Group run schedule
When to Show Up
Weekday runs at 6:00 PM (except Friday at 6:00 AM)Weekend runs at 8:00 AM in spring/fall/winter and 7:30 AM in summer
MinneapolisMinnesota
Community
NorthStar Running
Minneapolis, Minnesota
NorthStar Running is a Minneapolis-St. Paul based running club offering daily group runs except Thursday, with a wide range of paces from 2:40 marathoners to 6-hour finishers. The club features runs around local lakes, river paths, and occasional trail runs, with a strong social culture including post-run coffee and weekend events.
About This Club
NorthStar Running is a Minneapolis social run club that goes out six days a week around the chain of lakes, the river paths, and occasionally the trails at Lebanon Hills and Hyland Park Reserve.
The pace range here is genuinely wide, from runners who finish marathons around 2:40 to runners who take six hours, so this is not a club built around one speed. Membership is $40 a year, which covers daily runs plus access to the Heylo app where they coordinate check-ins and post upcoming events.
Highlights
- Daily structured group runs
- Access to coaching add-on option
- Social events and race trips
- Coordinated through Heylo app for check-ins and upcoming events
Who It Suits
If you run any pace from a brisk marathon effort down to a relaxed 6-hour finish, you have company here.
The social side is a real part of how this club operates, with happy hours, bowling, and race trips on top of the runs, so if you just want to run and disappear, that culture may feel like more than you want. Trail runners get some outings, but most of the running is on paved lake and river paths.
Free race emails
Get the Weekly RunSesh
Found your people? Now find the races. A Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of what's coming up near Minneapolis, so your crew always has a start line on the calendar.
Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
What a Run With Them Is Like
Most weekday runs meet at 6:00 PM near Lake Harriet and Excelsior Boulevard, with Friday being the exception at 6:00 AM. Weekend runs go at 8:00 AM in spring, fall, and winter, and shift to 7:30 AM in summer.
The terrain is mostly paved multi-use paths around the Minneapolis lakes and along the Mississippi, with trail runs mixed in at Lebanon Hills and Hyland Park Reserve. After weekend runs, the group heads out for coffee and breakfast together.
PaceWide range of paces; members include marathoners from approximately 2:40 finish times to 6-hour finish times, plus runners of many race types
TerrainPaved multi-use paths around Minneapolis chain of lakes, Mississippi River road paths, Urban streets and paths throughout Twin Cities, Trail runs at Lebanon Hills and Hyland Park Reserve
Post-runVery social; club invites runners for coffee and breakfast after weekend runs and organizes social events including happy hours, bowling, and race trips
Your First Run
Show up to the Lake Harriet area and Excelsior Boulevard meeting spot at the right time for that day, and check their Heylo app beforehand to confirm details and do your check-in. The pace range runs from sub-3-hour marathoners to 6-hour finishers, so there will be people running your speed, whatever that is.
Turning up solo is normal here, and the post-run coffee after weekend runs is a low-pressure way to actually meet people rather than just wave and drive home. Membership is required, so sort out the $40 annual fee before your first run.
Something to train for
Upcoming Races in Minneapolis
5 upcoming races in Minneapolis. Having one on the calendar is the easiest way to turn a few group runs into a habit.
Sat, Sep 12, 2026Tove’s Light Memorial Walk Minneapolis, MNFrom $25Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ Loopet Loppet Minneapolis, MNFrom $79Details Sun, Nov 22, 20262026 Jingle Bell Run - Minnesota Minneapolis, MNFrom $35Details
See all Minneapolis races
Common Questions About NorthStar Running
Do I have to pay before I try a run?
Yes, NorthStar requires membership. Standard membership is $40 per year, or $60 if you want to add a coaching option.
Do they run every day?
Six days a week, every day except Thursday.
What time do they meet on Fridays?
Friday is the outlier, 6:00 AM instead of the usual 6:00 PM weekday time. Double-check on Heylo before you set your alarm.
Does the weekend start time change throughout the year?
Yes. Weekend runs are at 8:00 AM in spring, fall, and winter, and move up to 7:30 AM in summer.
What app do they use, and do I need it?
They coordinate through Heylo for check-ins and event listings. Getting it set up before your first run will save you guesswork on the day.
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.