It is becoming impossible to ignore the rise in runners across the city of London in recent years. In every neighbourhood, over every bridge and through every world-famous landmark, you are likely to see a collection of people pounding the pavement looking for a personal best or just enjoying a moment for themselves amongst the bustle of the capital. The evidence to support the trend certainly backs it up too. With a record 1.1 million ballot entries already received for next year’s London Marathon, it seems that a new generation of young people are jogging for joy on some of the most renowned streets in the world.
Perhaps the greatest advantage to beginning one’s own running journey is how simple it can be. The barriers to access and getting started are incredibly low, meaning that anybody with a pair of trainers and a willing attitude can step out the door and get moving. However, despite this, some find that affiliation with a running club can elevate the experience even further. These social running gatherings add a sense of community, can drive greater performance and can offer relationships built on shared interests and admirable health and wellness credentials.
Here is a collection of some of the most impressive running clubs in London to explore whenever the feeling to get up and get moving begins to appear.
London City Runners
Bermondsey SE1
For the past 15 years, this now iconic collection of road runners has grown into the largest free running club in all of London. The headquarters can be found on Druid Street, and this is where the experience begins for the Thames-side ‘River Run’ evenings that take place every Tuesday and Thursday at around 6 pm, taking in attractions such as Westminster Bridge, Millennium Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge among their most popular loops. Weekend options are also available and incorporate Greenwich Foot Tunnel and Greenland pier on routes from 6 to 11 miles. For the slightly more dedicated runner, there are interval and drill sessions at the Southwark Park Athletics Track that will have you shaving seconds off your fastest times.
Social memberships for London City Runners remain free and simple to access through the creation of a brief online profile and the act of turning up on the day. However, the track sessions do ask for a small contribution to cover costs. The clubhouse is a wonderful hub for all things running-related related and you are likely to become involved in their burgeoning scene, complete with a post-run craft ale as you debrief on the evening’s activities.
The Serpentine Running & Triathlon Club
Marylebone W1
In 1981, this London running institution was created as a result of an appeal in Runner’s World magazine to find participants in the second-ever London Marathon. Although their base is in Marylebone, members are made up from parts of the greater London area and training locations include the original Hyde Park meeting spot where they take their Serpentine name from. You will also find Serpentine runners across Richmond Park on Sundays and Paddington Recreation Ground with further trail and hill training amongst the undulations of nature upon Hampstead Heath. This is a club famous for its annual events that define the running calendar in the city. A New Year’s Day 10K regularly attracts over 600 willing athletes and the club’s Last Friday 5K has over 30 years of history behind it.
Serpentine now operates as a registered charity with membership reaching beyond 1000 runners and triathletes that include the UK’s fastest ever Marathon runner, Nick Torry, in their number. Signature events and some pretty impressive prestige make this a club that discerning and capable runners will surely be proud to become a part of.
Track Life LDN
Battersea SW11
In 2018, Omar Mansour and Rory Knight started Track Life LDN as a running club that was aimed at those wanting to improve technique, increase speed and strengthen their endurance capability. Running like an athlete was the selling point for Track Life LDN and it is safe to say it went down well in the city. This is all about prioritising improvement and purposeful reps and drills as compared to the sociable miles on the roads that other clubs offer. Their most popular meet-ups take place at Battersea Park with dedicated training that concentrates on mobility and coached interval training of sets out on the track calibrated by measured effort and recovery methods. There are free and paid training plans that are tuned to getting the very best from your run, whether that is for better 5K times or working towards a sub-4-hour marathon. Although the beginner may feel a little overwhelmed by the professional set-up at first, if you are looking to progress, supported by the best in sports science, then Track Life LDN is a solid choice to consider.
Run Dem Crew
Spitalfields E1
East London has long had a reputation for taking an activity and giving it a unique personality all of its own. In 2007, the DJ & Poet Charlie Dark decided to do exactly this for a collection of people interested in running who didn’t want to align with the idea of a traditional running club. This is a movement that emphasises community, creativity and mentorship, with running acting as the core of it all. The open Tuesday Night social is a run created to begin from the Old Spitalfields area at seven in the evening, conducted at a leisurely pace with all runners able to maintain a conversation. This ‘club that isn’t a running club’ has now grown to over 500 members and has even established itself as a key part of events on the day of the London Marathon. The Mile 21 ‘Cheer Dem’ tradition that has been operating since 2012 turns one of the toughest sections of the course into a street party that encourages weary participants towards the finish line. Run Dem Crew shows that running has a place and a purpose across every demographic of London’s urban landscape and celebrates this very fact with every step.
As with any outdoor pursuit in the realms of health and fitness, motivation is the key element. Any runner will tell you that in reality, it isn't the first or the last mile that is the hardest; it is the simple act of committing to getting on your feet and getting out there and starting. These running clubs may have different approaches, routes and overall philosophies but the one thing they do share is the crucial element of providing that motivation in the first place. They all promise to get you ready, keep you set and have you raring to go.
