Throughout the 12,000 acres of the Reynolds campus are over 21 miles of walking and hiking trails interwoven into the fabric of the community. Winding their way among the beautiful lush trees of the greater Oconee Forest or along the banks of Lake Oconee, these trails provide a wonderful and idyllic escape into the heart of nature – all without leaving the confines of Reynolds.
View Walking & Hiking Trails MapView Walking & Hiking Trails Map
Taking full advantage of these trails is one of the newest Member-led clubs at Reynolds. The Reynolds Running Club, founded in October 2022, provides Reynolds Members an opportunity to not only exercise but to also meet like-minded Members with similar interests. Meeting 2-3 times a week, over 20 Members of the club have traversed throughout Reynolds, regularly running courses that vary from 3-5 miles during the week to upwards of 10 miles on the weekends.
Victoria Everhart, Lake Club Manager at Reynolds, helped conceptualize the club following the annual 4th of July Firecracker Fun Run. “I ran with a few ladies that moved here from various cities and we started discussing our history of running and how we got into it,” she said. “Several were members of various running clubs and groups before moving to Reynolds, and they enjoyed that the groups held each other accountable while allowing them to meet other runners with common interests.”
With a palate of wellness offerings already, Victoria saw an opportunity to expand the wellness options available to Members even further. “We have so many opportunities already for our Membership with 115+ weekly fitness classes, annual 5K’s, triathlons, 21 miles of walking and biking trails, and four state-of-the-art fitness centers, I figured why not add one more avenue for people to stay healthy and enjoy our beautiful property.”
Though many of the Reynolds Running Club are well-seasoned runners, the club is open to runners of all experience and fitness levels. Beyond the obvious health benefits, the club has also provided an opportunity to stoke camaraderie and companionship among Reynolds Members.
Reynolds Member Steve Giorgis moved to Reynolds over seven years ago and has been regularly running on his own since then. When he heard about the Reynolds Running Club, he was excited about the opportunity to run with others in an organized setting.
“I love the camaraderie of group runs,” Giorgis says. “Doing long runs together is a very social activity. And just the fact that others may be waiting for you to show up could be enough to get them out the door. That accountability factor is huge.”
Though a full-time resident here for seven years, Steve has met several Members through the club he hadn’t met before and now considers a friend. Many in the club have also connected through the Strava app (a social network used mainly by runners and cyclists), continuing to stay connected and hold each other accountable beyond the confines of the club.
Victoria agrees that providing a group makes the sport more enjoyable. “Running can be such an individualized sport that can be very mentally challenging,” she says. “I think running with a group makes the run go by so much quicker. You spark a conversation with someone and time flies from there. It also allows you to push yourself to a faster pace or a longer distance that you wouldn’t have normally done on your own.”
Looking ahead, Victoria has two main goals for the club in 2023 – continue to increase Member participation, and an on-property 10K that will incorporate even more scenic shoreline views, softly rolling hills, and treelined passages across Reynolds Lake Oconee.
