“Running clubs are the new LinkedIn,” my colleague tells me when I ask him about his running routine. He’s already met lots of people in his running club, he says, it’s a great exchange — I should come along sometime. To be honest, I find LinkedIn quite annoying but running a worthwhile activity. And because my routine has suffered over the holidays, I’m curious (despite the idea of not only having to keep up with the group’s pace, but also with an impressive CV). There are quite a few running clubs in Berlin, so you don’t have to look far, but it might be hard to choose which one is right for you. Here’s a selection of recommended clubs… With the aim of being “more than running”, Optimistic Runners has been organizing weekly community runs since 2023. The meeting point is always Berlin Mitte. And they now even have a sportswear label. I think the clothes are great, but I don’t know whether my running ambitions live up to the brand’s claim. Ante, who see their running club as part of their fashion brand, offers a similar overall package. You can buy their clothes online or at High Snobiety. The running club usually meets once a month on Saturdays in one of the LAP cafés. The LAP founder is a friend of Marcus, Julian and Christian, who founded Ante. The target group: Berlin’s creative scene, friends and friends of friends.
Load, which was founded in early 2024, also runs in Mitte. On “Load Monday”, 60-90 runners meet every Monday evening for a distance between six and seven kilometers at a relaxed 6:30 pace. The founders’ motivation is to bring people together through sport. In the end, I decided to join the Joy Run Collective. On Sunday mornings, they meet up for a community run (approx. eight kilometers), alternating between Treptower Park, Volkspark Prenzlauer Berg, Hasenheide and Tiergarten. The collective’s goal: more visibility, safe spaces and empowerment in running for FLINTA* of Color. The pace is a pleasant 6:30, the conversations are good, and all runners are welcoming. Afterward, a fellow runner invited me to pancakes in her apartment — it’s great to be a running club member.
Text: Inga Krumme / Photos: Joy Run Club, Maurice Pehle, Optimistic Runners
Optimistic Runners
Every Saturday morning. Meeting point: Torstr.62, with alternating running routes.
Ante
Once a month (Sa 11h). Meeting point: one of the LAP cafés.
Load
Every Monday 19h. Meeting point: Mitte
Joy Run Collective
Every Sunday 10h. Meeting point: Treptower Park, Volkspark Prenzlauer Berg, Hasenheide or Tiergarten.
@optimisticrunners
@anteberlin
@loadmre
@joyruncollective
