Thousands of singles in New York City are flocking to run clubs to meet their soulmate, but some say they are just as rife with drama as the dating apps they wanted to escape.On a sweaty Wednesday afternoon in New York City’s Washington Square Park, a sea of slicked back buns and black Lululemon workout sets performed a mating ritual. At this singles run club, about 1,000 New Yorkers search every week for an antidote to the ills of Tinder and Hinge.
Lunge has taken advantage of a city hungry for in-real-life encounters by creating a running group specifically oriented toward dating. It’s a three-mile run that ends at a bar in the West Village. The turnout is often so big that Lunge has to plan for a spillover bar next door. “At the happy hour afterwards, I remember I talked to every single person that was there,” she said. “I missed a week, and when I went back, there were over 100 people there.”
“I’ve heard through the grapevine that some people wear the wrong colors even if they’re in a relationship,” said model Sylvia Wadolowski, 23, who was walking alongside her. “You kind of have to do your own investigation.”