BY OTTO RABE for WEEKLY VOLCANO 5/16/25
With the weather around the South Sound beginning to improve, there’s no better time than now to find a new running or walking group to get outdoors with—and the greater Tacoma area offers a wide selection to choose from.
Varying in skill level and focus, but all aiming to provide an outlet for community members looking to get active, these groups offer everything from fun runs to scenic hikes and everything in between. The local fitness community truly has something for everyone.
Groups like Tacoma Run Club, founded in 2018 by Ejay O’Donnell and his brother-in-law, are encouraging community members to hit the pavement and connect with one another, all while improving their physical and mental health.
“We know our health is number one. In life and careers, we tend to put our health at the bottom of all the things that are important, and we needed to move that to the front. The mission statement here is we’re all busy, we’re all trying to do the best we can, but the one thing we cannot forget about is our health,” O’Donnell said in an interview before Tacoma Run Club’s Easter morning run.
O’Donnell emphasizes inclusivity and views Tacoma Run Club as a space where anyone—regardless of skillset or fitness level—can show up, make a friend, and avoid the pressure often associated with exercising in public.
“We’re trying to make this a very low-barrier entry to running, because running is scary for a lot of people. They think you have to run fast, you have to run far, and we’re like, ‘No, no, this is literally a pick your pace, pick your miles.’ The only thing that I require is you come with a good attitude and bring some positive energy to the group because that’s all we’re looking for,” O’Donnell said.
Tacoma Run Club meets every Sunday at Anthem Coffee’s Point Ruston location, where it has partnered with owner Bryan Reynolds since 2019. Members begin arriving between 7 and 7:30 a.m., with the run starting shortly after. The group—averaging around 35 per weekend—meets back at Anthem for coffee and conversation between 8 and 8:30 a.m.
If you’re busy on Sundays, mornings aren’t your thing, or you’re looking for a group more focused on walking, consider Tacoma Unlikely Walkers and Hikers, a MeetUp.com group that hosts weekly outings throughout Pierce County.
The group’s organizer, Catherine Walters, spent 20 years as a hike leader with The Mountaineers and has worked to build Tacoma Unlikely Walkers and Hikers as an inclusive community that welcomes all body types and ability levels. The group prioritizes comfort, safety, and accessibility for new and experienced members alike.
“Our mission is: to provide supportive and welcoming opportunities for walkers and hikers who, for one reason or another, don’t feel comfortable with some walking/hiking groups,” Tacoma Unlikely Walkers and Hikers writes on their MeetUp.com page.
Other options throughout the area include Fleet Feet’s Tacoma Running Group, which meets at 6 p.m. on Mondays at their Tacoma location, and their walking counterpart, Fleet Feet Bonney Lake Walking Group, which meets the same day and time at Post & Pour in Bonney Lake’s Tehaleh community.
Participants in Fleet Feet’s fun runs are rewarded with a coffee punch card they can redeem at either Olympia Coffee or Peaks and Pints after completing 10 runs.
Those seeking a more competitive or fast-paced experience can look to Tacoma Runners, a local group founded in 2010 that offers a weekly 5K on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. in Point Defiance Park. The 5K is described as a “little competition between friends,” according to their website, tacoma-runners.com.
They also host a weekly social run on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. that rotates among local businesses and parks in the Tacoma area.
For more information on these groups, visit their websites or social media pages.
