Running in a group is one of the easiest ways to meet people in Madrid: a set time, running side by side and, often, a coffee or some tapas afterwards. According to Diario Qué! (2025), running in Madrid has gone from a solo sport to a shared activity, with the Retiro, Madrid Río and the Casa de Campo as meeting points. We only list groups with activity confirmed in 2025 or 2026.
The clubs at a glance
| Club | Meeting point | Roughly when | For whom | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volta Run Club | Casa de Campo and Retiro | Sat morning, Wed afternoon or evening | All paces, in English | Free |
| Retiro Running | Retiro, Puerta de la Independencia | Tue and Thu evening, Sun 10 am | Running or walking at your own pace | Open runs; optional membership 4.99 € a month (2026) |
| Lactic Acid Junkies | The Toast Taproom, Malasaña | Tue 8 pm, Sat 11 am | All levels, locals and people from abroad | Not stated |
| Osom Running Club | Jardín Botánico | Sat 9 am | 10 to 12 km in two pace groups | Free, with sign-up |
| CUPRA Running Tribe | Calle de Serrano 88 | Dates vary; check its website | All levels | Not stated, with sign-up |
| GMadrid Running | Retiro | Tue and Thu 8 pm | Section of an LGBTIQ+ club; "anyone" is welcome | Joining fee 95 € for the 26/27 season, plus the club fee |
| Pomona Club | Calle de Serrano 100 | Wed afternoon or evening, Sat 10 am | Running without pressure, in two groups | 15 € or 25 € with brunch (2026) |
| The Ginger Club | Retiro | Mon 7:30 pm, one Saturday a month | Women only, with female coaches | 40 to 110 € a month (2026) |
"Not stated" means we found nothing about cost, not that the run costs money.
The run clubs one by one
Volta Run Club (Casa de Campo and Retiro)
A free community that runs to music and in groups for all paces, usually 5 to 10 km, and describes itself as one of the few English-speaking running communities in the city. Its website announces the Saturday morning runs at the Cerro de la Torrecilla in the Casa de Campo, currently at 8 am; during the week they meet on Wednesday afternoons or evenings in the Retiro. Times change, so check the notice in its WhatsApp community. What matters, they say, is the breakfast afterwards. voltarunclub.es
Retiro Running (Retiro)
A group that has been running and walking together since 2021, with everyone going at their own pace. They start from the Puerta de la Independencia: 10 km on Tuesdays, 7 km on Thursdays, 5 km on Sundays, and there's always a walking group as well. On weekdays they start at 7 pm in winter, at 7:30 pm in spring and autumn and at 8 pm in summer; on Sundays, at 10 am. According to its FAQ, the sessions are for everyone. Membership costs 4.99 € a month and gives you access to trips, members' activities and the WhatsApp group. You can try it free for two weeks without providing card details; if you're only visiting, you can support them with a one-off payment from 1 €. Spanish and English are spoken at every run, and afterwards they usually stay for a drink; on Sundays, for breakfast or a coffee. retirorunning.com
Lactic Acid Junkies (Malasaña and Parque del Oeste)
A group that has been running since 2012 and is open to everyone, whether they're local or from abroad, and whether or not they speak English. The Night Run leaves on Tuesdays at 8 pm from The Toast Taproom, at Calle de San Vicente Ferrer 33 in Malasaña: 6 to 9 km at a conversational pace, or faster, in several groups. The Brunch Fun Run meets on Saturdays at 11 am at the same place for a run in the Parque del Oeste: 6 to 7 km for all paces, and it usually ends with something to drink and eat. Meetup shows no fee. Lactic Acid Junkies on Meetup
Osom Running Club (Jardín Botánico)
The club of the Osom café chain. On Saturdays you meet at 8:45 am at the Osom Coffee Atelier on Calle de Santa Teresa, and at 9 am the run starts from the entrance of the Jardín Botánico on Plaza de Murillo: 10 to 12 km, in one group at about 5:20 per kilometre and another at about 6:00. It's free, with sign-up on its website. Afterwards there's brunch at the Osom Cantine on Calle de Moratín. somososom.com
CUPRA Running Tribe (Salamanca district)
The car brand CUPRA organises runs from its City Garage at Calle de Serrano 88: guided routes of 6 or 8 km with pacers setting the pace, and music. CUPRA presented it in 2025 as a monthly format; in 2026 there were, for example, runs in January, May, June and October, on varying dates. You have to sign up on the website, and no price is given. cupra.com, City Garage Madrid
GMadrid Running (Retiro)
The running section of GMadrid Sports, which presents itself as one of the largest LGBTIQ+ sports, arts and cultural clubs in Spain. The section describes itself as a group that stands up for the visibility of the LGTBIQ+ community in sport in Madrid, and says: "Anyone, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, is welcome at the club". They train on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 9 pm in the Retiro, for all levels. In the 26/27 season, joining as a new member costs 95 € including a T-shirt, and renewal 65 €; on top of that, the club fee is 30 € a year, or 31.09 € with the handling fee. To start, you write to the section's email address shown on its website. gmadridsports.com
Pomona Club (Salamanca district)
A sport and wellbeing club at Calle de Serrano 100 that organises group runs booked through Fever. On Wednesday afternoons or evenings there's Running Social, a run without pressure that costs 15 €; afterwards you can have something at its juice and smoothie bar. On Saturdays from 10 to 11:45 am there's Running + Brunch, with one group for a more challenging run and another for a gentler one, for 25 € with brunch (2026). Wednesday Running Social, Saturday Running + Brunch
The Ginger Club (Retiro)
A running community for women only that charges a fee, with female coaches who work on technique, intervals and changes of pace. They meet on Mondays at 7:30 pm in the Retiro and on one Saturday a month at different places in Madrid. It costs 40 to 110 € a month; places are limited and there's a waiting list. thegingerclub.es
How to find your club
- Pace: If you'd rather go slowly or walk, start with Retiro Running. If you want something faster, Osom's 5:20 per kilometre group or the Lactic Acid Junkies Night Run.
- Time: On Saturday mornings you have Volta, Osom and Pomona; after work, Retiro Running, Lactic Acid Junkies, GMadrid Running, Pomona and The Ginger Club.
- Language: Volta is an English-speaking community. At Retiro Running Spanish and English are spoken, and Lactic Acid Junkies is open to anyone, English speaker or not.
- Group: The Ginger Club is for women only and charges a fee. GMadrid Running is the running section of an LGBTIQ+ club and says anyone is welcome.
- Signing up: Osom, CUPRA and Pomona ask you to sign up or book; for the others, check the notice for each run.
After the run
Simple questions work: "Do you often do this route?", "How long have you been coming?", "Are you training for a race?" If the club has a WhatsApp group, check the announcements of its activities there. And if you got on well with someone, suggest running together next week.
For people who lead a run club
If you lead a run club like these, you know the moment after the coffee when everyone heads off without swapping numbers. before is a web app for organisers. Before the start you show the QR code on your phone; runners check in with it in their browser, without installing an app, and anyone who likes takes a selfie. The day after, the afterparty is open from 10 am to 8 pm. Anyone who shared a selfie sees everyone else who shared one there and can press the button for meeting again for up to five people. At 8 pm everyone finds out at the same time who wants to see each other again, and only then does a chat open. One-sided wishes stay invisible, and nobody receives a rejection. Nobody needs a profile. More on the page before for organisers.