Brick City Run Club
Brick City Run Club is more than a running group—it’s a movement built from Newark’s resilient spirit, personal transformation, and the belief that community shapes people as much as measured miles do. Founded by two friends, Lee and Gerald, in the heart of Newark, New Jersey, this club began with Sunday morning runs through city streets, chalking “Brick City Run Club” on sidewalks to mark the start of something new.
It was Lee’s health journey that sparked the club’s origin. Once weighing almost 400 pounds, Lee’s doctor delivered a grave warning—change had to happen. After over 100 pounds lost, Lee knew his next step included movement, but running alone felt intimidating. When he confided in neighbor and marathoner Gerald, the pair discovered a shared mission: to make running accessible and joyful for everyone in their Newark neighborhood.
Newark, affectionately called “Brick City” for its tough, brick-faced buildings and history of overcoming challenge, provided both the name and the ethos for the new club. In those first weeks, the group was small—just neighbors and friends taking 2-mile jaunts downtown, laughing, chatting, and building something brick by brick. There was no gear requirement and no pressure; all that mattered was moving forward together, each at their own pace.
Then, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world. Like many community groups, Brick City Run Club paused its regular outings, but the vision crystallized: more than ever, people needed health, hope, and connection. As the city locked down, Lee and Gerald found creative new ways to support both their runners and local businesses, buying food from Newark bakeries and restaurants for post-run refueling.
The club’s weekly event, #BrickCity30, was born from these times. Instead of prescribed distances, runners and walkers gathered in a parking lot, set a thirty-minute timer, and chose their own adventure—some ran a 5K, others strolled with their dogs, all celebrating movement in a judgment-free space. This inclusive approach drew in newcomers who never thought of themselves as runners before.
Core to Brick City Run Club is the notion that “movement is for all.” From its earliest days, the club has welcomed participants regardless of fitness level with open arms—a philosophy that has fueled its steady growth. The only requirement? Show up and support one another, no matter how fast or far.
The club’s reach quickly extended beyond running. By supporting local businesses and prioritizing mutual uplift, the group embodied its motto: “Better You, Better Community.” Runs often finish with breakfast from a local spot, nurturing both the bodies and the economic life of Newark residents.
Social connection has always been as important as exercise. Regular runners forge friendships and motivate each other not only on the track, but through life’s challenges, showing that community care and personal progress are inseparable in Brick City.
Today, Brick City Run Club operates as a nonprofit dedicated to empowerment—through movement, through belonging, and through small, consistent steps toward betterment. Its Instagram account, flooded with photos and encouragement, is a living gallery of Newark’s unity and the everyday joy of running together.
The club also stands as a beacon of equity and access in a city where fitness spaces are not always inclusive. There are no costly hurdles, no expectations beyond honest participation—just a community eager to “build new habits, one brick at a time.”
As Newark’s neighborhoods continue to evolve, Brick City Run Club proves that fitness doesn’t have to be solitary or exclusive. It can be powerful, shared, and deeply connected to the local identity — as solid and enduring as the bricks that gave Brick City its name.
Three simple tenets define the club: movement for all, bettering community, and progress, brick by brick. Each run, each supportive word, each sidewalk chalk scrawl is a promise kept between the city and its people: together, step by step, they are building something that lasts.
