Providence, Rhode Island

Dez Arroyo

I coach people who have never run. Four hundred and eleven of them have finished something since 2013, and every one of their photographs is still on the wall of the shed.

See the wall

Three runners setting off along a tree-lined sidewalk in the early morning — Sunday, 6:52 a.m. Blackstone Boulevard

The wall

Four hundred and eleven of them

Every finisher I have taken a photograph of since 2013. Click any of them.

The file

Where we run

One card for every route, session and race, with the photographs filed behind it.

Weekly runs

Sunday long run, Blackstone Boulevard The cinder path under the old trees, three paces, nobody left on their own at the back. Distance 4 to 10 miles When Sundays, 7:00 a.m. Who it's for Anyone who can run twenty minutes 11 photographs

Sessions

Tuesday track, Hope High Eight lanes, one stopwatch and a set of intervals written on an index card before you arrive. Distance 3 to 5 miles When Tuesdays, 6:15 p.m. Who it's for Anyone with a race in the calendar 11 photographs

Sessions

Thursday hills, Fox Point Eight times up the same short street, with the river going gold behind you on the way down. Distance 4 miles When Thursdays, 6:00 p.m. Who it's for Anyone building for a 10K or longer 11 photographs

Weekly runs

The first mile, Riverwalk Six weeks of walk a minute, run a minute, until one morning it is just running. Distance 1 to 2 miles When Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. Who it's for People who have never run 11 photographs

Weekly runs

Saturday morning, Roger Williams Park Free, five kilometres, and the only rule is that somebody waits at the finish for the last person. Distance 5 kilometres When Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. Who it's for Everybody, free 11 photographs

Weekly runs

The greenway, Ten Mile River Boardwalk, woods and nine bridges, where the group goes when the streets get loud. Distance 5 to 12 miles When One Sunday a month Who it's for Anyone on the Sunday run 11 photographs

Races

Race morning, the Providence half Thirty-one of ours in the field last May, and a tent at mile eleven with orange slices. Distance 13.1 miles When Early May Who it's for Anyone who has done twelve weeks 11 photographs

Races

Ocean Drive, Newport Ten miles into the wind along the water, which is either the best morning of the year or the worst. Distance 10 miles When February Who it's for Anyone off the Sunday long run 11 photographs

Sessions

The winter weeks Headlamps, grit, four layers and the eleven weeks that decide what May looks like. Distance Whatever the weather allows When December to February Who it's for Everyone, unfortunately 11 photographs

The shed

The shed, Wickenden Street A shipping container behind a bike shop: one bench, a kettle, and every finisher's photograph on the wall. Distance Forty feet, end to end When Open whenever I am there Who it's for Anyone running with us 10 photographs

Open the whole file

Who I am

The short version

I fixed buses for eleven years and ran my first mile at thirty-four, on a bet, badly. Nobody had told me it was allowed to be slow, so I spent a year hating it before somebody older and kinder ran beside me at a pace I could talk at.

That is all I do now. A pace you can hold a conversation at, twelve weeks at a time, and a photograph on the wall the day you finish something.

Dez in the doorway of the shed, the finisher wall behind him

Never run before
First 5K
First 10K
First half marathon
Coming back from an injury
Over sixty

Coaching since 2013

Before this Bus mechanic, eleven years

First mile of my own At 34, and I hated it

Photographs on the wall 411

My own race times Not on this page

Where Fox Point, Providence

Ways in

Take a tab

Nothing renews and nothing is a package. Stop after any week and keep the sheet.

Start here

First mile

Six weeks, twice a week on the Riverwalk, walking breaks the whole way through. You finish by running a mile without stopping.

$240 six weeks

Right if you have never run and would rather nobody watched.

Ask about it

The group

Sunday long run, Tuesday track and Thursday hills, in three paces, with a sheet written for you every Sunday night.

$60 a month

Right if you can already run twenty minutes and are tired of doing it alone.

Ask about it

Twelve weeks

Your own block written around one date in the calendar, with a session together every fortnight and the whole thing on paper.

$520 twelve weeks

Right if you have entered something and want to be ready for it.

Ask about it

Everything is paid a block at a time. Nothing renews, you can stop after any week and keep the sheet, and the Saturday morning in Roger Williams Park is free and always will be.

Start

Write your name on a card

Tell me where you are starting from. Nobody has ever been too slow for this.

Fill in the card. It goes up on the wall with the others.