BOTP Pace Friendly Run Clubs
Laura, Steph, Sarah, and Kara reppin’ Back of the Pack at the Arches Ultra in Moab, Utah. We ran the 9K and had the most fun.
In a dream world, Back of the Pack would be able to have running and hiking clubs all over the country (the world?), but we’re not there yet. So we solicited you — our community — to tell us about the run clubs that you love most.
These are the clubs that were said to be welcoming, pace-inclusive, and full of fun vibes. This list is certainly not exhaustive, and we’ll update it as times goes on, so if you don’t see your city yet, shoot us an email to tell us where you’re looking to run!
West
Bellingham, WA: Sueñito Run Club hosts a group run/walk/stroll every Wednesday at 6:30 out of the El Sueñito Brewery.
Bay Area, CA: Trail Sisters hosts several runs per month at various locations throughout the Bay Area.
Pacific Beach, CA: The Pacific Beach Run Club hosts two three-ish mile runs per week. Their website states that the leader holds a 9:00 min/mile pace, but stops four times for 2-3 minutes allowing slower runners to catch up.
Flagstaff, AZ: Run Flagstaff hosts group runs pretty much every day of the week!
Salt Lake City, UT: Trail Sisters hosts no-drop runs and hikes in the greater Salt Lake area.
Denver/Boulder, CO: Coach Klutz hosts bi-weekly runs Wednesday at 6pm starting from PR Sport Labs, as well as monthly trail runs.
Colorado Springs, CO: Fleet Feet Run Club hosts weekly runs on Thursdays at 5:30pm out of their store, and Jack Quinn’s Run Club — voted Best Run Club in Colorado Springs — hosts Tuesday night 5K runs.
Crested Butte/Gunnison, CO: Trail Sisters organizes group runs and hikes, casual meet-ups, and a book club!
Midwest
Minneapolis/St Paul, MN: Run Beer Repeat hosts runs on the first and third Thursday of every month at rotating locations.
Iowa City, IA: Our very own BOTP-retreat alum Julia teamed up with Practical Wellness to host a weekly run club at the Iowa City track.
Youngtown, OH: Youngstown Road Runners Club hosts weekly runs for all ages and paces at Mill Creek MetroParks.
South
Raleigh, NC: TUFF Run Club organizes weekly group trail runs together, as well as supports each other in local races as pacers, crew, race support, and aid station volunteers.
Athens, GA: Slow Girl Run Club hosts two runs per week — Thursday at 6pm and Sundays at 2pm — out of Fleet Feet.
Jacksonville, FL: Sombrero Running has a run club and a Facebook page for Jacksonville-based runners to support one another.
Northeast
Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh Rogue Runners hosts three runs per week — Track Tuesday, Pub Run Thursday, and Pop-Up Sunday.
Philadelphia, PA: Philly Slow Girl Run Club hosts all types of run meet-ups, which can be found on their Instagram.
Conshohocken, PA: Conshy Running hosts three runs per week: Trail or Track Tuesday, Thursday Pub Runs, and Sunday Brunch Runs.
New York, NY: Slow Girl Run Club hosts weekly runs Tuesdays at 6pm.
Norwood, MA: Charles River Running meets Thursdays at 6:30pm for both runs and walks, and has two-, three-, and five-mile routes.
Baltimore, MD: A Tribe Called Run offers three group runs each week and all the good vibes to go with it.
Boston, MA: The Boston REI Run Club comes highly recommended, and meets on the third Saturday of every month.
Burlington, VT: Long Trail Running Club meets up on Thursday evenings, and also has a plethora of resources for runners in the Burlington area.
Canada
Squamish, BC: Capra Run Club offers a social and a speedy pace for their Saturday runs. Come springtime, they’ll also offer a Thursday night post-work shakeout club run.
Ottawa, Ontario: The Ottawa City Run Club has been going strong for nearly a decade with runs every Tuesday evening at 7:30pm.
Know of a run club we missed?
Email hello@backofthepack.community with information on the club, how to find them, etc.! We will continually update this list.
Can’t find A run club in your area?
Search Google! Try “run club (your city)” or “pace inclusive run club (your city)”. You can search for the same thing on Facebook.
Wander into your local running store and ask if they know of any clubs (or, if they’re interested in starting one!).
Check out Trail Sisters, which has trail running and hiking groups all over the country.
Leave a comment on this post with where you’re from and what kind of running buddies you’re looking for.
Join the Back of the Pack Strava club and do the same!