Some of San Antonio’s small businesses are hitting their stride because of a rise in run clubs.
Once ranked the second fattest city in the U.S., San Antonio is experiencing a fitness renaissance, with run clubs leading the charge. These clubs, which are typically free to join and are usually started by grassroots organizers, offer different running routes across the city.
Over the past five years or so, the city has gone from hosting a handful of run clubs to more than three dozen, with some run clubs drawing as many as 600 runners.
These running groups are not only fostering a renewed culture of fitness but are also invigorating local businesses and reshaping the city’s social landscape. Some run clubs are even focusing on supporting specific local small businesses, such as the Coffee Run Club and Brew Crew Helotes.
“We definitely get a boost in business when we host the run clubs,” said Elsewhere Garden Bar and Kitchen owner Terrin Fuhrmann. With some local clubs hosting as many as 300 to 400 runners per weekly session, bars, kitchens and stores that act as partners can see as many as 100 to 200 extra sales when playing host, several local business owners who spoke with the San Antonio Report estimated.
San Antonio’s experience mirrors a broader national trend. According to Strava’s 2024 Year in Sport Trend Report, there was a 59% increase in global participation in running clubs last year, with group runs involving 10 or more participants rising by 18%.
The report also highlights that 58% of participants made new friends through fitness groups, with nearly 1 in 5 Gen Z individuals, defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, saying they went on a date with someone they met through a club.
The shift indicates a growing preference for social connections through fitness rather than traditional nightlife.
“Your guard just lets down when you’re about to do a run, as opposed to being at a formal mixer where you’re suited and booted,” said Brian Perez, an avid local runner who is part of several run clubs. “It makes it easier to get to learn more about someone and that connection, meeting on a common ground, it just leads to better relations.”
The rise of Dreamers
When Shawn Barnett, Brittany Leigh Ulep, Jenna Cordaway and Jessica Eskandr met each other through St. Mary’s law school, the three fast friends never expected they would become co-founders of one of San Antonio’s largest running clubs.
Nor did the trio expect their Monday night runs to explode from 50 participants at the first meet-up to more than 300 in just weeks — but that’s exactly what happened.
Dreamers was launched at the end of last June and has already become a recognized name for many San Antonians. Barnett credits the club’s explosive growth to there being a thirst among young professionals in San Antonio to connect outside of formal events like mixers and networking events.
“Our average age for Dreamers is 28, 29,” Barnett said. “People our age are looking to grow their network. That’s the age you’re at a point in your career you are trying to get promoted or do the next big thing, and that is a big reason our group has taken off and continues to be successful.”
The name Dreamers comes from the club’s connection to the Running Down a Dream 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which was started by Barnett in 2022 to help coach and mentor kids interested in running.
That group was named by Barnett as a tribute to his father, a Tom Petty fan with whom he shared countless runs growing up, often to the soundtrack of “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” When Barnett, Ulep and Eskandr started Dreamers, they wanted the club to be easily connected back to the nonprofit, Eskandr said.
Their first run started at Elsewhere Garden Bar and Kitchen, an outdoor bar located off of Jones Avenue that is situated along the River Walk, close to The Pearl.
The club meets and ends in front of different San Antonio locations every Monday night, helping attendees discover more “hidden gems” across the city, noted Ulep.
“Almost weekly now we’re having businesses reach out,” Barnett said. One story that sticks out to him is a winery in Helotes that recently changed its name from Helotes Creek Winery to Dawson’s Creek Winery, he noted. The rebrand has been tough for the business, but Dreamers was able to help it bring some more awareness through a partnered run. Barnett said he has dozens of similar stories.
On average, the club now sees about 300 to 400 attendees on Monday nights at 7 p.m., and about 100 participants on Friday mornings at 6 a.m. It is planning to host its first paid event this July, with 5k or 10k options, and with proceeds going to several local nonprofits, Barnett said.
Small but mighty
As a bartender at Down on Grayson, Aaron Rutkowsky, 40, enjoys running with several of his coworkers and friends on Wednesday mornings at roughly 10 a.m. as a part of the Clubhouse Run Club.
The group, which currently ranges from five to 10 members weekly, meets at Roosevelt Park by the basketball court, where they sometimes warm up with a pickup game.
