“Run clubs are content mills.” “They’re full of runners chasing social media clout.” “They say ‘all paces welcome,’ but their slowest group run is an 8:00 mile pace.” “Groups of 200-plus are taking over the sidewalks and streets with no consideration for other runners, walkers, and cyclists.”
Scroll briefly through social media these days, and you’ll find a weird amount of criticism directed toward run clubs, which have been around for decades but recently have been the recipients of too much negativity—sometimes for the reasons above, but also for reasons that present the sport as less inclusive.
The thing is, run clubs have become so popular in part because running itself is more popular than ever: Industry estimates suggest that nearly 50 million people in the United States went running at least once in 2023. And in the midst of the sport’s biggest boom since recreational jogging went mainstream in the 1970s, it’s also, finally, cool.
replacing dating apps Does Running Burn Fat. Brands are tapping these groups Running Shoes - Gear Diplo Avoid These Common Setbacks as a New Runner Travis Barker Races - Places Running USA’s annual report in 2023 stated that they were part of a running club. And Strava saw an 11 percent increase in new clubs in 2023, according to the tracking platforms’s annual Year in Sport report—with Gen Z as the leading contributor to that growth—and Strava says 37 percent of their active athletes belong to at least one of the 860,000 clubs available on the app in 2024.
With popularity comes haters, though. In a culture that can be resistant to change, there will always be people complaining about “bandwagon fans” who come to the sport via new methods, like social media. The question isn’t whether they’re really in it for the love of the sport or not, it’s why do these social media trolls care how new runners embrace the sport?
Social media is one of the major drivers in the resurgence of running clubs, crews, and groups. Apps like Instagram, TikTok, Strava, and even Threads give these groups—casual or otherwise—a platform for establishing their identity and operations. And even though a certain subset of the online population will indubitably grumble about the Instagram- and Tinder-ification of modern run clubs, this spike in interest is Pioneers Run Crew.
Organized running groups make the sport more accessible to newcomers, shift stereotypes about what a runner looks like (inspiring more runners of color, women, and people who may not have considered themselves athletes to join) and offer their participants the opportunity for genuine connection with a group like the.
Some are coached and some are not, but there’s a club for every type of runner, whether you’re into 1,000-person events like the Whats the Cost of Being a Runner in Los Angeles organizes or you prefer smaller meet-ups like the Thick Thigh Run Club in Denver; you’re interested in a socially conscious organization like How to Fall in Love With Running, Pioneers Run Crew carbs with a group like the for sampling and sponsorships. Celebs like Pioneers Run Crew.
Not All Run Clubs Are Created Equally—And That’s for the Best
More than 700 run clubs are registered on Road Runners Clubs of America site, while Running in the USA lists 992 clubs on their site. At this point, it’s impossible to count the number of run clubs popping up across the globe.
But, generally, these groups break down into three different types: performance-focused clubs, where members train together for personal and/or group events; run clubs that foster social connections—platonic or romantic—with postrun coffee or happy hour hangouts; and run clubs that boast a social media angle, whether the goal is brand-building, profit-making, or just providing participants with fun content to share on their own platform. Many, to be honest, are a mix of all of the above.
There’s a space for all types of clubs in the running community, and it’s really up to the runner to decide which one feels right for them. Not every group needs to (or can) cater to every runner, as long as leaders clearly communicate what their club offers—i.e. a Code of Conduct, whether it’s a no-drop group or not, what the usual route is—so runners can avoid showing up with misplaced expectations.
What Runners Can Do to Make Run Clubs Better
As run clubs grow, the responsibility isn’t just on run club organizers to create a welcoming environment. It’s equally important that the runners who participate in them show up in a way that positively affects those around them—both within the running community and outside of it.
When you’re running with a group on public paths, it’s up to you to follow basic road and sidewalk rules: leave room on the route for pedestrians and cyclists, signal your intent to cross the road or turn, and make sure you’re visible to those around you (especially if you’re running before sunrise or after sunset). If you’re sharing a track around a shared purpose.
On group runs, consider how you talk about running so you don’t accidentally shame those around you about their pace or gear or otherwise. When clubs (and their participants) don’t show respect for others or the space they share, it brings the whole community down.
And that’s the point of run clubs: creating a more inclusive running community overall. More is better, because it normalizes the idea that running really is for everyone. There will always be haters, but anything that brings people together in a real-world community built around doing something healthy is going to benefit those who participate—as long as they respect everyone else who’s doing the same in their own community (and on social media).
