Essentially, a running club is meant to help you achieve a certain mileage, improve your pace, and set aside time each week for intentional activity. But the sense of community they foster is starting to attract more members seeking connections that go far beyond running itself. And the club is starting to notice.
Cooldown, a run club that started in Denver and has expanded to 10 major U.S. cities, positions itself as a “social club disguised as a run club,” and frequently shares videos on its social channels about how to turn your run club into a dating app that won’t work for you.
Single runners are also using TikTok to spread information about this offline alternative to dating apps. Typing in the search term “run club dating” yields hundreds of video results with hundreds of thousands of views and comments about people preferring to meet their partners in an active community.
For singles feeling defeated by dating apps, is Run Club really a trustworthy option? Ahead, love experts and Run Club founders weigh in on what the shift to local communities could mean for modern dating.
Dating apps don't do that anymore
Singles aren't as satisfied with dating apps as they used to be, especially among the younger dating pool. According to a recent study by Savanta, more than 90% of Gen Z participants surveyed reported frustration with dating apps.
“People are tired,” says Benu Lahiri, Ours’ chief clinical officer. “People are definitely tired of answering the same types of questions, the same things online, especially when they’ve been doing it for a long time and haven’t seen the results of the effort that went into it.”
According to Pew Research, 44% of dating app users say their primary reason for using these services is to meet a long-term partner. When their needs are consistently unmet, it can feel quite discouraging. While virtual interactions before meeting for a first date can feel positive, it’s hard to fully understand who the other person is when all you see are a few prompts, photos, and a quick text exchange. Dating apps are just a part of someone’s personality, not the full extent.
According to Lahiry, not feeling the same connection IRL as you did through the app is disillusioning.
What was once a novel experience has become a bitter experience for many singles. Sure, it can be fun to scroll through profiles and swipe right based on careers, height, and quick wit with pre-programmed questions. But even the most “perfect” match is fun if it doesn’t translate into a serious romantic partner, and over time, the fun wears off.
Why it makes sense to own a club for dating
While dating apps fall short in understanding the full personality of a potential suitor, Run Club compensates for this with a community-centric approach. While Run Club’s primary purpose is not to act as a matchmaking service, this can actually be a positive factor for single runners looking for love.
“Someone might run next to you and ask how your day was without necessarily winking,” says Bailey Ness, Cooldown’s co-founder, of some of the conversations she’s seen at the club’s weekly meetings. “But all of a sudden, you’re having a great conversation that you see every week, and it can even lead to a relationship.”
By opening up a space for people to talk and interact, running a club creates a non-intimidating environment where you can experiment with direct and fearless flirting. The conversation may start out as a friendly chat and then lead to something more later.
Cooldowns in particular can feel more accessible to singles who haven't tied the knot in a while. The club focuses more on creating a space for members to interact than on achieving new PR. “On cooldown, you can run at any pace, even if that means walking,” explains co-founder Daniel Belk.
Many running clubs take this approach of welcoming all-paced running, which means you can try out new ways to date without having to show off your mile times.
There's also scientific reason why a running club may be the answer to finding a partner. Because when you run, your body is ready to feel good. During exercise, your body releases endorphins, hormones that relieve pain, reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Plus, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, running is a great way to increase your levels of endocannabinoids, which can reduce anxiety and make you feel calm.
Lahiri says that with the help of endorphins and endocannabinoids, “you can naturally communicate with someone more confidently.”
Change your perspective on dating
According to Ness and Belk, Run Club creates a neutral place for singles to meet other people (physically!), some of whom may be looking for romantic relationships, and it’s much less important than what dating apps offer. Instead of feeling like your date “failed” because a potential partner didn’t match your dating profile, you’re in a situation where you can actually meet people.
And running a club offers more benefits than just finding a date. In other words, it opens up a space for conversation, activity, and meeting new people. Perhaps relationships are formed through experience, but even if that isn't the case, you're still tracking positive outcomes.
The ultimate goal of matching with someone on a dating app is to move the conversation offline. That means you ultimately have to meet someone in person to see if there is a connection, Lahiri says.
“Going to the run club allows me to be myself and live in a space where that is accepted,” she says.
If your swipes leave you dissatisfied, you may want to consider trying to connect with others in the community, whether or not a relationship is committed at the end of the finish line. And if that community is a running club, your mental and physical health will thank you.