The best run clubs in Catalan-speaking territories

There was a time when running was mostly solitary. Headphones in, route loaded, done. Now, across Europe and beyond, run clubs are changing that rhythm completely. Early mornings before work, crowded city loops at sunset, coffee stops after long runs — the best clubs have become part training ground, part social circle. Some are fast, some are chaotic, some barely care about pace at all. What they share is the feeling that people keep coming back for. Nafent looks at the run clubs shaping today’s running culture in Catalonia and beyond.

Cri Cri Run Club

At Cri Cri, everything is built around two very clear pillars. First of all, the social aspect, but secondly, performance is also taken into account. At Cri Cri, these two pillars live together and naturally complement each other within the same community.

The Performance pillar is for those who see sport as a priority. That’s what organiser Cristina Garcia says. “People who ‘play at being elite athletes’ in the best sense of the word: they train with structure, chase clear goals, and are willing to reorganise their daily lives to train better. Here, performance, consistency, and continuous improvement are central to the experience.”

She continues: “The Social pillar, on the other hand, brings together athletes who want to integrate sport into their routine in a shared and accessible way. People who don’t stop living to train, but train without stopping living. Sport becomes an excuse to move, disconnect, and socialise, without the pressure of pace or results.”

“The balance comes from the fact that both profiles share the same space, values, and community. They are not two separate worlds, but two different ways of living sport under the same umbrella. Very often, over time, people move from one pillar to the other depending on their stage in life.”

Barcelona has truly embraced Cri Cri, which has become one of the most popular run clubs in the city. According to Garcia, the initiative is already dreaming of becoming something much bigger than just a run club. “I’d like Cri Cri to establish itself as a 360 sports LAB, a hybrid space where social experience and performance coexist around sport. The idea is for it to be a home for runners, both for those who approach sport from a social angle and for those who are looking for performance, covering the needs of both profiles without one excluding the other.”

“I want Cri Cri to be a living space where each person can develop their day-to-day sports activity: train, learn, share, rest, and connect. In short, a middle ground between a community and a traditional club, an all-in-one that evolves with the people who form it and with the city itself.”

These dreams weren’t in Garcia’s mind from the very beginning. “The way Cri Cri developed wasn’t something I was consciously looking for. I started meeting up to run with friends and, little by little, more people joined in, very naturally. Apparently, a few years ago in the city, there was a lack of a space that wasn’t focused only on performance or level, but on sharing sport in a more human way. I think that’s where run clubs generally come from: as a new concept that brings together running, experience, and community, without labels or barriers.”

Barcelona is key to its success, says Garcia. “It’s a city that invites you to move, to train outdoors, and to share sport. We’re in an area with very easy access to the Carretera de les Aigües and Collserola, which from the very beginning of Cri Cri have become our ‘school playground’: the place where we train, talk, and build community, day by day.”

Andorra’s leading run club: TrailANDfun

When Gerard Martínez noticed that a “new type of runner” was emerging, he decided to take action. TrailANDfun is what he created, responding to the needs of runners who predominantly run on their own.

For Martínez, 45, runners are increasingly looking to enjoy the process, learn, share, and feel part of a diverse community, rather than simply training to compete. That need for an open, social and accessible space became clear to him even before launching TrailANDfun.

Martínez explains: “I could see activity, motivation and desire, but there was zero structure and no real sense of belonging. With such a wide mix of cultures, newcomers and locals in Andorra, what was missing was a shared space.”

“First of all, we are a non-profit social club. We were born with the idea of creating community, not selling anything. More than just running, we aim to create an inclusive space where each person can progress safely and enjoy the environment. Our main focus is to empower athletes through progressive training, shared fun and respect for the mountains.”

The club has been growing in an authentic way. In a country known for frequent travellers and an international community, all spending time in a mountainous environment, the shared experience in nature is what keeps sportsmen and women coming back to Martínez’s events.

More recently, he has been backed by local businesses such as Gir Café and El Pastor, among others, proving both the demand for a run club in Andorra and the appreciation from the sporting community. Martínez, born in Badalona but having spent most of his life in Camprodon, started mountain running as a hobby and a way to feel free, but his run club is becoming a real phenomenon.

