The Best Running Clubs in Brooklyn (And How to Pick One)

Search for running clubs in Brooklyn and you'll get dozens of names. That's a good problem, but it doesn't help you pick one. Here's how I'd narrow it down, plus the crews I send people to most often.

How to pick a club

Four things matter more than anything else. Where and when they meet, because a club across the borough is a club you'll skip. Whether they have a pace group for you, since showing up and running alone defeats the point. How long they've been around, because consistent clubs keep consistent schedules. And the vibe, which you can only judge by going once.

The big, established clubs

North Brooklyn Runners in Greenpoint and Williamsburg is one of the largest clubs in the city, with free social runs and structured workouts. Prospect Park Track Club is the borough's historic competitive club and puts on the Cherry Tree 10 Miler and a Turkey Trot. South Brooklyn Running Club runs from the Carroll Gardens and Red Hook waterfront and keeps things friendly. Brooklyn Road Runners has been doing group runs in Prospect Park for years.

If you want to race

Prospect Park Track Club and Dashing Whippets Brooklyn both train seriously and show up at local races as a team. Brooklyn Track Club, out of McCarren Park, mixes competitive track work with a big social side. These clubs expect you to do some training on your own between sessions, and they'll make you faster if you show up.

If you're new

Bed-Stuy Flyers, Crown Heights Run Club, and Fort Greene Runners are neighborhood crews where the group actually waits at corners. South Brooklyn Running Club is another good bet. Start with a club that runs from a park or a store, since those runs are easy to find and easy to bail from if the pace is wrong.

Store runs count too

Brooklyn Running Company hosts group runs from Park Slope and Williamsburg. Fleet Feet in Park Slope and Bakline in Gowanus also have community events. Check each store for current run times before heading over.

Before you go

Check the club's Instagram for the current schedule, since meetups move with the seasons. Bring a layer for after, and don't stress about pace. Every club on this list has someone running your speed, or close enough. The full list of Brooklyn clubs, with areas and links, is in our directory.