by Carla Caruso
Tom Schache is behind Stride Run Club, which holds thrice-weekly group runs in your Park Lands.
The runs are all free to join. When Tom, 24, isn’t pulling on his sneakers, he’s busy as a franchise owner with Mr Clip – Lawn and Gardening Services. We spoke to him about why he loves hitting the paths in Your Park Lands with fellow enthusiasts.
An image from one of Stride’s first runs, before it became ‘official’ online, in Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16). Photo: Stride Run Club.
Tom, please fill us in on Stride Run Club’s origin story.
Stride Run Club’s Tom Schache (centre).
Stride Run Club was unofficially born in January 2024. [This was] when a group of friends from work started going for runs every Tuesday, with the intention of socialising, getting fitter, and pushing each other out of their comfort zones.
In March, Stride Run Club officially made its presence known online [on Instagram and TikTok], where it quickly began to gain a following and grow.
Founded by Anastasia Patsouris and Claudia Peake in January, with the addition of Paige Mahanga on socials in March, Stride became a group for people who wanted to run for all the same reasons: creating connections, getting fitter, and pushing boundaries.
This is where the three pillars for the club – and our slogan ‘People, Passion, Purpose’ – originated.
As of June 2024, Stride Run Club was transferred into my hands. I have been a Stride runner since the early days of the club.
I wish Anastasia, Claudia and Paige all the best in their professional endeavours – which led them to step down – and love when they come join us for our weekly runs.
Stride’s support squad at the 2024 Barossa marathon. Photo: Stride Run Club.
What types of people does your club attract? And where and when are your runs?
Everyone is welcome on our runs, and we aspire to have all types of runners attending our sessions. However, our runs mostly consist of people between the ages of 18 to 38.
Most people find us through our Instagram [account] and Strava group, where we always have our run times posted and share videos and pictures from the weeks previous.
Our weekly roster now consists of three sessions, offering a 3km, 5km and 8km run, with bonus runs announced throughout the week via our Stride Run Club socials and [Facebook] Messenger group chat.
Our sessions attract all levels of runners. So, we make sure that no one is ever left behind, with our run ‘leads’ always making sure everyone is looked after and accounted for.
The first run Stride did once it had its social media up and running. Excitingly, two new people showed up. (Another of the founders, Paige Mahanga, is front, right.) Photo: Stride Run Club.
As we are a run club that focuses on connection over performance, we run our sessions at a chatting pace. This is decided on the day and in accordance with who comes out to run. The pace can range from 4:30 to 6:45/7:00 [per kilometre].
Our runners all have different abilities, come from different backgrounds, and have different careers, but the one thing they all have in common is that they all want to run!
Our current run times are as follows: Tuesday 6.30pm – 3km run (meet at 260 East Terrace, Adelaide – Victoria Park entrance), Thursday 6am – 8km run (meet at Just Down The Road, Unley), and Sunday 8am – 5km run (meet again at Just Down the Road).
On the Stride Run Club Messenger group chat, bonus runs are announced throughout the week to allow runners the option of some extra kilometres.
At the end of a night run, with one of the club’s founders, Anastasia Patsouris, at the front. Photo: Stride Run Club.
What makes your running club different to others?
Stride Run Club focuses on uplifting each other and building social connections and friendships beyond running.
Our runs usually have a coffee or dinner component to them, which allows people to meet regularly, catch up, and chat about their week.
As our runs begin from Victoria Park [Pakapakanthi / Park 16] and Just Down The Road, the central locations allow people from all around the city to attend, with public transport being extremely close and parking spaces in abundance.
Although the club was created with the intent of fostering connections via running, we like to remind our community that it isn’t just about doing the runs – it’s about why we run.
This is why we encourage our runners to go and get involved in events and fundraisers hosted by other run clubs and organisations, because when we support and uplift others, we uphold our third pillar – run with purpose.
Joggers on a dash through Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka (Park 14). Photo: Stride Run Club.
Which parts of the Adelaide Park Lands do you most enjoy running through?
In the attempt to find the best runs for our members, we have run the city bounds, through the southern and western Park Lands, as far up as Botanic Park [Park 11], around the Uni Loop [Park 10], and along the River Torrens [Karrawirra Parri].
During the colder months, we have nailed down three routes that go through the southern and western Park Lands – and we think they are pretty awesome!
Since the Victoria Park upgrades and smaller upgrades to the footpaths along South Terrace and near Rundle Street, the runs are scenic and safe, with minimal tripping hazards and traffic lights.
An evening run through Tarntanya Wama (Park 26). Photo: Stride Run Club.
What keeps you busy when you’re not out running?
I love going on road trips and taking my 4WD to places like Robe and the Flinders Ranges, as well as waterskiing on the Murray River. I love to be immersed in nature.
I enjoy organising outside-of-running catch-ups too and love spending time with the running crew – whether that’s down at the beach after a long Sunday run or participating in quiz nights at The Republic Norwood following a Tuesday 10km.
One of Stride’s first runs. Photo: Stride Run Club.
Final words on running in the Adelaide Park Lands…
Running through the Park Lands has afforded me the opportunity to meet so many new people and create long-lasting connections.
Chatting with people from Stride on a run or to other run clubs in passing is something that I cherish and is something that filled the hole left by a soccer injury I acquired a few years back.
I also love spotting local wildlife on a night run!
For more local running club inspiration, check out this article by Sitchu.
