You don’t have to be swift but it helps to like Taylor Swift! A new running club in Sheffield, called ‘The Tortured Runners Department’, has been created for casual runners who want more Swiftie friends.
Beth Kirkbride, 27, chair of ‘The Tortured Runners Department’ said that, while having a conversation with her boyfriend about wanting to meet more Swifties through running, he thought of the club name ‘The Tortured Runners Department’, inspired by Swift’s new album The Tortured Poets Department.
Beth clarified: “No one will be tortured and it won’t be a horrible experience! It’s also a nod to the notion that running might not come as naturally to some as it might do for others, and that is okay, it doesn’t mean it’s not for us.”
The origin of The Tortured Runners Department
Beth got into running after a break-up at the beginning of 2023. She said she felt bored and wanted a healthier lifestyle and found that running complimented her goals.
She tested her ability in a 10K and found running in a group to be a great experience, perhaps more so than solitary running.
“I really enjoyed the community side of it,” Beth said.
This prompted her decision to “create a club for people who might not care how fast they are and aren’t bothered about smashing personal best times. This is a club for people who want to have a nice time, meet new people, and do a run without any pressure or intensity”.
Beth highlighted the theme of community as being of significant importance to the running club.
She explained how one of Swift’s songs You’re on Your Own Kid inspired fans to make and share friendship bracelets at her gigs and Beth hopes to create a similar sense of community in her new running club.
“This is a bringing together of like-minded people who maybe don’t feel like there is a space for them in the existing running scene in Sheffield,” she said.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has a very large fanbase and has used her platform to stand up for many important issues and to address political and social disputes such as LGBTQ+ rights.
Swift fans also have a recognised name, Swifties, which is defined in the Oxford Dictionary of English as a noun meaning ‘an enthusiastic fan of the singer Taylor Swift’.
The new album further exemplifies Swift’s evergrowing fanbase. According to Spotify, the new album has already become Spotify’s most streamed album in a single week with over 1 billion streams since its release.
The aim of the Sheffield running club
Beth said the main aim of the Swift-inspired running club name is to provide a talking point for members.
Presently, there are around 62 members of the new club who communicate via a private WhatsApp chat and can vote for their desired run through a polling system.
Their first planned run is a 5K on Wednesday 1 May at Hillsborough Park.
The Tortured Runners Department testimonials
Jasmina Towers, a member of the new club said:
“After struggling with various injuries over the last few years, I’ve been wanting to get back into running but I’m not yet fit enough to re-join my former running club. I saw Beth’s post and this seemed like the perfect solution: local, low-key, and social.”
Connor Parker, a member of the new club, said: “This year I’m taking my little sister to see Taylor Swift and she has insisted I get to know all of her songs, so I’m trying my hardest to become a fan at the same time I’m trying to be more consistent with running so seeing this group advertised and being held so close to my house was a perfect opportunity.”
Beth highlighted: “I don’t want to force the music on anyone if they aren’t huge fans so there will be a mixture of Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, My Chemical Romance and much more.”
She explained how there is the option for everyone to contribute to the playlist to create a mix of what everyone likes.
Harriet Drouin, another member of the new club, said: “I’m a long-distance fell runner and quite a few of my friends have either moved away or had kids so I’m keen to meet new people in the area!”
Get involved
Looking ahead, Beth hopes the regular group training could boost people’s confidence to apply for 10Ks or half marathons. She said the group is very inclusive and people of any age and ability are welcome. For more information, you can message Beth on Instagram @torturedrunners.
