Running on your own is one thing. Running as part of a crew is something very different. The latter being more exhilarating, more challenging, more rewarding and exciting. I know this having spent 18 months running solo to work and back, with headphones in, a pounding beat, and my sole focus on my breathing and my feet. Then I joined London's Run Dem Crew and my whole outlook changed. We run in the evenings en mass with a 150-person strong pack, through the city’s streets as dusk draws in — no headphones allowed. The energy is explosive. The vibes are high. Your pace picks up, you forget about being out of breath and just go for it. And now I look for this experience everywhere I go. Fortunately, run crews have become so massive that you can find one in virtually every major city. Here are some of the best.
Words: Alice Tate
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Like the idea of group running? Run with us and the ELLE Running Club. We tie our laces and hit the pavements on Wednesday lunchtimes, running from the Fashion Cupboard and through the city’s streets, before returning within the hour ready for a more powered, pumped up afternoon.
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Defining themselves as “runners with attitude” and affiliated with Nike, Paris Running Club takes to the streets twice a week, embarking from the Nike Press Showroom and racing across the city on routes peppered with famous sites. The Eiffel Tower, Luxembourg Gardens, and La Géode often feature on the routes, led by founder and pack leader, Jay Smith.
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Led by Mike Saes, the NYC Bridge crew run every Wednesday night religiously, right through sticky summers and frozen winters, centering their routes around Manhattan’s three lower bridges: Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and Williamsburg Bridge. The crew’s motto? Never run alone. These guys run hard, fast and fierce, then often celebrate their success with pizza or picnics afterwards.
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DJ Charlie Dark leads his Nike-affiliated East London family through the city’s streets, starting from Nike Lab in Shoreditch and heading out on various routes each week. Waterloo’s graffiti-riddled Leak Street is a popular destination, and makes for a 10km loop — not bad for a Tuesday night. Not just running but love too, Run Dem Crew members sit down for Housekeeping before pounding the pavements each session, to take note of fellow members’ success and recent achievements.
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‘Running streets around the world since ‘10’, Patta Running Team is Amsterdam’s coolest crew, spearheaded by Patta co-owner Edson Sabajo. What started as a group of creative friends going on afternoon runs has grown into a mighty crew that not only pounds the towpaths of Amsterdam but streets of cities across the world, forever dedicated to crossing the finish line.
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‘Run, party, repeat’ is the mantra of the NBRO, a Copenhagen-based crew full of passionate runners, all credited with having a thing for sneakers and social get-togethers. Club members meet in the Nørrebro quarter of the city up to 4 times a week for sessions that vary in distance and speed.
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#werunourcity. Harbour Runners do just that, powering through the streets of the chaotic city en mass as protagonists for urban running. Established back in 2010, Harbour Runners has grown in its size and influence, starting out as just a duo going for a midnight run, before growing into something more powerful with a dedicated Wednesday night run crew, which is proud to be part of the international Bridge The Gap community.
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Parkdale Roadrunnners, established in 2010, is Toronto’s urban crew, which welcomes new and old runners to its Tuesday night running session. Rain or shine, these guys hit the streets, taking to the city in different pace groups so to cater for all those who want to run. Motivated, strong and tight, the gang support one another, pushing fellow crew members to beat their goals, cross finish lines, and excel.