While their club is on the smaller side, Rutkowsky and the five other members he ran with this past Wednesday said they look forward to their weekly runs together. Several of the runners said they like to chat while they move, while others said they enjoy the company but like to listen to music on their headphones or earbuds while jogging. Their route goes down St. Mary’s Street along the river and down César E. Chávez Boulevard.
“Are you going to listen to Taylor Swift?” joked Matt Ibarra, 27, to his friend Tristan Flores while slipping on his wireless headphones. Ibarra said he enjoys listening to EDM music while running since it helps keep him amped up.
“I prefer to listen to sad music, actually,” Flores quipped back with a laugh. “That way you can’t tell if it’s my tears or just sweat.” The two took off toward the park’s main road as they laughed.
Following behind them, Marisa Rodriguez, 27, said the club keeps her accountable to her fitness journey, and that she looks forward to the social aspects of the club.
The group typically finishes their morning run by visiting Rosas Kitchen, a local pink coffee truck that also sells breakfast tacos.
“They know we’re regulars and definitely have come to expect us now on Wednesdays,” Rutkowsky said. “We don’t really mix it up, but we do occasionally try new places as well.”
Passing the torch
Bo Brockman, founder of the Downtown Run Group, says he’s the old guy now regarding the popular running club’s makeup. Considered by many to be one of San Antonio’s first true run clubs, Brockman said he’s since passed the buck to a younger face — Santino Corrales, 34.
“We’ve done something good here, and I want [the group] to outlive me,” Brockman said. “I want this to be about the people who are embracing running and changing their lives and living better.”
Corrales started running with the club when he was just 20, not long out of high school and looking to stay running. The former middle school and high school cross country athlete said before the club, he’d typically run about 4 to 6 miles at most. His first run out of the gate with the club was 10 miles, and he quickly found himself addicted to the runner’s high.
“I’ve done two marathons since then,” Corrales said, noting that includes the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon in San Antonio. He added he plans to participate in San Antonio’s first independent marathon later this year. “Just seeing all the other stories and journeys with the running group has been fantastic.”
The Downtown Run Group has since swelled to an average of 300 to 400 runners on Tuesday nights, when they run from the Pearl across different routes all over town, and about 100 to 200 on Saturday mornings, which was the club’s original running day.
After a hiccup last year that included the city temporarily halting one of their most popular routes through Brackeridge Park, the club has divided their Tuesday night runners into three start times — 6:30, 6:45 and 7:00 p.m. to have more controllably sized groups — as their numbers continue to grow.
“Everything’s good and has been worked out with the city,” he said. “We’ve even had some city officials come on runs with us.”
Over the years, the group has become enough of a San Antonio staple that businesses often reach out to do partnerships, both Brockman and Corrales said. From a coffee shop near the Pearl, to different races held around town, to new energy drink sellers, the club has worked with dozens of local businesses over the years, Brockman said, a tradition it still follows today, Corrales said.
“We’ve partnered with so many different bars or restaurants,” Corrales said. “We usually do a big team dinner at the end of each year after the marathon as well.”
Positive trends
Several years ago, local property manager John Albright recalled being overweight and not very active. While he’d run in high school in the late 80s, Albright had taken a long break from his fitness journey. That all changed about three years ago, when he decided to get back into running, he said.
“Out of the blue, I just decided I wanted to try to run a 5K — partly because I wanted to get back in shape,” he said. “I just started running with run groups in January and they are a lot of fun and also very motivational.”
Albright said he has since lost about 100 pounds and said he runs an average of 12 to 15 miles a week, typically running about three or four days out of the week.
As a frequenter of about four local run clubs, including the Wolfpack and Coffee Run Club, Albright added he loves how welcoming each club is, and how they all have different aspects that make them perfect for different people, whether they’re just starting out running or are more serious runners.
Historically, San Antonio faced significant health challenges — often landing near the top of national rankings for obesity, diabetes and sedentary lifestyles.
Decades of limited access to healthy food options, sprawling car-dependent neighborhoods, and a lack of emphasis on preventative care contributed to a culture where physical inactivity was the norm.
Public health officials and community leaders have long grappled with how to turn the tide, launching numerous initiatives aimed at promoting healthier habits and increasing access to fitness opportunities.
The city’s current ranking of the 13th fattest city in the nation reflects a notable improvement from its previous position.
