Tired of using dating apps? Try lacing up your trainers instead, as social media users are giving the term speed dating an entirely new meaning.
A current online trend has people joining running clubs, but not just for the thrill of getting your heart rate up.
The cardio-centric community groups have gained popularity in recent years, where participants tend to run anywhere between five to ten kilometers per meeting. Oftentimes, there is a debrief afterwards, where runners may get coffee together and chat. Aside from the obvious health benefits, running club participants claim that the social aspect is a great way to find romance.
@dosandd Are run clubs the best kept secret for single people to find their summer fling or new partner? They are the new dating app! #runclub #hotboysummer #running #hotgirlsummer #summerfling #summerlove #singlelife #singles #fitcouple ♬ Summer – Calvin Harris
Many users are proudly boasting about picking up the hobby to hang out with an attractive, younger crowd in athleisure.
Some find the concept silly and think that the purpose of running clubs is simply just to run.
Whatever your motivation is, throughout Toronto, there are at least 55 run clubs (and many of them are free!) that take place on various days and times within the week, according to RunGuides. This Toronto TikToker who created a series on trying different clubs in the city shared dating was one of her reasons for joining.
Now Toronto reached out to Parkdale Roadrunners for comment. Though they could not verify whether this phenomenon is actually happening in real life, they confirmed one sure thing: “We’re just here to run.”
