In this edition of Get To Know Your Running Clubs we spoke with the North End Runners based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Want to learn more about the North End Runners? Read on!

Tell us a bit about your club history, how long has the club been around?

Riley founded the crew in 2013 after moving to Halifax from Toronto (she used to run with TO crews and missed running with likeminded runners). After checking out a local running club and finding out they weren't really what she was expecting she decided to start her own. North Brewing became the perfect meeting spot. They make amazing beer, and they're a zero emissions brewery - so they have a social conscious and they're community minded like we are. We have 6 directors, lots of local affiliates, countless run friends and we're a Nike crew. We're about 30 - 40 peeps strong every week (and sometimes we run two and three times a week when we rip Thursday 'Timberwolves' trail all year and Friday #TUF - Throw Up Friday - workouts throughout the summer).

Tell us a bit about your members! What level of runners do you cater to?

In some ways we're the black sheep of Halifax - the anti-run-club run club. We're a young, diverse group who have wildly different running goals - it's that diversity that makes us a crew, not a club. Because the one thing that brings us back week after week is loving the feeling we get from having a blast as a group on a run - whether we're pushing each other, prepping for a race or just coming out to socialize. It's a feeling you can really kill with too much organization. Like if it's a 'club', you might feel obligated to go, or you have to pay dues, or worse, there might be rules. We're not about that, we're about getting together for the sake of the awesomeness of running together. We're incredibly inclusive and supportive, community is who we are, running is just what we happen to do. We'd hate the idea of elevating some runners to elite levels within the group just because of ability - that's not healthy competition, that just creates inner circles and cliques. We want everyone to participate and cheer each other on. We're family, and when we say that, we mean it. Check out our FAQ - we basically tell people, look, if you're only all about your latest PB, stay home, we're not for you. That said, we like to run hard, post-race-party hard, celebrate each other and love every minute. It's all about the camaraderie - so there's nothing to stop you from showing up to blow up, all we have writ in stone is a meeting time and a place.

Where/when does your club usually meet/run?

Wednesdays @ 6pm sharp from North Brewing
Random Thursday #nertimberwolves runs in the woods
Fridays @ 6pm sharp May through August hill and interval workouts on the Halifax common (north corner by the Armoury)

Halifax is a pretty small city - you could run the Penninsula tip to tip in 10K or less. We run the whole city, but we're also really locally-focused on the north end. Our hood is key - Halifax is a small city with distinct neighbourhoods, and we couldn't be prouder to rep the north end's badass spirit.

Are your group runs mostly casual or more structured workouts?

Mix of casual runs and structured workouts.

Any cost to be a member/join?

Free!

Is your group affiliated with any events?

The #SmashedDash! It's our yearly bit of guerilla racing and drinking mashup insanity. Basically it's a pub race. We may have invented it. Teams of three have to run 6k(ish), stopping at three pubs along the way, and drink one beer each at each of the stops (three beers each total). You don't have to arrive at each of the pub stops at the same time, but you do have to depart each one as a team - which means you're only as fast as your slowest drinker. People win on chugging ability alone. Last year the guy's team that won completed 6.5K and three beers each in 29 minutes 5 seconds.Last year's event is here > http://www.northendrunners.com/smasheddash2017

Any cool routes/ favourite areas to run in your city that you would like to recommend to other runners? 

Stomping Citadel is just enough of a serious hill to make you feel like a boss - plus, earn those city vistas at the top! And of course, Point Pleasant Park for dat ocean view.

Do you have any favorite local races? Outside of anything that you’re affiliated with of course :)

We hesitate to talk about it because it's still kind of a best-kept-secret, but the Cabot Trail Relay race is the best running event on earth in one of Canada's most beautiful places - the Cape Breton Highlands. We send a team every year if we can.

Anything else that we should know?

We've got some sick swag > http://www.northendrunners.com/shop/

Want to learn more?

Want to connect with North End Runners, or just learn a bit more about them? Check out their information below:

Facebook | Website | Instagram | Twitter

Looking for runs around Halifax?

You can find a full list of runs and races happening around Halifax at www.runguides.com/halifax/runs