On a quiet Saturday morning in Victoria, before the city’s fully awake, a group of runners gathers outside the Legislature. They tie their laces, share a few laughs, then head off toward Ogden Point together.
It’s become a weekly tradition for Notorious Run Club.
Notorious officially began in September 2024 when Brett Pfliger, Emiliano Cabrera Lorenzo, and Travis Devonport merged two smaller run clubs.
“We were each pulling like four people,” Pfliger said “It was barely a club – more like us and two friends. Then we met at the Oaklands Sunset Market and figured, why not join forces and see how it goes?”
What happened next? Momentum.
These days, Notorious meets every Saturday at 9 a.m. for a casual 5K run. No timers, no memberships – just fresh air, good company, and usually coffee at the finish.
For Cabrera Lorenzo and Pflinger, it’s the social side that keeps people coming back.
“By the end of a run, you’ve met someone new, shared a few laughs, and it’s not even 10 a.m.,” Cabrera Lorenzo says. “You've already won the day.”
And that social piece means a lot, especially after the past few years.
“During the pandemic, isolation hit hard,” Pfliger says. “People started craving real connections. Sometimes you’re new here, or you just don’t know where to go to meet people. Our club gives folks a reason to get out and be part of something.”
Loneliness isn’t just anecdotal – a Government of Canada study shows more than half of British Columbians said they felt lonely, sometimes or always, in Q4 of 2024. That sense of social isolation, defined as having few social contacts or meaningful relationships, is a growing challenge.
Cabrera Lorenzo sees run clubs as a simple but effective answer.
“Run clubs aren’t just about exercise,” Cabrera Lorenzo says. “They’re about breaking out of isolation and finding community.”
Notorious isn’t the only club on the streets.
Victoria has a growing scene – Cool Down Run Club, Island Beers Run Club, Fernwood Social Run Club, Camosun Running Club, to name a few. Some focus on training, others lean into the social, but they all bring people together.
And the numbers back it up. Strava’s 2024 data shows more than 1.5 million users logged running this year – making it the platform’s top activity. Even better, run clubs grew by 59 per cent. It’s a movement mirrored here every weekend.
Notorious throws themed runs, sunset jogs, and even a dating show-style mixer. Their June crossover event pulled in 150 runners from different clubs, and their August 30 anniversary run is set to be even bigger.
They’ve seen friendships form, travel partners connect, and maybe a few romances blossom – though Pfliger and Cabrera Lorenzo laugh off the idea that the club is a dating service.
“It’s really about community,” Cabrera Lorenzo said. “When winter hits and people hibernate, it’s easy to lose touch. Run clubs break that cycle. They give you a reason to show up, get moving, and meet people.”
What started as three guys and a couple of texts has grown into something much bigger.
And even as the group grows, the vibe stays the same – welcoming, low-pressure, and a little loud.
“There’s no secret formula,” Cabrera Lorenzo says. “We just keep showing up – and so do they.”
