Rising with Resilience Rally: How One Run Club Turned Grief Into a Movement

At Proviz, we love partnering with run clubs who are doing incredible things for their communities, and Resilience Rally is a perfect example. We recently kitted out their members with our reflective gear to help them shine bright on early morning and evening runs, and sat down with founder Lauren to hear the story behind the club. Here’s what she told us.

How did Resilience Rally begin?

Resilience Rally began in 2019 after we lost a teammate and close friend to suicide. We wanted to change the narrative surrounding mental illness and show that struggling with your mental health takes immense resilience. My friend, Natalie, was incredibly resilient and we wanted to honour her and her life through an annual 5k run for suicide prevention. We started having open conversations about what mental health and resilience really looked like for college students and young adults and the run turned into a non-profit dedicated to helping students and young people access mental health care.

Seven years on, what do your events mean for the club today?

What started as an event to honour our friend and unite her loved ones has turned into a mental health non-profit with movement and community as the cornerstones. We noticed how students and young adults need better access to mental health care. Our aim is to reduce barriers to mental health care including ending the stigma, reducing the cost, and expanding access. We have a program where anyone in our community can start therapy immediately for free and continue at reduced rates for the duration of their care. We have also provided fully funded therapy to many individuals. What started as a run has turned into a movement for mental health care.

What are some of your proudest moments since founding the club?

One of my proudest moments since founding Resilience Rally has been seeing the impact it has had on the people we serve. When we started, I always said that if we could help even one person feel less alone in their struggle with mental health, it would be worth it. Today, I am proud to say that we have helped many people access mental health care, start therapy through our scholarship programs, and find a supportive community. Becoming a registered nonprofit was a major milestone, but what means the most are the stories from individuals who tell us they feel seen, supported, and understood through our programming.

From hosting Resilience Runs and community events to building meaningful partnerships, we have been able to bring people together around a shared mission of breaking down stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide. Seeing people connect, open up about their experiences, and realize they are not alone continues to be the most rewarding part of this journey.

How does your training change moving from summer into the Canadian autumn?

I’ve run two spring marathons in Toronto, Canada so I know all about training through cold and dark falls and winters. I remember doing many of my long runs in -15 degree weather in the dark. Layering and being seen in the dark mornings and evenings is essential! Proviz apparel is an absolute necessity for staying safe and warm in the darker months. I love the Proviz hat and scrunchies as well as their jacket!

We also have an event that happens right after daylight savings time in November called the Resilience Rise. It is one week of rising with the sun and getting outside for some movement to combat seasonal depression. We use the saying “the sun will rise and we will try again” to let people know that even on their darkest days, there is hope for a better tomorrow. The sunrise is extremely meaningful for our community and we love coming together for a morning run.

With darker evenings and mornings, how do you keep the group visible and safe?

Wearing bright colours and Proviz reflective gear is essential in the darker evenings and mornings! A headlamp goes a long way as well. It’s also important to run on well lit, populated areas for safety. I love going out with friends or a run club to stay safe in a pack. It’s so much easier to be seen by cars and feel safe in numbers.

What advice would you share to a young person considering joining a run club?

My biggest piece of advice is to remember that you do not have to go through mental health struggles alone. Asking for help is one of the most important things you can do for your mental health. Whether that means talking to a friend, family member, coach, mentor, therapist, or healthcare provider, support is available, and you deserve to use it. If you are interested in starting therapy, Resilience Rally offers free access to begin therapy immediately through our Affordable Therapy Program: https://www.resiliencerally.com/affordabletherapy 

I would also encourage anyone who is struggling to seek out community. Mental health challenges can often make us feel disconnected from others, which is why finding spaces where you feel welcomed, supported, and understood can be so valuable. Run clubs are a wonderful way to meet people, build meaningful connections, and be part of something bigger than yourself.

Movement is another powerful tool for mental health. Running, walking, and other forms of exercise can help improve your mood, reduce stress, and create a sense of accomplishment. For many people, the greatest benefit is the combination of movement and community. Showing up, moving your body, and connecting with others can have a meaningful impact on your mental well-being and remind you that you are never alone in what you are going through.

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Partner With Proviz

A huge thank you to Lauren and the whole Resilience Rally community for sharing their story with us. If you’re part of a running, cycling, or any other outdoor sports club, we’d love to hear from you too. Get in touch with us for exclusive offers and the opportunity to collaborate: https://provizsports.com/pages/running-and-cycling-clubs-discount