Seven Boozy Run Clubs for Fans of Fitness and Drinking

Next time you’re trying to get off the couch to burn some calories, try reaching for a beer — or get yourself nice and hung over to motivate a trip to the gym. The doctors agree; according to a national survey, drinking is associated with a 10 percent increase in “exercising vigorously.” Maybe that's why so many bar-sponsored fitness clubs have popped up around the city. Denver Beer Co. run club attendee Kristina Byrd says it best: “If you want to have a life of drinking, you'd better put in some work to stay in shape.”

What Pub on Pearl runner Craig Jacko calls “shame” is another solid motivation. When feeling foggy from the night before, it’s time to sweat out the “moral hangover.”

Whatever your incentive, you'll have more fun working off the alcohol at boozy meet-ups where you can break a sweat and treat yourself to a beer (or cocktail, at some places) afterward. Here are seven of our favorite run clubs.

1. The Pub on Pearl
1101 South Pearl Street
303-777-6768

When: Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
How long: 5K 
The perks: Two-for-one Bud Light
Cost: Free

It’s no surprise that the weekend crowds toting volleyball nets and 3.2 beers to Wash Park are also attracted to this mid-week run. It seems that this crew has a special bond with a hangover-cure workout, as well as being motivated by booze. “Running is my go-to when I’m hung over,” weekly attendee Madeline Dunn admits. “I’ve almost fallen off a treadmill before, for sure.” Luckily, her boyfriend, Luke Duncan, a master’s student in bioengineering at the University of Colorado Denver, attends weekly to keep her upright — and to stay in shape. “There are a lot of studies out there saying that fit people drink more than non-fit people,” he says. While frat tanks may come in large numbers on the hot days here, more polished neighborhood stalwarts partake in the two-for-one Bud Light special, too.

2. Wahoo’s Fish Taco
225 East 20th Avenue
303-292-0850

When: Tuesdays at 6:15 p.m.
How long: 3 or 5 miles
The perks: Free #1 combo and happy-hour pricing all night
Cost: Free

A more intimate group, this club sees anywhere between twenty and forty runners a week, while the rest of the list sees upwards of fifty people for each session. The Wahoo’s group meets at 6:15 p.m. for a run around City Park, and afterward they push enough tables together to all have dinner together. Best of all, Wahoo’s provides a free #1 Combo — one taco or enchilada with rice and beans — for everyone. “It’s definitely a social club with a running component,” run-club organizer Greg Hawke says. “And we’re all margarita drinkers.” The group keeps a relaxed pace, and most all enjoy a dollar-off margarita deal for the family-style dinner.

3. Denver Beer Co.
1695 Platte St.
303-433-2739

When: Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
How long: 5K
The perks: Free pasta and salad buffet
Cost: Free

Close to the downtown area, this run is rampant with business-savvy, outdoorsy young professionals. As with most clubs, members say they come for the social aspect. Dee Henry, who moved to Denver just four months ago, came to meet people with similar passions: running and beer. She's just looking to make new friends — but that’s not the case for everyone. Meeting your match at a run club is not a far-off dream. A couple got engaged during a weekly run this year, paying homage to where they met, according to long-time bartender Patrick Woodruff. Denver’s mobile Italian bistro Brava Pizza provides a free pasta and salad buffet afterward, where couples can savor noodles Lady and the Tramp-style.

4. Highland Tap and Burger
2219 West 32nd Ave.
720-287-4493

When: Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m.
How long: 5K or 10K
The perks: Free chef's-choice dinner provided by HTB
Cost: Free

This blizzard-or-shine meet-up stops for no one. It's the only free club with 5K and 10K options, so runners can pick their pleasure. The 10K group is generally full of those training for some impressive marathon or another. "It could almost be a race pace,” says organizer Jenni Nettik. For this seriously dedicated squad, host Highland Tap and Burger also delivers. “[Run clubs] aren’t usually known for good food, but free food,” Nettik says. This group, on the other hand, gets to sample new menu items on occasion, with a varying (usually vegetarian) menu including favorites like nachos and a hearty quinoa salad.

Keep reading for more boozy run clubs...


5. The Irish Snug
1201 East Colfax Avenue
303-839-1394

When: Thursdays at 6:15 p.m.
How long: 5K
The perks: Complimentary pasta, salad and garlic bread
Cost: Free

It’s not difficult to find a club member clad in a “100-runs” T-shirt, awarded to those who have hit the centennial mark for the Snug Run Club meet-ups. Pub co-owner Frank McLaughlin launched the club nearly ten years ago, and has been bringing jogging gear to work every Thursday ever since. Thomas Bui and his wife, Merry Porter, have been attending the run around Cheesman Park since the beginning, too. Their daughters, ages eight and ten, are also weekly attendees. Leslie Monheit, on the other hand, joined four years ago for the “cool, eclectic crew of people,” a mix of families, dogs and Cap Hill millennials. Bui comes for the pasta and the Guinness.

Tip: Before you go, register on the run club's website.

6. bRUNch Running
For specific dates and times, check the schedule on the club's website.

When: Every other Sunday at 9 a.m. from April to October
How long: 5K or 10K
The perks: Discounted brunch and beverages
Cost: $25

While $25 may sound steep (especially on this list), it will score you an entree from some of Denver’s finest eateries, like Linger or Lou’s Food Bar, plus two adult (or virgin, if you must) beverages. Started by two Colorado race-runners, Cortney Logan and Alexandra Weissner, this would be a solid choice for a new runner, too. “We usually have one leader up front, one in the middle, and one bringing up the rear,” Logan says. With a 5K and a 10K option, Logan describes the run as relaxed. Basically, you just need to show up at the restaurant at 9 a.m., and everything is taken care of from there. There will be a sectioned area where runners can leave bags and gear, and when you’re finished, a group menu — usually with five popular entrees and including at least one vegetarian and one gluten-free option — awaits. If you’re looking for an excuse to drop the cash, $1 of your ticket price will go to nonprofit partner Metro Caring. The restaurants generally cap attendance at fifty, so get your tickets while supplies last.
7. Trails, Tails & Ales
For specific dates and times, join the club's Facebook group.

When: Every Saturday (sort of)
How long: Varied
The perks: It’s better than trail running alone
Cost: Free

“We’re just a group of dirtbags that like dogs, beer and mountains,” says co-founder Mike Hurd. This heady group meets near a trailhead around 9 a.m. and runs anywhere from five to twenty miles — usually with dogs in tow — and then spends the rest of their day at a brewery; ideally Golden City Brewery or Denver Beer Co. The club is somewhat elusive, so the best way to get the week’s details is to join the Trails, Tails & Ales Denver Facebook Group and send Hurd (he’s an admin) a private message asking to be added to the e-mail list. Take note: This group keeps a race pace, and they’re always ready to hit the trail. “We run in zero degrees and snowing, crazy rain, mud, heat,” says Hurd. “We don’t cancel unless there’s lightning; then we go to a bar instead.”