Ottawa’s running scene is unlike any other in Canada. It’s a place where politicians, ambassadors and civil servants all lace up for fitness and connection. The last two leaders of our country have been avid runners, as has the city’s mayor, who has completed more than a dozen marathons. That passion trickles down to embassy employees, giving rise to an exclusive run club that doubles as a form of grassroots diplomacy.
When Magdalena Pajewska arrived in Ottawa from Warsaw in 2021 to begin her economic role at the Polish embassy, she immediately noticed how runner-friendly the city was–endless trails, parks and pathways all around the capital. What she didn’t find was an easy way for people in diplomatic circles to connect outside of work.
She remembers it feeling like “a ghost city.” After long workdays, she found there weren’t many opportunities to meet people. “I thought, maybe I should start running again,” she says.
Photo: Running Diplomats/Facebook
Running had long been a constant in Pajewska’s life. She had belonged to a running group in her hometown of Warsaw and run several marathons, so it felt natural for her to recreate that sense of community in Ottawa.
To give herself some motivation to get back into it, Pajewska signed up for the 2022 Tartan Ottawa International Marathon
When she began training, she was doing solo runs, which sparked a conversation with Lithuanian ambassador Darius Skusevicius, who was an avid marathoner. “It was during those early training weeks that the idea for a club took shape,” says Pajewska. “We were both preparing for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, but doing our runs separately.”
Later that month, the pair sent an email to all embassies in Ottawa, inquiring about interest in a weekly running club. The response exceeded their expectations. “It was a huge hit right away,” Pajewska says. “More than 20 people showed up for our very first winter run.”
Suddenly, ambassadors, embassy staff and foreign officials from around the world were meeting once or twice a week to train toward a shared goal: Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
Photo: Running Diplomats/Facebook
Within a year, the club had around 60 members across the city, plus a volunteer coach, Phil Marsh (a retired Running Room manager), who helped structure workouts and running routes.
“When you have more than a dozen runners, pacing becomes tricky,” Pajewska says. “The goal was always to make it welcoming for everyone.”
That inclusive spirit mirrored the atmosphere Pajewska experienced during Ottawa Race Weekend itself. “There’s a real sense of unity in this city,” she says. “Canadians are very kind and supportive, and you feel that during the races. Everyone cheers for one another.”
Even Ottawa’s mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, took notice. The avid runner, author of The Long Road to Boston and founder of iRun Magazine, joined the group for several runs.
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By 2023, Ottawa’s Running Diplomats had grown to 30 members registered across the four race distances at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. Since founding the group, Pajewska has run the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon twice, and now has her sights set on qualifying for Boston.
“Running has been an important part of my life for a long time,” she says. “I’ve run all over the world, and Ottawa is one of the best places for it.”
Though Pajewska’s Canadian contract ended and she has returned to Poland, the exclusive club continues to meet weekly as it prepares for the city’s premier road race. What began as a means of staying active has become a social group embedded within Ottawa’s running community.