A Community for the Community

Words and Photos by Carmen Macri

Whether you enjoy running or not (I do not) and live in Jacksonville, you need to know about the Neptune Run Crew.

The beginning was simple. A few strangers-turned-friends met at a local gym and shared a love for running. While training for the New York City Marathon, they realized how much more fun running was when they ran together. Andrew Mogg, founder of Neptune Run Crew (NRC), is a Jacksonville native with a set running route near the beaches. When he met Keri Clarke, co-founder of NRC, she was new to Jacksonville and looking for a group of like-minded individuals. So the two took their common love for running and decided to capitalize on it.

“One day I was just like, ‘Hey, why don’t we, like, make this a thing where we invite our friends to come run with us, and we’ll grab coffee after,’” Mogg explained. “And so we started out with this mindset of just friends, running with friends.”

In December 2020, Mogg, Clarke and NRC’s creative director, Daniel Riano, decided to begin including their friends in their daily runs. Initially, they started with a small gathering of 10 to 12 people, which they found quite impressive. The fact that others were interested in running alongside them left Mogg and Clarke astounded. Let’s fast forward to the present day, and the numbers have skyrocketed. They are now effortlessly attracting up to 150 participants for each run. Yes, you read that correctly—150 people.

Riano took the initiative to promote NCR on Instagram by sharing his captivating photographs of the runners. As we are well aware of the dynamics of social media, when a single photo is posted, it has the potential to be widely shared and quickly gain attention, spreading like wildfire. As their social media presence grew, so did the number of runners, reaching 10 times its original size. Individuals were drawn to be a part of it.

Every Friday morning, at 6:45, the crew gathers at Lemon Bar in Neptune Beach, embarking on their designated route. The run concludes at Southern Grounds, where Mogg, Clarke, Riano and Southern Grounds generously provide coffee for everyone.

“We have everything from elite runners to very, very beginners, you know, that will stop and walk, rollerblade or even come with a bike,” Clarke explained. “The whole thing is about the people. It has nothing to do with your pace. It’s not competitive, by any means. Some people bring their dogs. Some people have their strollers with kids. Honestly, it’s, it’s just so cool.”

Clarke moved to Jacksonville about two years ago and happened to find herself at the same gym as Mogg, who ran every day before hitting the gym. She remembers hearing someone announce, “Here come the runners” and her ears perked up.

“Maybe four or five of them would run before class. So I’m sitting in this gym class alone being like, ‘Bye-bye, guys,’” Clarke said. “I finally introduced myself and asked ‘Can I come with you guys before class?’ And Andrew texted me and then every day since. I don’t think we skipped a day.”

The rest was history. The two began training for and running marathons far and wide, and now, they have gathered a large group of runners for their morning routine. Outside of their Friday runs, one Saturday a month, they embark on a long-haul run for the more experienced runners (anyone is welcome, it is just double the distance). And one Wednesday a month, the group partakes in a “happy hour run” in the evening, ending their route at Pete’s Bar for a quick drink.

The Saturday ranges from 10 miles to 15 miles. Clarke expressed that people can go their own pace for however long they wish to run. There are no rules or guidelines to follow. It’s just friends running with friends. Something Mogg and Clarke are both proud of is that many runners have broken their own personal records while running with NCR.

“It’s funny, people will be like, ‘No, I’m just here for the five.’ And then they stay for the 10 and then they stay for the 15 and just like pushing themselves, which is cool,” Clarke explained.

They have truly fostered a sense of community within the larger community. After its inception in December, NRC recently obtained non-profit status. Mogg expressed that from the very start, their intention has been to find avenues to serve the community and bring people together.

Watching the crew run, I couldn’t help myself but want to join in on the fun, And I hate running.

To keep up with their runs or participate yourself, follow them on Instagram at @neptuneruncrew.

Words by Amiyah Golden and illustrations by Drew Arnett

You don’t have to be a Gen Z-er to know about influencer culture and the waves that it’s making in today’s world.

The power of influence used to strictly belong to celebrities and those with powerful names. Red carpet appearances and the occasional testimonial would send the consumer world into a frenzy to keep up with the latest Hollywood craze.

But times are changing — and fast. With the rise of social media, the ability of the everyday person to garner influence is now attainable. With new technology and algorithms implemented, many people can go viral. That doesn’t diminish the work it takes to keep that relevance. One viral video does not equate to successful longevity. Local influencers Jaiden Ashlea and Kayla Kosuga can attest to this with Ashlea accumulating more than 275,000 followers across Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube with Kosuga having more than 3.5 million.

