How One Run Club Is Bringing Mental Health Conversations to the Starting Line

Sometimes the best ideas don't start with a business plan. They start with someone noticing that something is missing.

For Andrew Miller, that missing piece was a running community that didn't revolve around alcohol.

Today, his New Horizons Run Club is helping fill another gap, too. As one of the first organizations participating in Still I Run's new Pace Protector program, New Horizons is showing how existing run clubs can become places where conversations about mental health feel just as natural as talking about running shoes or weekend races.

What Is the Pace Protector Program?

Not every community needs a brand-new run club.

Many cities already have thriving running groups filled with people looking for connection. The Pace Protector program was created to partner with those existing clubs, providing resources, education, and support to help them intentionally foster conversations around mental health.

Think of it as adding another layer of purpose to a run club that's already making a difference.

Pace Protectors receive guidance, tools, and ongoing support from Still I Run to help create welcoming environments where movement and mental well-being go hand in hand. Rather than replacing the club's identity, the program strengthens what already exists by encouraging members to look out for one another, normalize conversations about mental health, and remind people that they don't have to face life's challenges alone.

For Andrew, joining the program felt like a natural next step.

Running Changed Everything

Andrew didn't grow up thinking he'd become an ultramarathon runner.

In fact, when he signed up for his first race in 2022, he wasn't even sure he'd make it to the starting line.

A few years earlier, after losing his mother in 2018, he found himself struggling. He wasn't in a good place mentally and had developed a drinking habit that left him feeling unhappy and stuck.

Eventually, he reached a point where something had to change.

Almost on a whim, he registered for a half marathon taking place several months later. He had been active in the gym, but distance running was completely new territory.

"I wasn't going to tell anyone," Andrew recalled. "I figured if I quit, nobody would know."

That plan lasted about two weeks.

Before long, he was telling everyone about the race, making it feel real. As the summer training miles added up, something unexpected happened.

Running became his outlet.

His focus shifted from drinking to preparing for race day. The routine, the goals, and the sense of progress gave him something he hadn't had in a long time.

He never went back to drinking.

"It gave me the kick I needed," he said.

One half marathon eventually turned into five marathons and four ultramarathons. He was so confident he had found something that made him happy that he registered for his first marathon before he had even completed his first half.

His longest event so far? A 12-hour ultra where he covered 47.5 miles.

Building the Community He Couldn't Find

As Andrew became more involved in the local running scene, he noticed a pattern.

Many of the clubs in his area finished their runs at breweries or centered social events around alcohol.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that for many runners. But for Andrew, who had worked hard to build a sober life, those settings weren't always comfortable.

So he decided to create something different.

In 2025, he and several friends launched New Horizons Run Club.

The goal wasn't to create a club exclusively for sober runners. Instead, they wanted to create a welcoming middle ground where anyone could show up without feeling like drinking was expected.

Their Thursday evening runs typically attract five to eight runners, while Sunday mornings have grown to more than 10 participants, with new faces joining regularly.

The miles matter, but the people matter even more.

Why Pace Protector Was the Perfect Fit

Not long after New Horizons launched, one of Andrew's friends sent him information about Still I Run's new Pace Protector program.

The more he learned about it, the more it felt like an extension of what the club was already trying to accomplish.

"It just seemed like a really good fit," he said.

Since joining the pilot program, Andrew says members have been excited about bringing an intentional mental health component into the club.

That enthusiasm is exactly what the Pace Protector program hopes to build.

Mental health doesn't have to be reserved for awareness campaigns or difficult moments. Sometimes it's simply checking in with someone before a run. Sometimes it's creating an environment where people feel safe enough to share what's on their mind. Sometimes it's offering a community where showing up is enough.

Those small moments add up.

Know Your "Why"

Andrew knows that starting something new can feel intimidating because he's lived it.

When asked what advice he'd give someone who wants to start running for their mental health, his answer isn't about pace, mileage, or training plans.

It's about purpose.

"You just need to know your why," he said. "When you have a clear mission for why you're doing something, it's easier to keep going."

For him, that mission was finding a healthier path away from alcohol and the negative patterns he had fallen into.

For someone else, it might be managing anxiety, finding community, building confidence, or simply creating time to clear their head.

"The question is, why are you starting?" Andrew said. "Are you trying to change a habit? Get yourself away from something? Get into a new environment?"

The answer doesn't have to look the same for everyone.

It just has to matter to you.

Looking Ahead

The Pace Protector program is still in its early stages, but stories like Andrew's show what's possible when local running communities intentionally create space for mental health.

Every run club has its own personality, traditions, and community. Pace Protectors aren't there to change that. They're there to strengthen it by helping create places where every pace is welcome, every story matters, and no one has to navigate life's challenges alone.

If you're part of an existing run club and want to help make your community more supportive of mental health, we'd love to have you join us.

Because sometimes the most meaningful thing you can offer another runner isn't a training tip.

It's knowing they'll have someone beside them, one step at a time.