“Moving to Andorra was a life change, mainly for work, but also an opportunity to keep feeding my passion for sport and the mountains,” he says. “The mountains of Andorra demand respect, and that can make taking the first step harder. That’s where our initiative comes from: a non-profit group created to share, include and give confidence to those who want to start. What motivates us most are not results or economic growth, but the messages from new members telling us they have found a place where they feel part of something.”

Running through Valencia with speakers and music out loud: Frolik

There is no formal training structure, no set goal or pace, but there is a huge group pretending the open streets of Valencia are a discotheque. Frolik is an exceptional run club.

It is an impressive sight when Frolik goes out, with over a hundred participants crossing the city backed by a party vibe and loud music coming from speakers. The man behind this Valencian initiative is Dario Franco.

Franco is originally from Buenos Aires, where he was part of several run clubs, in Buenos Aires itself, as well as in San Francisco and Mexico City. When he arrived in Valencia, he immediately realised that the park built along the old riverbed is perfect for running. After spending a few months observing the different groups and the number of runners in the area, the Argentinian noticed that “there were a lot of teams and athletes running, but no run clubs focused on having fun and being social.”

“That was the main reason Frolik was born,” he says. “The social element of the club is the main driver. In Frolik, we are not trainers and we don’t do training. It is purely about connecting and creating a community.”

That will change in the near future with the launch of Frolik Athletics. Franco explains: “This is the next step: to start a club with proper training, inviting our community to approach the sport in a more serious way.”

The organisers have interpreted ‘social’ and ‘community’ in a way that makes the entire city take notice. When Frolik enters the park, there is no way you can miss them or their energy. There is no other run club like it; the closest comparison would be a discotheque on running shoes. If you like music, dancing and running, Frolik is your run club.

Nafent Social Club: Running, cycling and much more

The Nafent Social Club is one of the most consistent communities organising social runs and social rides in Girona. They don’t stick to the borders of the city, though: Nafent Social Club is also active far beyond, throughout Catalonia, including the Costa Brava and Banyoles.

Running is not only a fantastic sport to practise in Girona itself. The Banyoles area, with its lake and endless unpaved trails, is also exceptional for those who enjoy running. “In this part of Catalonia, we have a wide range of options to organise our community events,” say organisers Judit Muñoz and Monica Cozar.

The two share the workload of running the social club. “We try to organise events on a weekly basis, for instance through our Wednesday routine runs in Girona,” says Cozar. Muñoz adds: “We also usually organise a weekend event once every two weeks, together with brands and businesses in and outside Girona.”

The Christmas event together with Can Pericus was, according to Muñoz, an excellent example. “We ran around the lake in Banyoles and did some specific exercises, before having an extended lunch at Can Pericus and a quina. Another part of the group went for a group gravel ride. It was a fantastic experience, also from an organisational point of view, combining two sports.”

Cozar adds: “The response from people is beautiful. Seeing new faces alongside a strong core group at our events motivates us to keep organising them, whether they’re in town or on the Costa Brava. We also try to add an extra element to our outings, whether that’s something as simple as a coffee before the event or a larger brunch or lunch afterwards. That, together with organising different activities and sports disciplines, is what I believe sets us apart from other existing clubs.”

Yachties Run Wild: Mallorca’s women-only run club

For large group outings and a weekly running experience, Yachties Run Wild is the run club to check out when in Palma de Mallorca.

Based in the Illes Balears, Yachties Run Wild is a women-only run club and fitness community. Events take place every Wednesday, mainly when the weather allows and the island is busier, such as in spring, summer and autumn. The club has been inactive during the winter months.

Joining “The Yachties” is all about making new friends and sharing a few giggles, as they explain on their social media pages. These channels are important to follow for the weekly meeting times on Wednesdays, as departure times can vary between 6 pm and 7 pm. All abilities are welcome, according to the organisers, and both first-time and frequent visitors to the island can join.

Weekly events usually include a warm-up, followed by a five-kilometre run through quieter and more accessible parts of the city, where Mallorquí is spoken. Yachties Run Wild then continues with a cool-down, ending with coffee, drinks and chats. Some of the more dedicated runners can be spotted wearing the club’s own apparel, which is eye-catching and stands out in the city. It will be exciting to see Yachties Run Wild come alive again in 2026.