Writer / Jimmy Girot III

One drive around Geist Reservoir on a pristine Saturday morning, and you’re guaranteed to see countless runners, walkers and cyclists. Short-term inspiration will emerge from seeing our neighbors stay active outdoors, but such inspiration is often difficult to sustain. The monotony of fitness, especially running and walking, will decrease the likelihood of most Geist residents taking that morning stroll around the lake.

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RUN XPT leader Scott Fussell

The challenge for runners and walkers is to integrate a social component – unquestionably tough to achieve outside of a fitness center. Thankfully for Geist residents, RUN XPT has created an electric and loyal community for runners and walkers.

To learn more about RUN XPT, I spoke with their passionate leader, Scott Fussell.

What is RUN XPT and how did it begin?

“RUN XPT began in January of 2015 as an extension of Crosspoint and was created to help fill a fitness need here in the Geist/Fishers area. As you know, we have an incredible number of runners here in the area and a wealth of amazing routes to run, walk and explore. However, there’s no real place outside a local running store for area runners and walkers to call to say, ‘My club is…’ or ‘I train with….’ There’s just no real spot, club or organization for locals to call their running home.

“We’re working to remedy that by offering a community where runners and walkers can connect, train and ‘enjoy the journey’ together. If there’s a race people are preparing for, we’ll help them find the right training plan and support them along that journey. The bottom line is we want to be a community where folks can connect with others on a similar path. As we all know, the journey is easier and infinitely more enjoyable when you’re sharing it with others.”

On average, how many people participate in your group activities?

“Depending on the season and local youth sports schedule, we have anywhere from five to 20 show up on a regular basis. This time of year is a popular one, given the change of season, cooler temps and training demands for upcoming fall races. It’s going to be great to have the group back together after an extended break after our 730SummerSeries. We’re looking forward to welcoming a lot of new faces as well.”  

Do you have any big events coming up or exciting news?

“The most exciting news to share is the kickoff of our fall season. Our first group run/walk of the season is scheduled for September 24 at 7:30 a.m. From that morning through Thanksgiving, we’ll meet on the porch at Mama Bear’s (located on the corner of Brooks School and Fall Creek) every Saturday for our group outings.”

To learn more about RUN XPT, runners and walkers can connect with them on Facebook at facebook.com/runxpt, on Instagram at @runxpt and on Twitter at @runxpt.

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