And Ashlea with 275,000 on her three platforms, the Jacksonville residents and I were able to discuss their successes and their journey to notoriety.

Ashlea shares the inspiration behind wanting to become an influencer: “For as long as I can remember, I have always been a creative person. Fashion inspired me to start a blog as a little girl and from there it turned into YouTube videos and then came the world of influencing! Once I realized that I could make a meaningful impact on people’s lives through sharing parts of my own life, I slowly started to realize it was what I was meant to do.” Although the road hasn’t always been easy due to the lack of support, Ashlea persevered and noted that “…my passion was beyond any doubt that people would send my way.”

Kosuga’s inspiration came from OG YouTubers, such as Bethany Mota, MyLifeasEva and Michelle Phan, all creating content catered to teen girls and young women with videos regarding fashion, makeup and lifestyle. These names sparked some remnants of nostalgia for me because of my positioning in their fan base. I would tune in weekly to watch a new haul or listen to an outrageous storytime. But they were a part of my adolescence and guided me through some rites of passage. “I was always inspired by them, and I wanted to be able to give that feeling to others,” said Kosuga. “I’ve always enjoyed the process of coming up with ideas, filming the videos and even editing them.” I resonated with the feeling Kosuga experienced, as I have tried my hand at starting a YouTube channel but obviously have failed as I am writing this article now.

Ashlea and Kosuga were also big inspirations for teenage me. I remember being excited to sit down and watch their daily vlogs. Both sharing aspects of their lives that allowed me to feel connected with them somehow — even more than the next influencer because of their proximity to me. Seeing the two enjoy life in this city we call home was interesting because it was out of the “norm” here. Other YouTubers I enjoyed resided in Los Angeles, New York and Hawaii. That life didn’t seem achievable in Jacksonville, Florida, but Kosuga and Ashlea proved me wrong.

It wasn’t easy for the two to initially create content here in the city. Jacksonville didn’t have much presence in influencer culture — and still doesn’t compared to other places — but the two surpassed the anxiety and the hurdles.

@Jaiden.Ashlea

“It was really challenging at first, and I was always nervous vlogging out in public,” Kosuga recounted. “You never see that here in Jacksonville as you do in L.A. Sometimes I would randomly get stopped and get asked what I was doing. I can feel when people are staring at me.”

Although the two are successful here I was curious if they would ever move to a city like L.A.

Kosuga’s desire was to move to L.A. or NYC because as she put it, “There’s not much that goes on in Jacksonville.”

Ashlea admits she felt the pressure to move to be successful. “[I felt that] I had to be in those big-name places to make an impact but that was far from the truth!” She has talked to her husband about moving, and they both agreed that they would love to move to a different city to settle down but not for social media purposes.

While Ashlea and Kosuga are best known for their YouTube channels, they have both pursued business ventures outside of their own personal content creation.

Ashlea recently opened her newest investment, Studio Next Door Jax, a rentable photography studio and event space.

“Studio Next Door stemmed from the fact that as a special needs mom, I am unable to commit to any sort of job outside of our home. Once I realized I couldn’t go back to work, I knew I had to think of something that would not only pay the bills but allow me to do something that I was passionate about — creating,” Ashlea said.

Kosuga’s goals are slightly different with a focus on the fashion world. “..next on my list is launching my own clothing brand, so stay tuned!”

Both influencers are moms, and that plays a pivotal role in how they handle their social media platforms. Ashlea’s son was diagnosed with Spina Bifida at 18 weeks, so that has changed her outlook on what she chooses to share on her platforms. “I find peace in the privacy of enjoying the good days with my family,” Ashlea said.

Kosuga is in the same boat when it comes to her family as well. She is a fulltime, stay-at-home parent so when it comes to her kids she “… always prioritizes [them] before work.” With her life being so online she is very cautious in what she posts.

These girl bosses are great examples of perseverance and determination. Building an online empire is not for the faint of heart; it comes with mean comments, shaming from peers and self-doubt. But these two mommy moguls go to show that it is possible to be successful despite the obstacles.

Follow Kosuga on her various platforms at @KaylaKosuga.

Follow Ashlea on her various platforms at @Jaiden.Ashlea.