When was the last time you made butter and ran simultaneously? This is the question Libby Cope, 30, an Oregon-based outdoor and running content creator, asks in a video that has racked up more than 2 million views on TikTok and nearly 10 million on Instagram.
She and her boyfriend, Jacob Arnold, 30, a sterile processing tech at a hospital and an avid runner and biker, do just that: they pour heavy cream and salt into double-bagged Ziplocs and secure the squishy bags of dairy inside their matching running vests before setting off on a trail run. At the end, they spread their creation on sandwich bread and dig in.
Already, Cope's video has inspired other runners to try churn-running, like Irene Choi, who made corn juice honey butter, and Lauren Lecompte, who tried making her butter during a snowstorm but had to follow up her run with some at-home churning because of the cold temperatures. And Cope was quick to point out that, since posting her video, she’s learned about the runner TrailswithZach, who has made both chocolate ice cream andfrosted lemonade while running.
For Cope, the experience has been a grounding reminder of why she runs in the first place: the joy it brings her. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget what you’re doing it for, and it’s not for a bunch of medals and all that,” she said. “It’s just for the vibes. Just the butter.”
Katja Vujić is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn whose work has appeared in Runner’s World, The Cut, Allure, Architectural Digest, The Boston Globe Magazine, and more. You can find more of her work on her website.
