Running Clubs: A Horrible Setting for Dating

(SeaPRwire) –   Two years ago, I joined a running club to grow my social circle. I’ve tried clubs in cities like London, Barcelona, and Lisbon. What started as a fitness trend has evolved into a new kind of dating scene—running clubs often serve as low-pressure alternatives to apps, where connections form through repeated, real-life interactions.

While I’ve made wonderful friends through running clubs—sharing pizza and wine at house parties—the romantic side of things has become problematic. It’s evident that most people are there for just one reason: women quietly discuss their ideal type, while men immediately hit on the newest member to join the group.

Beneath the surface of organic connection, these communities frequently mirror the same patterns found in online dating: ghosting, disposable encounters, and constant romantic turnover.

My friend went on a date months ago with someone from the Lisbon running club. The guy had asked her out after a post-run coffee gathering. After ghosting her, he then asked out another woman from the same club—and they’re now together. This leaves my friend in an awkward position.

Similarly, several of my friends have had to switch clubs to avoid running into exes involved in messy situationships. Even when engaging in flirtatious exchanges with other runners, I’ve never seen a serious relationship develop; I’ve only experienced being ghosted.

Dating within a running club can damage group dynamics; I’ve witnessed close-knit friend groups fracture due to breakups. The amount of romantic drama often feels more intense than a reality TV show.

Running clubs are emerging as modern social ecosystems—essentially singles mixers disguised as cardio. Unlike algorithm-driven dating, attraction is built during post-run coffees in sweaty clothes, relying on repeated face-to-face meetings that echo how our ancestors historically formed relationships.

But while many singles are drawn to hobby-based communities, I question whether these spaces genuinely lead to deeper relationships or simply repackage the same frustrations.

To better understand why singles are turning to activity-based communities and what emotional ambiguity they’re trying to escape from in online dating, I spoke with Sana Khwaja, a therapist at BetterHelp, the world’s largest online therapy platform.

“Dating within a community like a running club can be enjoyable, but it does blur boundaries in ways that become emotionally complicated if not handled carefully,” Khwaja said. It’s important to be intentional from the beginning. “That means checking in with yourself before pursuing anything, asking: Am I truly interested, or am I swept up by the group’s closeness?”

Now, my friends and I are cautious whenever someone from our running club asks us out. One friend shared that she’ll never date anyone from a running club again after discovering her partner was sleeping with multiple members while pretending to be exclusive with her.

Khwaja advises runners to establish clear boundaries around dating so “the progression of the relationship stays separate from the group’s progression. If things get awkward, you won’t let that stop you from attending events,” she explained. “It’s about protecting the community’s stability instead of letting it become collateral damage.”

I also consulted Shoshanna Raven, life coach and founder of Living Brave, a global personal development platform focused on self-trust and modern leadership. “Many believe, ‘Dating apps are the problem. I’ll join a run club and find a community.’ But if your subconscious patterns, attachment styles, and emotional habits remain unchanged, you may end up recreating the same relational experiences in a different setting,” she said.

Personally, I don’t mind that running clubs have become the new dating app. My issue lies in the fact that all the frustrations I associate with dating apps now play out live and in person before me.

I dislike that the same guy who took my friend out is the one who previously asked my friend for my number. I hate feeling jealous when I see my crush talking to someone new and questioning my own self-worth.

It’s human nature to be drawn to people we repeatedly encounter in communal spaces. But what’s different now is the low-investment attitude people bring to these environments. That mindset should be enough to make everyone run the opposite way.