Run Your City, a student-led nonprofit offering free youth running programs, has become a staple part of several Columbia family routines.

The six-week program has quickly become a space where children build confidence, community and a love for movement.

Parents say the impact is immediate.

“It has been wonderful to watch my daughters’ love for running grow through their first season with Run Your City Columbia,” said Mary Hayes, the mother of two girls in the program. “The coaches and student athletes are all so patient and engaging, and they really seem to enjoy sharing their passion with the kids.”

Although they’re only going into their second season of operations, parents and kids are already planning ahead.

“We’re looking forward to the rest of the season and future season with Run Your City,” Hayes said.

The Columbia chapter was founded by Hayden Withers, a University of South Carolina student and former track athlete. She brought the program to South Carolina after hanging up her shoes and medically retiring from the sport. Run Your City originated at the University of West Virginia, but Withers saw the need for something similar in Columbia.

“I was the one who, like, reached out to the head founders that started it there and asked about, like, getting one for South Carolina,” she said.

Withers said the program offered her a way to stay connected to running after injuries forced her off the track.

“It’s been nice to be able to give back to the community and still, like, enjoy running,” she said.

The program, which practices and competes at Owens Field Park in the Rosewood neighborhood, is intentionally free, lowering barriers for families who may not have access to club sports or paid athletic activities.

“We want to just be able to allow for all people of any type of like demographic, socioeconomic background to be able to enjoy this sort of running and just, like, sports in general,” Withers said.

The mission is personal for other executive board members as well, such as one of their community engagement officers, Madelyn Gomez.

“Being a part of Run Your City is super personal to me, as I have been running since I was in 5^th grade and continue my love for the sport by participating recreationally,” Gomez said. “I love being able to translate my love for running into coaching younger children.”

Gomez’s responsibilities consist of organizing fundraisers to cover the costs of T-shirts, snacks and prizes. She said social media, especially Instagram and Facebook groups, generate the most interest from families.

Her co-community engagement officer, Caitlin Gemmill, said success is measured by trust and consistency in her eyes.

“Seeing kids return each season or hearing that parents recommended it to others shows that the program is becoming part of the community rather than just a one-time activity,” she said.

The chapter’s first season required quick adjustments as organizers figured out what worked. Withers said those early sessions tested her leadership.

“We didn’t really know exactly, like … if they were going to even like what we had prepared for them,” she said. “We had to definitely, like, adjust and figure out what exactly fit best for our chapter.”

The impact is clear despite the challenges. Kids remember their coaches’ names, ask to repeat favorite drills and show up with more confidence each week, Withers said. One moment in particular affirmed the program’s purpose, she said: a child who refused to stop running during a parachute drill.

“He wanted to do an entire lap around the field,” she said. “For me that made me realize, like, like, they’re really enjoying this and that we’re doing a good job.”

Board members hope to continue building long-term relationships with families.

“We want schools, families, and community partners to know this program isn’t temporary,” Gemmill said. “Most importantly, we want kids to feel supported, encouraged and comfortable knowing they have a place where they belong.”