Run or Walk Your Way to Wellness with Duke's Run/Walk Club This Fall

Register for the Duke Run/Walk Club, which meets Aug. 12 through Oct. 30

A group of people run along the East Campus trail at Duke University
Participants in the Duke Run/Walk Club use the East Campus Loop Trail to log miles. Photo by Travis Stanley

Some days, Alex Hilliard just doesn’t feel like walking or running for exercise. Those are the days when Hilliard, an Imaging Engineer for Duke Clinical Engineering, is happiest to know that the Duke Run/Walk Club exists.

“There’s something about going and tracking what day you did your 30-minute walk on that makes you want to do it on other days when you might want to skip,” Hilliard said. “It’s obviously a good habit to be in, but every now and then you just don’t feel like it.”

Hilliard is looking forward to that kind of accountability again when the fall season of the Duke Run/Walk Club begins Aug. 12. Registration is open.

LIVE FOR LIFE Fitness Specialist Lauren Olimpo said the twice-weekly meetings through Oct. 30 offer a chance to “join forces with fellow Duke employees” to reach fitness goals.

Anyone from beginner walkers to advanced runners ­– and everything in between – can participate in the free club that meets each Monday and Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

A man and a child sit in the crook of a tree in the middle of a forest in a fall setting
Alex Hilliard said he often walks and hikes with his children to log many of his miles. Here, he pauses for a break with daughter Evangeline. Photo courtesy of Alex Hilliard

Beginner through intermediate walkers and runners use the East Campus Loop Trail and meet across the street from the Duke Human Resources building at 705 Broad St. Advanced walkers and runners use the Al Buehler Trail on West Campus and meet in the trail parking lot at 751/Cameron Boulevard.

In-person, remote and hybrid options are available, and everyone who participates will receive a weekly email with tips, motivation and a training plan. Participants can earn LIVE FOR LIFE dollars by logging their activity online.

"Whether you're sprinting, strolling or mixing it up, Duke's dynamic Run/Walk Club group provides the camaraderie and coaching you need to smash your health goals,” Olimpo said.

Federal guidelines recommend adults engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week. Studies have found that simply adding brisk walking to a workout regimen can lower mortality risk by 35% and lower risk of developing heart disease or cancer by 25%.

Hilliard participated in the Spring Run/Walk Club in 2024, signing up a few months after he started working at Duke in 2023. He diligently logged his walks and weekend runs and earned enough LIVE FOR LIFE dollars for two water bottles for his kids – who often accompany him on hikes when he tallied many of his steps.

“It's a nice little fun incentive for something that a lot of people are already doing,” Hilliard said, “but it makes you feel a little more cohesive doing it with a group.”

For more information, visit hr.duke.edu/runwalk.

Snap a selfie at a Duke Run/Walk Club gathering and share it on social media using #HealthyDuke or send the photo to working@duke.edu for a prize.

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