Shirley Barbaro

Bio

Shirley Barbaro is the founder of Plano Running Club and a proud "late bloomer" who proves it's never too late to discover your passion. She didn't run a single mile until 2010, when a casual visit to Luke's Locker turned into a life-changing journey. In her debut marathon at the 2011 Dallas White Rock Marathon, Shirley shocked herself by winning her age group and qualifying for Boston—a feat she accomplished while thinking "I'm never doing this again" as she ran through freezing rain. But Shirley's greatest accomplishment isn't her personal PRs—it's the vibrant community she's built. In 2013, she founded Plano Running Club with just 12 runners, driven by what she calls "selfish" motivation: she hated running alone. Today, the club has grown to over 400 members and is known throughout the DFW running community for its genuine warmth, early morning coffee runs, and commitment to celebrating every runner's milestones. Under Shirley's leadership, Plano Running Club has become more than just a place to log miles—it's a family that travels the country to cheer each other on, volunteers at local races, and embodies the same kindness that kept Shirley running after that first brutal training run at Russell Creek Park.