Run Clubs Are Booming. But as Their Central Role Changes, Can Brands Still Capitalize?

Six times a week, anywhere from 30 to 70 members of Prospect Park Track Club — one of New York City’s largest groups with a membership of 2,500 — will lace up their shoes and hit the streets of Brooklyn.

Depending on the time of day or night, the group will go on a training run, focus on speed or try something more low key.

“We have sort of a menu, and every group run has its own purpose and reputation,” Prospect Park Track Club president Crystal Cun told FN.

Prospect Park Track Club aims to be all things to all people, Cun explained, holding to its half century-old roots as a competitive running club that trains people to get faster and better at the sport, while also being a social opportunity.

However, that wasn’t always the case. Launched as a men’s-only club 50 years ago, it has since grown into a coed group that is more inclusive — and continues to evolve.

“The purpose of running clubs has shifted,” Cun said. “We’ve expanded more into the relationship-building aspects of the running community while preserving the areas in which we compete — races and to improve our training.”

Run clubs often historically had an air of hyper-competitiveness that could be intimidating to those looking to enter the sport. “When I was younger, the majority of run clubs were serious, racing-focused track clubs. But accessibility is perceived in a whole new light, and any past intimidation factors that may have been present have washed away substantially,” said David Gettis, operating partner of Fleet Feet New York City.

That change stems, in part, from the shifting makeup of running participants and their motivations.

At the start of the year, exercise tracking service Strava released a report about generational activity trends. It noted that among all ages, the top reason for exercising with others is social connection, and Gen Z is 29 percent more likely than Millennials to work out with another person “at least some of the time.” What’s more, Strava noted that Gen Z was the leading contributor to its 11 percent increase in its new clubs in 2023.

“There is such a diversity of types of run clubs, but the central theme is being a part of something, part of a community or a team,” said Ian Hill, director of U.S. marketing at Hoka. “Being a part of something together and being a part of a social group, humans strive for that.”

Another change is the rise in casual participation. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, casual runners — defined as those who run one to 49 times a year — has gained momentum in recent years, and in 2023 eclipsed core runners, who run 50-plus times.

For brands that partner with run clubs, the business opportunities are endless. Hill admitted that the thousands of demo runs Hoka hosts annually are integral in the adoption of new styles.

“It is critical that we get people trying on our shoes in season one of a launch, so those styles will become the focus for our field experience team when they’re working with run clubs,” Hill said. “We track and measure the number of events we do, the number of shoes tried on, the number of people that are part of events. There is a sizable impact to our business, and to the adoption of new styles.”

They are also critical for the specialty run retail channel to reach new customers, especially those younger athletes who could become the next loyal shoppers. “Run clubs attract runners and walkers to our stores and strengthens our ability to positively connect with customers. Over time, this inherently has a positive financial impact on our business,” said Joey Pointer, president and chief executive officer of Fleet Feet.

However, the nuances of sponsorship relationships between clubs, brands and retailers is not a cookie cutter situation.

Many specialty retailers organize their own groups, which can become robust gatherings and have numerous outside partnerships.

For instance, at Oakland, Calif.-based Renegade Running, its track nights bring out roughly 80 to 100 people. Storeowner Victor Diaz said all the major brands have come out to support financially, with product and more, including Asics, On and Hoka. He also stated Nike has been the biggest supporter.

But for independent run clubs, official brand partnerships are not always a good fit.

Prospect Park Track Club has long opted to leave that money on the table. Instead, it uses events to fund its activities. “We have 10 public races a year. Our races are well executed, fun, community driven and affordable. And most of the labor is volunteer. This is our primary revenue-generating source. We don’t have to take sponsorship money because of these races,” Cun explained.

And it doesn’t play favorites when comes to local specialty run retailers either. Cun said that for bib pickups for its races, the club alternates between the two main stores in its area — Fleet Free Brooklyn and Brooklyn Running Co. — so that both get an equal amount of foot traffic from participants and promotion on its website.

Cun said the primary reason for shying away from brand partnerships is the size of the club. “We think it’s really important that everyone feels good and looks good in their uniform, and there aren’t many companies that would be able to serve 2,500 athletes with different body types and needs and have all the products we would want,” she said.

However, Cun said Prospect Park Track Club will consider brand sponsorships for its public-facing events. “I think of that as different from the club itself having an official sponsorship,” she explained.

Previously, the club has worked with running and running-adjacent sponsors including Brooks, Tracksmith and local physical therapy centers on a temporary basis, either race-by-race or year-by-year. “It’s never permanent,” Cun explained. “What we’re looking for is fiscal sponsorship, and perhaps if the brand is willing, a presence at the race so they can get to know runners. And if they have merchandise to offer as prizes, we could include that and market that for them as well.”

However, other organizations, such as Every Person Run Club, have embraced the notion of partnership. The Washington, D.C.-based club, which accepts no fees from members, is powered by Lululemon.

Lahaina Mondoñedo, one of the club founders, said the Lululemon relationship makes sense because of shared values. “I have experienced firsthand, as have many of my members, where, running with other clubs, they get left behind — not intentionally or with bad intention. It’s just they’re not that fast and a lot of D.C. runners are impressive athletes,” she explained. “Having a space for people to get into the sport and grow at their own pace is important. On that end, Lululemon also has a mission to drive personal growth for any individual.”

However, explaining the nuances of the relationship to club members is critical.

“Someone asked in our early years when we ran from the [local Lululemon] store, ‘Do I have to wear Lululemon to come to your run club?’ The answer was no,” Mondoñedo said. “I got into running in big part because of finances and it being an accessible sport. Not forcing runners to spend a certain way is very important to us.”

On a larger scale, Black Girls Run — a national organization with 248,000 members across 32 states with 75 groups in major cities — has relied on relationships with both Fleet Feet and Saucony to improve visibility. Its partnership with Fleet Feet began in 2020 and it signed a multiyear agreement with Saucony in 2021 during the Black Lives Matter movement.

Part of its deal with Saucony was a shoe collaboration, which arrived in September. The collaborative black-and-pink edition of the Endorphin Speed 4 retailed for $170 and was sold exclusively via Saucony.com and Fleet Feet.

“It is critical to make sure these relationships are sustainable and invested in the growth of the organization,” said Jay Ell Alexander, owner and CEO of Black Girls Run. “This partnership [with Saucony] was so important for Black Girls Run because it made our organization’s footprint larger. To have our logo on a shoe, on a shoe box and have women wear these shoes at races and events across the country speaks bounds.”

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.