How running together led to love and relationships in this Green Lake group

Welcome to Seattle Dating Scene, features readers’ thoughts and stories about what it’s like to date in Seattle.

For our next feature, follow this prompt: Have the perfect meet-cute story? Or a great first date? In under 500 words, tell us how you met your significant other, and send in your story and a photo.

By Thursday, April 1, please email your submissions to dating@seattletimes.com, or submit them via Instagram direct message to @dating_in_seattle, and they may be printed in a future edition of The Mix.

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Ask Marina

In this special column, Marina Resto, who runs the lively @Dating_in_Seattle Instagram account, spotlights couples and individuals from the Seattle Green Lake Running Group.

In 2010, Seattleite Loka Murphy and nine friends met up one Saturday at Green Lake to set out the very first official Seattle Green Lake Running Group (SGLRG) run. Little did Murphy know, corralling some buddies would lead to one of the largest, most popular running groups in the area. (At peak, SGLRG can have over 170 runners!) An added bonus is the amount of love and relationships that have blossomed within the group. Here are a handful of stories from both couples and individuals who’ve started meaningful relationships through SGLRG.

Dexter and Mikayla

“Mikayla showed up to an evening run that started at Road Runner Sports, where I was working. The ‘adventure run’ raffle was happening. Mikayla asked for more raffle tickets, so I told her if she signed up for SGLRG she could get more. She did and we started seeing more of each other. Our first date was at Beth’s Cafe, and things progressed from there. I eventually got her into triathlons, and I proposed to her at the finish line of her first Ironman in Cozumel, Mexico. The entire wedding party was made up of SGLRG members.” — Dexter

Advice for finding friends and partners: “Step out of your comfort zone and put your phones down. You’ll find friendships with others you share the same hobbies with and the possibility of it growing into something more.”

Biruk

“When I first joined SGLRG, it was a little unnerving. I felt a bit out of place. I started running with headphones in, but soon found that wasn’t the best way to start a conversation with others. The social aspect of the evening runs — getting pizza, hanging out — was the part that kept me coming back and over time and feeling included. Eventually I moved closer to Green Lake to keep my running community close to me.” — Biruk

Advice for finding friends and partners: “Show up, be consistent; it may take a while to find your crew, but it will happen if you’re open-minded.” 

Snow and Philip

Meeting at a social evening run through SGLRG, Snow and Philip started out just as friends. After an SGLRG picnic, Snow worked up the courage to ask Philip to hang out, outside of their typical running social events. Things obviously worked out well, because they got married! Their wedding officiant, florist and photographer were all SGLRG members, too! Their son, Owen, is now an honorary member of the group too. 

Carol

“While struggling to find new routes during marathon training, a friend suggested SGLRG. After my first Saturday morning run, I’ve been hooked ever since! Camaraderie kept me coming back. Long runs are when you want someone to talk to, someone to keep yourself and others entertained. Even on my worst, longest, most grueling runs, the group helps me feel good enough to finish.” — Carol

Advice for finding friends and partners: “Group runs help with creating an atmosphere where you look to others for motivation and encouragement, so it’s an easier step into having deeper conversations with others.”

Kathy and Bruce

“After my running friend got injured, I joined SGLRG so I didn’t have to run alone. I started to attend more runs, eventually running six days per week with the group. One day I had received a call that my husband had passed away from a sudden heart attack. I was devastated and completely shocked. Bruce was in the group I ran with, and he asked what the group could do to help support me. They all came over to my apartment with a potluck he planned. I leaned on my running friends almost as a therapy group. They treated me as a runner and not a widow. Bruce helped me out while I was going through a lot of ups and downs, and I was completely oblivious to the fact that he liked me, until a year later it finally hit me! We started dating, and after two years he proposed at Nell’s on Green Lake. Running and training together with SGLRG is part of our routine and something we both love and will continue to do.” — Kathy

Advice for finding friends and partners: “Be yourself, there’s something to be said about knowing one another when you’re not trying to impress each other.” 

Robin and Chris

“We initially started talking through an Ironman singles Facebook page. We finally met up for dinner one night, and talked about triathlons and running. I thought Chris looked really familiar, so I asked if he had an Ironman tattoo, to which he surprisingly responded, ‘Yes.’ He was a part of the SGLRG pace group, and he paced me in the Seattle Half Marathon the previous year. It didn’t take long for us to start running and training together. It kind of solidified us; everyone in the group raved about how he was such a great guy. Chris even helped start the Seattle Green Lake Triathlon Group, which we both are on the leadership board of. He proposed in Hawaii during our trip to volunteer for the world championship Ironman race.” — Robin

Here’s the monthly “Seattle Dating Scene” lineup:

• First week: “Dating Question of the Month” — Readers respond to a dating-related question we’ve posed.
• Second week: “How We Met” — Have the perfect meet cute story? Or a great first date? In under 500 words, tell us how you met your significant other, and send in your story and a photo.
• Third week: “Best Date/Worst Date” — In under 250 words, tell us an anecdote from the best or worst date you’ve been on.
• Fourth week: “Ask Marina” — Marina Resto, who runs the lively @Dating_in_Seattle Instagram account, answers reader questions about dating — or finds a special guest to answer the ones she can’t!