As we close out our first season of the podcast, it’s only fitting we invite someone who, together with a few friends, was responsible for putting the Toronto running community on the map and kicking off the groundswell of running crews who make our running community one of the best in the world. 

Mike Krupica is the co-founder of Parkdale Roadrunners and if you’re a runner in Toronto who has been following the run scene, you’ll know it was just ten years ago when the explosion of Toronto run crews took place. Longboat Runners were already on the scene since 1980 and you can even go back further than to 1954 when the Toronto Olympic Club got its start, but the likes of Parkdale Runners, Night Terrors, and Tribe (now Kardia Athletica) helped pave the way and inspired those who would follow afterwards.

Before we even knew what the crew thing was, it always came from this code and this ethic and this respect for community.

Mike Krupica

Mike takes us back to the start, when a few friends would meet at The Mascot, a cafe located in the Parkdale neighborhood of Toronto. We’ll also discuss Parkdale Roadrunners’ purpose and how they managed to stick around for ten years. Mike pays homage to some of the great run crews in NYC and London and finally, discusses how the crew made the most of their ten year anniversary, with support from some really cool brands, despite the global pandemic.

To learn more about Mike, you can follow him on Instagram at: @mike_krupica

To learn more about Parkdale Roadrunners, you can follow them on Instagram at: @parkdaleroadrunners