drawn for the Running Category and one for the Walking Category.
The actual prizes have yet to be determined, but we expect them to be of some significant value.
Participants must be members in good standing of FRWFL at the time of the drawing and must be members during any month in which they accumulate virtual tickets.
Participants accumulate virtual tickets by actively participating in a Strava Challenge each month. Each month there will be a 50 km Walking Challenge and 100 km Running Challenge.
Members must choose to participate either in the Running Category or The Walking Category. Due to the possibility of injury by a runner, or walker who wishes to start running, members may change categories once during the term of this contest, by notifying the Club President.
Participants will earn one (1) virtual ticket when they complete at least 50% of their challenge and may earn one (1) additional virtual ticket when they complete over 100% of their challenge. (e.g. A walker who complete 25km earns 1 ticket while one who completes 51km earns 2 tickets)
Members may join the contest at any time, but increase their odds in the drawing by joining early.
Although members may use any tracking app that syncs to Strava, only results in Strava will be considered official.
The official Ticket Tally will be viewable in our Members only Website https://www.frwfl.org/members-only
As this is the first instance of this contest the Board reserves the right to alter the rules if necessary.
Don't miss a kilometer! See our Strava Page for all the details
FRWFL Training Club this month....
Clue Chasers Workout
Thursday, March 21st, 6:30PM
Holiday Park, Regular Meetup Location
This is a scavenger hunt like event. Runners and Walkers are split into even teams. There will be a runner and a walker division. One team member must carry their phone and acts as photographer. Teams must answer a riddle to find their next location. They cannot leave the location until they take a selfie with all members and the location in the background. The first team back in each division with all the photographs confirmed has their dinner at Patio Bar & Pizza paid for by the Club.
Florida AIDS WALK
Saturday, March 9th, 8:30AM
1100 Seabreeze Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Join our team here. Members see our discount code our Members Only Area. Be sure to wear your FRWFL club Shirts and meet in front of the public restrooms at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park at 8:30AM. We will take some team pics and at 10AM the walk kicks off. You'll want to raise some money by having friends donate.
Can't be there but want to support the FRWFL AIDS Walk Team? You can donate here.
Drag Bingo Fundraiser for FRWFL Race Grants Programs
Scandals Bar
Tuesday March 12th, 7:45PM
Be there on time or before as Bingo Begins at 8:00pm
This event supports our two Race Grant Programs described below.
Looking forward to see there to have some fun and support a great cause.
Couch to 5K Continues
Trainers Needed
Free New Runner Training
We are stoked by the tremendous response to our annual new runner training. But with about 20 active participants we need help. Our members act as volunteer trainers guiding our trainees through an alternating run/walk workout. Take a turn here
New Runner Clinic
By Randy Zaritsky, USATF Certified Coach
Wednesday, March 13th, Just prior to our Holiday Pk Run/Walk