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Beginner Running
Beginner Running Registration Opens August 18!
Registration opens Tuesday, August 18!
Looking for a little motivation to get started running? Not sure where to begin, or hoping to find a supportive group to keep you accountable? You’re in the right place.
Join coaches Miranda, Spring, and Kelsi for a fun and encouraging 7-week beginner training program designed for brand-new runners. We’ll start with walk/run intervals and gradually build your confidence and endurance, with the goal of completing the Skeleton Skedaddle 5K—and, if you’re feeling ready, the Turkey Day 8K!
No experience is necessary—just bring yourself, a positive attitude, and a willingness to give it a try!
Pace doesn’t matter – all you need is the willingness to take the first step. Your goal will be to complete the 5K (3.1 miles) in the Beginner Running 101 class, and the 8K (4.96 miles) in the Turkey Day 8K training class, and our goal will be to inspire you to keep on going long after this training class is finished.
There are two sequential sessions of Beginner Running: Beginner Running 101 and Turkey Day 8K Training Class
Date: |
101 - September 9 - October 25, 2026 |
Start Time: |
Wednesdays @ 6:00 PM and Saturdays @ 8:30 AM |
Start Location: |
Fort Missoula - Details coming from leaders! |
Registration for Beginner Running 101 opens Tuesday, August 18 at 8:00 AM!
- $35
- Includes cost of Skeleton Skedaddle registration fee!
Registration for the Turkey Day 8K Training Class opens Wednesday, October 14 at 8:00 AM!
- $8
- Does not include cost of Turkey Day registration fee.
Run Wild Missoula club membership required for both classes. Member dues not included in class registration fee.
Class begins Wednesday, September 9th at 6:00 PM and continues through the Skeleton Skedaddle on Sunday, October 25th. We will meet weekly, on Saturdays at 8:30 AM and Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. Location will be communicated by class leaders. Run Wild Missoula club membership required.
For those who want to keep the momentum going! Class begins Saturday, October 31 and continues through Thursday, November 26 at the Turkey Day 8K. This class is open to all Run Wild Missoula members, not only those who participated in 2026 Beginner Running 101. The only requirement is participants need to be able to run 3.5 miles on their own. We will meet weekly, on Saturdays at 8:30 AM and Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. The class will meet in the basement of Runner’s Edge and at the Run WIld Missoula office. Run Wild Missoula club membership required.
- Leadership, support and advice;
- Comprehensive training program to complete a 5K (101) or 8K (Turkey Day Training Class);
- Twice weekly group runs;
- Custom RWM swag;
- Entry into RWM’s Skeleton Skedaddle 5K (101),
- Great people to train with; and
- Inspiration, motivation and fun!
Meet the Beginner Running Class Coaches!
Miranda, Spring & Kelsi
For more than 15 years, Kelsi Camp, Spring Mills, and Miranda Ming have been helping new runners find their footing—and discover that they really are runners. Their friendship and coaching partnership began when the three met as participants in Run Wild Missoula’s Marathon/Half Marathon Training Class. Since 2011, they have coached the Beginning Training Class together, welcoming people who may be nervous about starting, unsure if they “count” as runners, or simply ready to try something new.
Over the years, the class has grown into something much bigger than a training program. Kelsi, Spring, and Miranda have built a large and enthusiastic community of alumni, many of whom stay connected to the class and return year after year. Some come back to support the newest group of runners, while others simply want to reconnect with the coaches and friends who helped them get started. That continuing connection is one of the most rewarding parts of coaching for all three.
Each coach brings her own perspective to the group. Miranda is known for her warm, encouraging spirit and her ability to make running feel less intimidating. For her, running brings peace, whether she’s out alone clearing her mind and enjoying the scenery or running with friends. She believes you almost always feel better after a run—and she loves helping others experience that feeling.
Kelsi is an accomplished trail and ultra runner and a Missoula Marathon/Half Marathon Legacy Runner, reflecting her longstanding connection to one of Missoula’s signature running traditions. Yet you might not know it from talking with her. Humble on both trails and roads, she welcomes runners of all abilities and encourages them to accomplish whatever they set their minds to. She runs for the vitality of it and “to prove to myself that I can.” That same determination and belief in possibility are qualities she brings to every beginning runner she coaches.
Spring brings her own endurance experience, including completing a 50-mile race, but her greatest strength as a beginning-running coach may be her patience and compassion. She understands that everyone starts somewhere and is especially good at meeting new runners where they are, helping them build confidence one step at a time.
Together, Kelsi, Spring, and Miranda have created a welcoming community where beginners can learn, gain confidence, make friends, and discover the joy of running. After all these years, they still love watching someone who once wondered whether they could become a runner cross that first finish line—and then return years later to cheer on the next generation of beginning runners.
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