You ever meet someone who reminds you what all of this is really about?
Last week I sat down with Alex Eagle, co-founder of The Running Charity, a project that’s been building trust, purpose, and community through running...for 12 years. Way before “run crews” were trending. Way before “community” was a marketing pillar.
And what struck me was: this isn’t about building hype. This is about helping young people put their lives back together. One step. One run. One safe moment at a time.
Alex and his team work with youth experiencing homelessness, trauma, and mental health challenges. And they do something most campaigns can’t: They earn trust.
Slowly, quietly, and consistently.
“They often arrive quiet. Not because they have nothing to say, but because no one’s earned the right to hear it yet.”
What can brands learn from a grassroots charity?
Honestly? A lot.
Because The Running Charity is a masterclass in real, lived, no-bullshit community.
They don’t run for performance.
They run for dignity.
They don’t throw around the word community.
They live it.
They don’t run for performance. They run for dignity.
They don’t pitch “belonging.” They create it.
Here’s what they’ve taught me and what I think more brands need to sit with:
Patience when no one shows up.
No ego. No cameras.
Showing up without needing anything in return.
Letting the people you serve define success, not the brand.
"If your community is just a vibe or a T-shirt drop, it might not be a community at all."
Trend to watch: from performance to purpose in sport
More people are running than ever. But not everyone’s chasing a PB.
From Parkrun to mission-led run crews, there’s a quiet shift happening:
Movement as healing. Sport as social work. Running as resistance.
As sport brands race to build “belonging,” those that actually show up with and for people (not just for audience growth) will be the ones that last.
Community doesn’t scale through perks.
It scales through presence.
Tactical tip: Build Slow. Show Up. Shut Up.
Alex didn’t build a community by asking who showed up. He built it by showing up anyway.
“One of our coaches might cross all of London to meet a kid who doesn’t even show. But they’ll go back the next week. And the next. Until they’re ready. ”
So here’s the tip:
Want real community? Stop counting heads.
Start earning trust, when there’s nothing in it for you.
And keep showing up until the room is theirs.
The question
If “community” wasn’t a channel or KPI…
If it was your only way to reach someone, to change a life, how would you build it?
Hit reply.
Or better yet: go listen to this episode.
Because Alex said the things I needed to hear. And maybe you do too.
This one’s worth it.
💬 Got thoughts? Reply to this post or drop a comment.
Let’s make this a conversation worth continuing.
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Thanks for reading.
Francisco
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