FORT WALTON BEACH — Gentle pattering interrupted the quiet of Brooks Street one evening last week as a trio of runners made their way down the road.
Three-year-old Ruben Landavazo grinned and waved at the passing joggers as he sat on his tricycle.
“He’s tried to race them on his bike before,” his mom Roswitha said with a laugh.
The residential area of Brooks Street has become a well-used route for runners, dog walkers and nature lovers over the years.
“It’s awesome to see people outside enjoying nature,” Roswitha said. “That’s what it should be used for.”
Roswitha moved to Fort Walton Beach about two years ago from North Carolina, where the seasons kept people indoors a lot, she said.
She said it’s nice to watch runners from all skill sets come together for some fun.
“Everyone is doing their own speed,” she said.
A group jog sponsored by the Run With It store brought most of the foot traffic in the area.
Ed Owens, one of the group’s members, estimated that about 60 people showed up for last Tuesday’s run.
Brooks Street was one of the reasons Run With It moved from Navarre to Fort Walton Beach, said Jeff Harris, one of the owners. Runs can start near the downtown store and wind under the shady canopy of live oaks on the relatively quiet and traffic-free road.
“It’s like the rabbit hole,” Harris said. “You get off of 98 and it’s right there.”
Residents have become accustomed to the runners and are quick to wave and say hello, jogger Kristin Odekirk said. The area doesn’t have much traffic, and the cars that do pass by usually slow down when they approach a group, she said.
“It’s a nice route,” Odekirk said. “The people are very friendly.”
Emily Jones and her boyfriend live on Brooks Street and are thinking about joining in.
“They make me feel terrible as I watch them from my couch,” Jones said with a laugh.
She has joked about setting up a water stand to pass out drinks race-style.
When she was considering living on the street three months ago, she saw the running group as a positive.
“It makes it feel safer and in more of a community,” Jones said.
Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Delgado can be reached at 850-315-4445 or ldelgado@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenDnwfdn.