How two Richmond marathon runners ran into each other’s hearts

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — One Richmond couple is sharing their unique love story, which began when they literally ran into each other. Their love for running just happened to be the one thing that brought them together. Michell Plouffe and her now-husband Greg Barch first met in Aug. 2017 on a monthly trail run in Richmond. Barch was working as a coach and Plouffe was a runner. She had been living in Richmond only 6 months before they were first introduced. They said neither joined this running club with the intention of starting a relationship or falling in love -- it just happened. “Definitely was not my intention to meet someone and start dating someone running,” Plouffe said.  Meet the man behind this year’s Richmond Marathon medal design They ran into each other several times through marathon team training. “Our friendship had grown and kind of progressed naturally after that,” Plouffe said.  Finally, after years of knowing each other, they started dating -- then, in Sept. 2023, they tied the knot. They even learned later on that they both had mutual friends who were trying to get them together.  Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch)Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch)Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch)Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch)Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch)Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch)Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch)Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch)Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch, a couple whose love story began with marathon running in Richmond. (Photos: Michelle Plouffe and Greg Barch) The now-married couple has continued to nurture both their passion for running and their love for each other. “Running is a big part of our relationship and part of what brought us together," Barch said. "And [it] continues to be a part of our relationship. It's fun when we get to do stuff together.”  They are both participating in the Richmond Marathon on Nov. 16. Barch is still coaching, and Plouff will be working behind the scenes with organizers. Even though they aren't competing this year, they say they are still happy to be working on what they love together.  2024 Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon breaks all-time participant record “It's hard to be in a relationship with someone who doesn't necessarily understand running and [the] commitment [it needs,] because it is [a] big time commitment when you're training for a marathon,” Plouffe said.  The Richmond Marathon isn't the only race the happy couple is participating in. Next January, they are both competing in a series of races at Disney World. The races hold special significance. “I'm no longer able to run marathons just because of health issues, but [I] still run and still love running,” Plouffe said. “So that is going to be like the icing on the cake," Barch said about this Disney World trip. "Because it's ... I would say [it'll] be the first time in a while that we've been able to run together, and that's one of our happy places." Plouffe added that they have run in a lot of the same races, even if they don't always run them together. They have done the Ukrops Monument Avenue 10k at least 3 times.  After the Richmond Marathon wraps up, the couple will begin training for their next series of races at Disney World in January.