Photo by Ed Daniel / SOC Images.
It’s a cool Friday night in August and dozens of runners gather at Run Cafe in Jersey City’s Berry Lane Park. This gathering is the final 5K run that concludes Grind Society’s summer run program. The members are socializing an hour before the run begins—an indicator of the comradery the organization has created.
The run club’s programming has been successful in attracting new members of all ages, levels and experience and also retaining long time members. That Friday night, individuals got to see how much they have improved over this two-month period.
Humans have been running since being able to stand on two feet. This is a universal practice, which used to be for survival, but is now mainly for recreation. This innate human activity is bringing people close together and Grind Society is unifying people through it.
Grind Society in Jersey City has been a free prominent run club within the community for over four years. It has close to 500 members and meets regularly three times a week at different locations including Healy’s Tavern on Tuesday Nights at 7 p.m., the track at Lincoln Park at 7 p.m. on Wednesday Evenings and Berry Lane Park on Sunday mornings.
The club organizer, Jessica Joseph, believes what makes the club special is its consistency.
“We are building discipline in a community and it’s not just about running once. We run throughout the year.”
According to club member Renee Lladoc, the consistency has made her a better runner, “It has kept me disciplined to show up every week and follow through. They became a great source of motivation and encouragement.”
Lladoc joined the run club in April of 2026 as a beginner runner and is now signed up for multiple races in the fall.
Experienced runner Mathew Uloa, who has been running for five years, told Slice of Culture that the group runs provide him motivation.
“Run club makes me feel energized, I feel like I’m part of a team and a family. Before I used to run solo but coming to Grind Society as a whole I enjoy running much more,” he said.
Run clubs are a current social fitness trend that has gained popularity, especially in cities like Jersey City In a time where the obesity rate of the American population is nearly 40% percent due to factors like stress of making ends meet and older millennials reaching middle age, run clubs have become a way to meet fitness goals. It can be argued that this generation of millennials are combating their midlife crisis with investment into fitness instead of prior generations buying in sports cars; the former is healthier and a bit more economical, albeit more strenuous.
“The first word that comes to mind is encouraging,” added Lladoc. “They have always made me feel welcome and always applaud everything I put into each run…. I’m very proud to be a part of this run club and return the kindness they have shown me.”
Grind Society also has a partnership with Run Cafe and Grind Coffee JC. These spaces are where people are able to socialize and get to know each other.
At the end of the night, when the last person crossed, people cheered in encouragement just as loud as the first person who finished the run. The endorphins are running, legs aching, sweat cascading and you still see faces smiling and mouths moving. You see a group of people from different walks of life, and fitness levels commune over this sport they all love.
“So many people in the neighborhood get to know each other so you get connected to something bigger than running,” Joseph added.
You can get updates or contact Grind Society on their Instagram or Facebook.
