Birmingham is a city that runs with its whole heart. Anyone who’s ever taken part in the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run will back us up: you can feel the love all the way from start to finish.
So it’s hardly a surprise that it’s also a great city to find a running club – particularly if you’re looking for a group that’s welcoming, inclusive and has kindness and friendship at its core. In fact, you’ll be spoilt for choice!
If you’re looking for a running club in Birmingham to meet some other Brummie Runners? Read on for our top picks…
RunBrumCrew
RunBrumCrew describes itself as a ‘community’ rather than a running group, and wants to help you discover your city in a new way. Founded by a marathon-mad England Athletics-licensed run leader, RunBrumCrew is supportive, friendly and free. “We look out for each other, hang back when necessary and make sure everyone makes it back to the Crew Social!” says the blurb. Did somebody say ‘social’? Sign us up!
Find out more: https://www.instagram.com/runbrumcrew/?hl=en
RunTalkRun
RunTalkRun groups promote better mental health through running. The idea is that the routes are gentle, the atmosphere non-competitive and everyone is welcome to talk – if they want to, of course. RunTalkRun sessions take place all over the country, but there’s a weekly 5k in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter and lots of other runs across the West Mids. Sessions are free, but you’ll need to set up a Heylo account to book on.
Find out more: https://www.runtalkrun.com/run-talk-run-locations
Birmingham Swifts
Birmingham Swifts is the city’s free, friendly LGBT+ running group (although you can choose to ‘upgrade’ your membership to include technical running sessions with a small annual fee). It’s open to everyone, and new runners are particularly welcome. The club runs Starting Out sessions to get you ‘up and running’, plus regular social runs in the city centre and Cannon Hill Park. And, of course, they’re a colourful presence at Birmingham Pride!
Find out more: https://birminghamswifts.co.uk/
Run of a Kind
We can’t talk about running with heart and not mention Run of a Kind: a running club meets social enterprise. Founder Lucy (@lucy.runs.the.world) organises running tours with a difference around Birmingham – think street art, cool history, seasonal specials etc – alongside a charitable mission to buy decent trainers for children living in temporary accommodation in Birmingham so they can run safely, be active and have fun.
Find out more: https://www.runofakindbirmingham.com/
Kings Heath Running Club
You know we love inclusive running here at Great Run, and Kings Heath is about as inclusive – and encouraging – as running clubs get. They organise their regular runs through the Run Together site and they offer a 21 day free trial so you can see if they’re a good fit before forking out the annual fee. Their testimonials from runners are heartwarming: “I’m always going to be a beginner and I’m more than happy with that because I’m treated the same as an ultra-runner, with dignity, integrity, respect, and friendship,” says one.
Find out more: https://www.kingsheathrunningclub.org.uk/
And if you neeed something to aim for? Sign up for the Great Birmingham Run and experience the carnival atmosphere for yourself. Find out more here.
