About Us

The 1000 Mile Club is the organized running club at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. The coaches are outside volunteers who have coached and competed at various distances ranging from the mile to 100-mile ultramarathons. They work to inspire, train, and motivate members of the 1000 Mile Club and share their running experiences, training methods, and race strategies. The club’s philosophy is grounded in a shared belief in the rehabilitative power of running. The club is part of the Tamalpa Running Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Marin County, California. 

Goal

The goal of the 1000 Mile Club is to provide club members with the opportunity to experience the physical and mental rewards that running — particularly long distance running — can provide. Many members of the 1000 Mile Club are first time runners who benefit from the coaching, camaraderie, and discipline required to run events of distances ranging from the mile to the marathon. The running, training, and races put on by the club provide members with the opportunity to set goals and challenge themselves with guidance and support from coaches, volunteers, and fellow club members, including several alumni who have returned as volunteers.

History

The club began in 2005 when San Quentin Community Liaison representative Laura Bowman contacted the local Tamalpa Running Club to inquire about helping a small group of men at San Quentin who were running at the prison. Tamalpan Frank Ruona volunteered to begin coaching and running with the group. Ruona and Bowman formed the 1000 Mile Club with the goal of having club members work towards running a thousand miles in the prison.   

The club has grown steadily since its founding and now has over 100 members. Coach Frank retired in 2023 and the club is now led by Tim & Diana Fitzpatrick, Jim Maloney, and several alumni. The club has numerous volunteers supporting the club’s bi-weekly workouts and monthly races. Many members have reached the 1000 mile goal and quite a few have run several thousand miles in San Quentin.

Club Members

Club members are physically, ethnically, and racially diverse and range in age from their early 20’s to early 70’s. There are over 100 members of the 1000 Mile Club.

The 1000 Mile Club is self-managed. The club members elect club officers, recruit other members, maintain the club roster, and record member miles. The club leaders and volunteer coaches work together to plan the annual workout and race schedule. The coaches and other volunteers come in to lead the scheduled workouts and put on the races.

Honoring Frank Ruona

Frank has been the 1000 Mile Club’s head coach since the club’s inception in 2005.  At the end of 2023, Frank retired as head coach and was honored by the club members and coaches at an end-of-year banquet at San Quentin (see video below).  He is a veteran of 78 marathons and 38 ultra-marathons. He believes that having the “Marathon Mindset” – the toughness, focus, and determination necessary to succeed as a runner – is also what it takes to succeed in life. As the idea of running as a form of rehabilitation has spread, Frank has assisted other prisons in creating their own long-distance running clubs. With his help, Washington Corrections Center near Seattle formed its own 1000 Mile Club and successfully completed its first half marathon.  While Frank will continue participating in club activities, he left a strong legacy and will be missed by club members and coaches alike.