Why Chad Nathan Started Walterboro Run Club

What started as a joke between two friends eventually became a commitment to running, a new way of seeing their hometown, and the beginning of something they hope can encourage an entire community.

For Chad Nathan and his friend Clay Griffin, running was never supposed to become a lifestyle. In fact, when the two signed up for the 2026 PRTC Rice Run in Walterboro, they were mostly doing it as a dare and a joke between them. Neither one had any intention of becoming a runner. The plan was just to show up and get it over with. They even joked that after the race, they would never voluntarily run again.

The rice run itself is a longstanding Walterboro event that features a 5k through the city’s downtown area and the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary. But for Chad and Clay, it wasn’t supposed to be the beginning of anything.

They ended up running it and something unexpected happened. They had fun. What was supposed to be a one time dare turned into an experience they genuinely enjoyed. The atmosphere, the challenge, being outside, and doing something difficult changed their perspective.

The following month they signed up for another 5k. Then came the idea to make it a goal to run a 5k event every month.

The goal gave two friends something to look forward to and they began looking for races in Walterboro and surrounding communities.

But the races were only part of the transformation. Chad and Clay kept up the habit of walking and running every day and eventually they began thinking beyond themselves.

Running had gotten them moving, brought them closer together, and given them something positive to work toward, and they felt that maybe it could do the same for other people in Walterboro. That idea became Walterboro Run Club.

The club was created and they made pages for it on Facebook and Instagram partly as a kind of public digital scrapbook, but also for people to see that getting active is for everyone. Walterboro Run Club makes it clear on their pages that you can start with any type of exercise and maybe you will actually enjoy it.

Walterboro Run Club is intended to represent movement, community, encouragement and health.

Another part of Walterboro Run Club that Chad considers essential is the Christian faith. For him, physical health and faith aren’t separate parts of life, they belong together.

Walterboro Run Club has the goal to encourage people to take care of their bodies, spend time with other people, get outside, pursue healthier habits, and ultimately grow their faith as well.

Walterboro Run Club exists as both a record of where Chad and Clay have been but also an invitation for where other people can go.