ByAddison Foley
Today at 8:08 AM
Braijon Beach, a lifelong resident of Grand Forks, knows every corner of her hometown, yet she struggled to find a true sense of community in her fitness journey
She envisioned a space where active residents could share their passion for exercise, motivate one another and form new friendships without the hurdles typical of many local groups
“I’m a very active person, and I really wanted to start working out with other people,” she said. “But I’m already paying for a gym membership, and I didn’t want to pay for another on top of that.”
After weeks of searching for an exercise group that fit her needs, Beach decided to start one herself
In late May, Beach posted on Facebook about her newly founded “Hot Men and Women Exercise Group.” The title references the slang term “hot girl summer,” a popular social media phrase focusing on self-love, confidence and unapologetic authenticity. Around 15 members have since joined the group
Among the new members is Caroline Koch, who joined in June after seeing the group on social media while seeking a community for herself and her children
“I’m a single mom of three. And because I stay home with my kids, I don’t have a whole lot of people that I see on the regular,” Koch said. “I saw the posts about this club and said to my kids, ‘Hey, let’s go and work on ourselves, but also try to find community.’”
Going in, Koch was worried about showing up somewhere new, especially with her kids, but said her anxieties were mitigated upon entering the space
“It was such a welcoming environment, and Braijon has a very outgoing personality that made us feel extremely comfortable,” Koch said. “It made me feel confident enough to go introduce myself rather than waiting for someone to do it first.”
After mingling at the first session, the group began its 3.5-mile route on the Greater Grand Forks Greenway, starting near Town Square. Some traveled on foot, while others elected to rollerblade, bike or longboard. Beach encouraged members to choose a pace that supports their fitness goals
Encouraged by that first meeting, Koch has not missed a session since
“We are all working to better ourselves,” Koch said. “You get to spend time doing something productive and connect with other people, and you also get to look at the river and the wildlife, and it’s all very beautiful. It’s my new Thursday evening routine.”
Beach is encouraged by the community’s reception, noting that several local businesses have even offered to provide water for the participants
“I didn’t know what to expect when I started this group, but I’m pleasantly surprised. I hope that people are getting something out of it and continue to show up.”
The HMWEC is free, open to all ages and meets every Thursday at 8 p.m. on the Greenway
By
Addison Foley
Addison Foley is a reporting intern at the Grand Forks Herald and Agweek. She attends the University of North Dakota and is triple-majoring in Journalism, Spanish, and Global Studies. She plans to work in international communications and television journalism.
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