CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For local runners, safety continues to be top of mind.

 

What You Need To Know

  • Safety continues to be top of mind for Charlotte runners
  • It’s a discussion that hasn’t stopped since two separate attacks last fall
  • One running group uses a buddy system

 

It’s a discussion that hasn’t stopped since two separate attacks last fall.

Rico Marcelo, founder of the Barn Burners Run Club, attended the latest meeting in February.

He talked about how his group is trying to promote safety through the use of a buddy system.

Each person has someone they are responsible for. They don’t have to run the same pace, but they have to make sure their buddy finishes.

No one in the run club leaves until everyone is accounted for.

Marcelo hopes this allows people to feel safer while running in the Queen City.

“We just want to make sure that we have a safe space in the city of Charlotte to be able to do that,” he said.

Taylor Dorn says it does make her feel safer.

"Especially, I was like, as women running alone can sometimes stop me from running but knowing that there's a buddy system here and that somebody is going to be looking for me if I don't return, it puts me in a peace of mind,” said Dorn.

Marcelo started this group after moving to Charlotte from Virginia Beach.

“Like a lot of Charlotte residents, they aren’t from Charlotte,” he said. "They are trying to make friends, make community.”

He decided to create that community himself by starting this run group last May.

In addition to the buddy system, he heads out with the group and stops along the way to make sure people aren’t getting lost.

"I try to keep track of who's still running the two mile and then at the same time, try to keep track who goes on to the further route,” he said.

He says as the city grows, everyone has to look out for each other.

“The running community is getting larger and larger,” he said. "We need to do a better job of helping each other out.”

The group meets every Monday starting at 6:15 p.m. in front of the Trolley Barn, and the run begins at 6:30 p.m.