Boston, Massachusetts
Forest Hills Runners is a free, community-focused running club based in Jamaica Plain offering multiple weekly group runs for all paces and abilities. All runs meet on the grass across from the Stonybrook T-stop and include social runs, tempo runs, track workouts, and long runs.
Group run schedule
Forest Hills Runners is a free, no-signup community club based in Jamaica Plain that runs six days a week. They cover the full range - easy recovery miles, tempo work, hills, track sessions, and long runs - so wherever you are in your training, there is a run here that fits. Everything starts on the grass across from the Stonybrook T-stop, which makes it easy to get to without a car.
Highlights
This club works well if you want structure - real workouts, not just casual jogging - but also want the option of a low-key social run on days you are not feeling it. If you are only interested in racing-focused, competitive training with no social component, the post-run coffee culture and heavy community emphasis may not be what you are looking for.
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Saturday mornings are the flagship run, with three distance groups: 1-3 miles, 4-6 miles, and 8-13 miles, so you pick what works for you that day and run with people doing the same distance.
Weekday evenings split between social runs at an easy pace on Mondays and Wednesdays, and harder efforts - tempo, hills, or track - on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Monday also has an early 6 am recovery run if evenings don't work for you. The terrain mixes urban paths, park paths, and track.
Show up on the grass across from the Stonybrook T-stop at the time that fits your schedule - no registration, no fee, nothing to bring but your shoes. On Saturdays, you will be asked which distance group you want, and you pick the one that matches where you are right now, not where you wish you were.
They say beginners and run-walkers are welcome, so if you need to walk stretches, that is not a problem. They recommend joining their Facebook group before your first visit so you catch any last-minute updates.
Something to train for
16 upcoming races in Boston. Having one on the calendar is the easiest way to turn a few group runs into a habit.
No. There are no membership fees and no sign-ups required. The running form clinic on the first Sunday of each month is also free. The only thing that costs anything is the optional yoga for runners session that follows it, which is $10.
They say the club is open to all paces, and the Saturday run actively splits into three distance groups, so you are not locked into one pace with everyone else. The social and recovery runs are deliberately easy, not a race.
Yes - they run rain or shine, year-round. That said, join the Facebook group so you see any updates before heading out in tough conditions.
The group heads to JP Licks for coffee after the Saturday run. It is part of the routine, not a one-off, so it is a real way to get to know people if you show up alone.
It runs on the first Sunday of each month at noon at JP Centre Yoga - it is free, and based on how the club operates generally, there is no sign-up required. Check the Facebook group to confirm before you go.
Where this comes from: Club details come from each club’s own channels (their site, Meetup, Strava and social posts) and are checked by hand. Group runs move, so confirm the meeting spot on the club’s latest post before you head out. Last updated July 2026.
