Every Tuesday evening, a youthful horde of runners descends on Miami’s financial district. Running, jogging, and power walking, the semi-organized group of exercise enthusiasts streams over the sidewalks and streets of the city’s Brickell and Downtown neighborhoods, drawing onlookers and stopping traffic just after rush hour.
It’s not the city’s annual marathon or half-marathon, but the Baptist Health Brickell Run Club, a free weekly event that covers about 3.5 miles and claims to draw more than 300 runners—although on-the-ground observation suggests that the actual number is hundreds more. Sponsored by Nike and clinical care network Baptist Health, among other organizations, it’s one of the largest run clubs in the country and one of Miami’s trendiest community events.
While the Brickell Run Club is exceptional for its size, group runs are increasingly popular in many American cities. Hard numbers on nationwide run club membership aren’t available, but the explosive growth of some groups—from New York City’s Lunge Run Club to Greenville, South Carolina’s Run Club—in as little as a few months suggests that a new trend is taking hold. In South Florida, for example, 12 run clubs were created in 2023 alone, compared to 12 clubs formed in the preceding five years, according to data provided by running app RunAdic.
Either way, the recent growth of run clubs seems to reflect a desire to socialize more than only a general fitness craze.
Run clubs offer the opportunity to meet and connect with other people through a healthy, shared pursuit. Many runs are advertised on social media platforms such as Instagram and fitness apps such as Strava and SweatPals, bringing together a wide spectrum of people who likely would not otherwise meet.
Most group runs attended by this author conclude with a cool-down ritual where everyone heads to a nearby pub or café for beverages and bites. There, the influence of a lingering “runner’s high”—plus beer, in many cases—help the relaxed and mildly euphoric runners continue to bond. Social groups forged in the crucible of the runs often have their own momentum and meet up for other activities that don’t involve pounding the pavement.
Inevitably, the rise of run clubs has attracted a plethora of brands seeking marketing opportunities—and many run club organizers are happy to receive support and money for their efforts. Corporate partners build brand awareness by sponsoring runs, which often start in front of their retail stores and by giving out free merchandise, food, and drinks. Companies hawking workout products, such as Garmin, Hoka, and Lululemon, are staples of the run club scene, but other businesses from local taco restaurants to dating apps are getting in on the action, too.
Run clubs aren’t new. South Florida’s Run Club Network, which includes the massive Brickell Run Club, started in 2009. New York Road Runners was founded in 1958. The popularization of running and jogging in the United States dates back to the 1970s, with famous participants that included then-President Jimmy Carter. And the idea of exercising for its social benefits was well enough understood to be satirized in the 1984 comedy movie “Lonely Guy,” in which a New York resident played by Steve Martin takes up jogging (sort of) to meet women.
With this venerable history, run clubs are here to stay, even if the current run club mania hits a saturation point. The boom in running groups has pulled in many lukewarm runners, some of whom can be expected to quit once the novelty wears off or the expected social benefits don’t materialize. There are also hints of an emerging backlash against crowds of runners treating sidewalks as their personal treadmills.
Despite these roadblocks, run clubs are riding a wave of enthusiasm that so far shows no signs of slowing down.
