Jim Coll, president of the Pine Belt Pacers running club, ran cross country in high school but probably wouldn't have ever gotten into the habit of running consistently again were it not for this local running club.

The Pacers have started a month-long series of socially-oriented two-mile predicted time runs called Trek the Trace. The runs started on June 9 and will take place every Thursday in June at 6:30 p.m., starting and ending at the Longleaf Trace's Gateway Pavilion. The only entry fee is a small side dish for a pot luck dinner after the run and are for anyone interested in recreational running.

Coll talks about the Trek the Trace and the Pine Belt Pacers in a question-and-answer format.

Question: What is Trek the Trace with the Pacers?

Answer: It's a series of four events we're doing this month every Thursday. We had the first one last Thursday. They're 2 mile runs each week. We do what's called predicted time runs.

Q: What is a predicted time run?

A: Rather than when you have a race and the fastest person wins, no one wears a watch with them. Each person writes down the time they think they're going to have. Whoever comes closest to their predicted time wins.

Q: What kind of food do you have?

A: It's more of a social thing than a competitive event. The club will bring something, like last week we bought a sandwich tray out there, but it's a potluck dinner. Everyone brings a side dish, stuff like that. That's the entry fee.

Q: Who are the Pine Belt Pacers?

A: We probably have between 80-100 members. We're just recreational runners and walkers. We just gather for running-related activities. The main purpose of the group is just to keep each other motivated and active. Because it's such a large group of runners, you can find people on your same level. And it always helps having someone who can help you motivated.

The majority of our members are from the Hattiesburg area, but some are from Laurel and from Purvis and some along the coast and some from Petal, just all the surrounding areas.

Q: How does the club help people keep running?

A: It helps if you have someone to do it with. Like most people prefer some help. If it was just me, I probably wouldn't do it every day like I do now. I make a commitment to be there with the group. It's easy for me if it's just myself to say, "Oh, I'll do it tomorrow." But if someone's out there on the Trace waiting for me, I'm more likely to show up.

Q: Who can come out for the events?

A: Trek the Trace or our other events are for anybody. Come by on Thursday and show up. The best information on them is on our website Pinebeltpacers.org.

Q: Do you already have to be in shape or know something about running to join a running club?

A: No, absolutely not. We do have some really good runners, some are former college athletes. But we have some walkers, too. Everyone else is in between. It's important to get all kinds out there, people just starting are as important as experienced runners.

Q: The club does some things for charity, doesn't it?

A: This Thursday we are going to be presenting a check for $450 to the Southern Miss Track and Field program from money we raised from the Pine Belt Pacers Relays held on May 21. A week or so ago we presented a $1,200 check to the Muscular Dystrophy Association from our HubFest 5K, our marquee event. That's our biggest event of the year. We also donated $700 to the Friends of the Longleaf Trace a couple months back, from funds we got from (the Steam Whistle 12K).

Q: What are some of the other runs the club does as a group?

A: A lot of stuff is outside of the "club" runs. We have plenty of times throughout the week that four or five members go out together. The main thing is finding someone you're compatible with, finding a pace that you're comfortable with, and buddying with them. Like myself, I've got five or six guys I run with every week. Others have three or four that they run with.

Originally published June 13, 2005