Kingstowne Striders, Local Organizations Show Support for Victims of Boston Marathon Bombing

Immediately after finding out about the Boston Marathon bombing, Kingstowne Striders President Kevin Shaw wanted to find the best way for his organization to help victims and their families.

"The first thing I did was try to access who I knew was going to be there," he said. "I wanted to make sure they were safe, and their families were safe. I knew from the videos that mostly spectators were injured, so I wanted to make sure they were safe and find out if there was anything we could do to help."

After confirming his associates and their families were safe, Shaw and members of the Kingstowne Striders got together to figure out the best way they could help those affected by the bombing.

"We don't have the resources because we're a small organization so instead, we're pushing out information about other clubs or organizations putting together runs or events," he said.

One event Shaw and the Kingstowne Striders are supporting is the "Jamming for Boston" Cat Jam at King Street Blues in Kingstowne Thursday evening where all proceeds will go to One Fund Boston.

Five years ago, Shaw and his wife drove all the way to Reston just to be a part of a thriving running club — the Reston Runners. In those days, Shaw said he spent more time in the car than he did actually enjoying a nice run.

"Most days, we'd spend most of the day driving instead of running. We noticed there were a lot of runners in the Kingstowne area, so finally we decided to form our own club," he said.

The club had its first run January 2009 starting in front of the Panera in Kingstowne and the Kingstowne Striders are now in their fifth year, getting ready for their 2013 Strider Fest and other annual events including the popular The Jack T. Farrar Jr. Fill the Shoes 5K at the beginning of November.

Shaw said the Kingstowne Striders don't associate with just one local running organization. Instead, they collaborate with multiple clubs in the area, including Metro Run & Walk, who — like the Striders — indulge in social running to encourage a comfortable environment for those intersted in physical activity. Currently, the cllub has about 63 official members and is working on expanding its walking program as well.

Most people who want to become active walkers are sometimes discouraged by the runners in the group, Shaw explained. But the group wants walkers to feel more comfortable with the others, and part of the group's mission is to provide a friendly environment for members to do that. For more information on the Kingstowne Striders, how to join and upcoming events, click here.

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