Here’s the free Sunday social group connecting fitness & fashion
Image: Conor Diggins
Here’s the free Sunday social group connecting fitness & fashion
Words: Ellen Kenny
Fun Guys Run Club offers an alternative weekend activity that supports your physical and mental health.
During Covid restrictions and closures, we all had to find new ways to socialise and stay sane. Some found it in Zoom pub quizzes, some found it in takeaway pints. And some found it in Sunday runs with Fun Guys Run Club.
Fun Guys Run Club is a social running club that meets on Sunday mornings in the Phoenix Park for easy-paced running followed by coffee and chats. The group aims to bring together people of all ages and genders for healthy, easy-going fun.
The running club recently launched their t-shirt collaboration with Danish running brand SAYSKY and Irish designer David Pakenham to combine fashion and fitness.
Founding Fun Guy Michael O’Connor spoke to District all about exercise, mental health and cool sneakers.
How did the Run Club start?
Michael: During lockdown, a group of us started going for hikes and runs when social options were limited. That led to us to organising an unofficial half marathon to raise money for Suicide or Survive, a charity close to our hearts.
After the buzz of doing that event, we wanted to keep things going so settled on a weekly social run.
What makes the Run Club stand out against other running clubs?
Michael: Our club is totally free. We are open to all ages and genders. Some of us train for marathons and others don’t take it seriously at all. The club brings together a diverse mix of people in a non-competitive setting.
I’d like to think there’s a good sense of community and connection.
Who is the running club open to?
Michael: It’s open to everyone!
What makes you guys Fun?
Michael: That’s a good question – I mean I think we probably enjoy the conversations, the coffee, the pastries, talking about running clothing/shoes or enjoying the post-race beer as much as the actual running! I guess the run is just the vehicle to enjoy all of the other things.
How are you connecting running and fashion?
Michael: We are really interested in the fashion, branding and culture surrounding running. We actually share a weekly post on Instagram of what we’re enjoying in that space.
The combination of functionality, fashion and movement feels really meaningful when compared to fashion for fashion’s sake, and it seems things are moving in that direction if you look at the likes of Brown Thomas recently stocking expensive niche running brands like Satisfy and Soar
What’s your favorite running shoe?
Michael: This is an impossible question to answer! Running nerds tend to select different shoes for different types of runs – easy, threshold, speed, long, trail, etc. But I’ll keep things simple – personally, if I had to pick one shoe I’d use for everything, I’d pick Saucony Endorphin Speed 2’s.
The Fun Guys Run Club meet every Sunday at 10:00 in Phoenix Park. You can find their t-shirts here and follow them on Instagram for updates here.
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