Only two years since launching, you’ll find the Cooldown run club in more than a dozen cities across the U.S., creating a welcoming space for walkers and runners to connect.

(Feature photo courtesy of Cooldown Running)

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What does it take to develop a national running brand from the ground up?

Bailey Ness, founder of Cooldown Running, has been piloting this very journey over the past couple of years. What started as a Denver run club with friends has quickly grown into a large running community with an Instagram following of nearly 60,000.

A former collegiate runner, Ness holds degrees in fashion marketing and design and merchandising. She says she chose to ditch the challenging post-COVID career search to start her own social media marketing company. Cooldown was soon to follow.

Partnering with friend and co-founder Daniel Belk, the two launched Cooldown Running as a social run club and workout apparel brand in the fall of 2022. The run club quickly expanded into other cities, driven by both a burgeoning interest in running and a founder with a wealth of social media marketing expertise.

Described as a “social club disguised as a running/walking club,” the group positions itself as inclusive of all and promotes building connections and making new friends.

In fact, at a time when run clubs have taken center stage as the new dating app, Cooldown is among those leading the pack. Ness says they occasionally plan singles events that are posted in advance on Instagram.

“Is Cooldown actually better than Hinge?”

The answer to that question, posted in the FAQ on Cooldown’s Instagram account, is that more than 100 couples have met through the run club with a few weddings in the works.

Walkers and runners — single, taken, or otherwise — meet weekly in cities across the country to exercise together, grab a drink afterward, and socialize. Below, Ness and Belk share more insights into the founding of Cooldown, their mission with the run club, and details on the brand’s apparel line.

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What inspired Cooldown Running, and how did the run club get started?

Bailey Ness: My Co-founder Daniel and I both ran collegiately and agreed that it wasn’t races won or time goals met that we looked back on with the most love — it was the ‘cooldowns’ after races and workouts we did with amazing teammates that formed unforgettable bonds and memories.

Cooldown was born on the idea that running should be a fun activity that is done surrounded by a strong community. It started in Denver, Colorado, in September of 2022, with just a few close friends and a couple of laps around Sloan Lake. We never could have anticipated what it would grow to be.

The mission of Cooldown is to bring awesome people together in an awesome setting — to unite the world through running. We bring lots of energy, but honestly, our members are the ones who make sure this mission is embraced.

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When did you realize Cooldown Running was growing into something big, and how do you add new cities?

Daniel Belk: I think the biggest ‘aha’ for me was when we cracked 200 people at Cooldown Denver. Now, that’s almost a small group for us, but it really proved that we had broken past our small circle of friends and started compiling a community of Denver runners from smaller social circles throughout the city.

[In Denver, we] realized that there was clearly a gap in the run community. We figured that Denver couldn’t be the only city experiencing this. We find new city leaders by seeking out positive and welcoming people. A lot of people message us asking to start Cooldown in their city as well.

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For runners who travel to a city where Cooldown hosts a run club, can they attend?

Daniel Belk: Absolutely! We love welcoming visitors and think our vibe is universal — everyone is welcome no matter who they are or where they are! All you need to know beforehand is that you’re bound to meet someone who could be your new best friend, so don’t be shy.

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Find Cooldown’s run clubs in:

Atlanta
Austin
Chicago
Colorado Springs
Dallas
Denver
Los Angeles
Minneapolis
Nashville
New York
San Diego
Seattle
Tampa

Follow @cooldownrunning on Instagram for weekly meetup details.

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What inspired Cooldown Running’s apparel line?

Bailey Ness: I’ve been running since I was just a kid, but I never found running clothes that really fit right while actually looking cute. I love fashion and wanted to create a clothing line that truly combined style and function. We are super excited to launch a men’s line in August and keep expanding our sold-out women’s lines!

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How do you see Cooldown Running playing a role in today’s run club culture?

Bailey Ness: Run club culture represents more than just running. It embodies a supportive community where individuals come together to motivate each other through their shared love for the sport, no matter their speed.

Cooldown really pushes the aspect that every member should feel welcome and valued, regardless of their background or ability. It’s more about camaraderie than competition, but everyone seems to get better because of it.

In an ideal world, every city would have a Cooldown, but we’ll start with a few more in the U.S. International Cooldown might have to be our next goal.

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Looking for more run clubs to join?

Learn about Club Seattle Runners Division from Seattle running coach Miran McCash

Check out Chicago’s Nameless Track Club, launched by running podcast co-host Karen Lesiewicz

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