State running club guide
Massachusetts has 12 running clubs spread across 2 citys, and about half are free and most welcome beginners. Start with the city closest to you, then narrow by the night you can actually make.
Compare clubs
Each profile includes the practical details runners need: when to go, where to meet, what pace to expect, and whether the club is a good first group run.
Boston, Massachusetts
1.5 Run Club is a casual South Boston running group that meets Saturday mornings at Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar. The group offers multiple distance options (1 mile, 1.5 miles, 5K, and 10K) for all paces and welcomes beginners. Runs are followed by brunch and drinks at Loco.
Boston, Massachusetts
Almost Friday Run Club is a free, beginner-friendly Thursday morning run group based at Curley Community Center in South Boston. The club covers 3 miles at an easy, conversational pace with walk breaks and welcomes runners of all levels.
Boston, Massachusetts
Black Men Run Boston is the Boston chapter of the national Black Men Run organization, meeting Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. for 1, 3, or 5 mile run, walk, or bike outings starting from Peabody Square in Dorchester or Nubian Square in Roxbury. Open to all ability levels with an emphasis on brotherhood, unity, and health.
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston Fun Run organizes weekly Wednesday evening Run & Chug events that start and finish at rotating bars throughout Boston and Cambridge. Members run together and reconvene at the bar for post-run drinks and socializing.
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston Road Runners is a nonprofit community running club based in Back Bay that hosts weekly group runs on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. The club welcomes runners of all backgrounds and fitness levels and organizes multiple local races annually.
Somerville, Massachusetts
Davis Square Runners is a judgment-free, social running club based in Somerville with Tuesday evening road runs from Seven Hills Park in multiple pace groups (3-4 miles and 5-6 miles) and weekend trail runs on Sundays. The club emphasizes community and inclusivity with a no-drop policy and post-run social gatherings.
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.
Boston, Massachusetts
Midnight Runners Boston is a social run crew offering free Tuesday evening 10K bootcamp runs and Sunday long runs, typically meeting in downtown Boston with music and exercise stops. Runs feature mixed pace groups and post-run socializing at nearby venues.
Boston, Massachusetts
PIONEERS Run Crew is a Black and Brown-led running community in Dorchester, Boston, founded in 2017 to normalize running in the Black community and create inclusive, BIPOC-centered running spaces. The crew meets every Wednesday at 6:30 pm for free group runs offering 1, 3, and 5 mile distance options with all paces welcome.
Somerville, Massachusetts
Remnant Run Club meets every Wednesday at Remnant Brewing in Bow Market for group runs followed by beer at the brewery. The club offers multiple distance and pace options, emphasizing a social, inclusive atmosphere over competitive training.
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville Road Runners is a charitable non-profit running club based in Somerville, Massachusetts, offering seven different weekly group runs across multiple locations with pace groups ranging from sub-7:00 to 12+ minutes per mile. The club welcomes runners of all abilities and hosts free weekly runs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, and paid track workouts on Tuesday, along with organized races throughout the year.
Boston, Massachusetts
TrailblazHers Run Co. is a Boston-based, all-women running group that hosts weekly Monday run and walk meetups. The group creates radically inclusive, supportive spaces for women, particularly Black, Indigenous, and women of color.
Something to train for
260 upcoming races across Massachusetts. A club gives you the training; a date on the calendar gives you the reason to keep turning up.
Massachusetts clubs run on 6 days of the week, and Tuesday is the busiest with 5 clubs out. If your week only frees up on one day, that rules out more clubs than pace or distance ever will, so it is the first thing to check.
7 of the 12 Massachusetts run clubs are free. The rest usually ask for modest annual dues rather than charging per run, and most will let you come along once before you decide anything.
11 clubs run on roads and sidewalks, 7 clubs run on park paths and 1 club run on trails. If you want to get off road, 1 of them run trails.
Yes. 4 of the 12 clubs here say explicitly that walkers are welcome, and 11 are set up for new runners. Worrying about holding the group up is the single most common thing new members mention, and it is usually the first thing that goes away.
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.
