You are the primary focus at RunnerDude’s Fitness. RunnerDude’s Fitness is not distracted with selling supplements or shakes. Your running and/or fitness goals are my goals. I am here to support you and guide you along your running and fitness journey. I want to know your goals and aspirations. I also want to know you as a person not just as a client. Fitness is a wonderful part of a full and healthy life, but it’s not always easy, especially when you first start. RunnerDude’s Fitness understands that and I’m here for you every step of the way.

Whether you choose one-on-one personal fitness training, boot camp or another group fitness class, or a running program, you’ll receive the attention needed to help you achieve your running and/or fitness goals.

Meet Duncan McLaurin

Personal Trainer | Running Coach | RunnerDude's Fitness

Hey, I'm Duncan McLaurin! Some of you may know me as Thad "RunnerDude" McLaurin's son, and some of you may remember me from when I coached alongside Dad at RunnerDude's Fitness years ago.

For those of you who don't know me, my journey into running and fitness actually started with my own weight-loss journey.

Back in 2012, I was overweight and decided I needed to make some changes. I started watching what I ate, exercising, and eventually joined one of Dad's Beginning Running groups. Over the next year or so, I lost more than 100 pounds and went from someone who couldn't imagine being a runner to running 5Ks, half marathons, and accomplishing things I never thought I'd be able to do.

I enjoyed running and fitness so much that I decided I wanted to help other people experience some of those same things. I went through the National Personal Training Institute (NPTI), earned my NASM personal training certification, and became a USATF Level 1 Running Coach.

For several years, I had the opportunity to work alongside Dad at RunnerDude's Fitness. I coached personal training clients, fitness classes, beginning running groups, race training programs, and corporate fitness classes. I've helped lead over 20 Beginning Running groups and worked with people training for everything from their very first 5K to marathons.

I loved it. Especially working with beginning runners and people who weren't sure they could do something. Having been in their shoes myself, I knew how much it meant to accomplish something you once thought was impossible.

Then, as it tends to do, life happened.

Between work, family, and everything else that comes with life, I stepped away from coaching. What I didn't intend to do was step away from taking care of myself, too. But over the years, that's exactly what happened. I got out of my routines, stopped running consistently, and eventually gained back the weight I'd worked so hard to lose.

It's not something I'm proud of, but it's also not something I'm going to hide.

Fast forward to May 2026, and my dad passed away after his battle with cancer. Losing Dad has been one of the hardest things I've ever experienced. Along with losing my father, I was faced with figuring out what would happen to RunnerDude's Fitness and the community he'd spent so many years building.

I knew I didn't want to see all of that go away.

So, here I am, back coaching and doing my best to continue what Dad started while also making it my own.

Dad always believed that running and fitness were about more than just the physical benefits. It was about the people, the friendships, the encouragement, and helping others realize what they're capable of. That's something I experienced firsthand, and it's what I want to continue through RunnerDude's Fitness.

The funny thing is, while I'm getting back into coaching and helping others work toward their goals, I'm also having to work on my own.

I'm certainly not in the same shape I was when I coached years ago. I've got weight to lose, fitness to regain, and some habits to rebuild. I know it's not going to happen overnight, and I'm sure there will be some bumps along the way.

But I've done it before, and I know I can do it again.

I also think going through all of this has given me a better understanding of what a lot of people struggle with. It's one thing to help someone get started with running or fitness. It's another to understand how difficult it can be to get started again after years away.

That's one of the reasons I'm sharing my own comeback. I want people to see that you don't have to be in great shape to start, and just because you've gotten away from something doesn't mean you can't get back to it.

My passion has always been helping people reach their running and fitness goals, whether that's losing weight, running their first mile, completing a marathon, or simply getting out and moving more. I enjoy the coaching side of things, but just as much, I enjoy getting to know the people I'm working with and watching their confidence grow.

I'm excited to be back doing something I love, to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new people, and hopefully help a whole lot of folks along the way.

And if you're working on a comeback of your own, you're certainly not alone. I'm right there with you.

Trust. Believe. Conquer.

— Duncan