The 10 Most Expat-Friendly Dutch Running Clubs
Categories: Fun,Latest News,News from the Netherlands
Despite its reputation as a sports-loving nation, the Netherlands is facing a white-collar health crisis. Due to its skilled talent pool and service-based economy, the rise of desk jobs has made Dutch workers less physically active than ever before.
More than a quarter of workers now spend at least eight-and-a-half hours of a workday sitting down. The National Working Conditions Survey, meanwhile, suggests the national average is little better. Besides the four-and-a-half hours spent sitting at work, workers also spend another hour sitting while commuting. And beyond the commute, over three hours of leisure time are spent on seats, too.
Further research by TNO says this has major impacts on the nation’s health and economy. Sedentary lifestyles contribute to conditions including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. The analysts believe this costs the Dutch around €1.2 billion every year. The standout claim from that study: due to this, it could be riskier to be a lawyer than a lorry driver.
As an expat, the chances are you came here to take advantage of the very opportunities that make these risks a factor to you, too. So, what can you do to get yourself back on the right path?
Exercise can lower your risk of early death by up to 30%. Experts believe adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes of physical activity across a week. For most people, the easiest way to get moving is to make activity part of everyday life. And in the Netherlands, there has been an explosive growth in the popularity of running.
Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, the Netherlands embraced running as an alternative to the gym. This has led to huge popularity for the nation’s top marathons. In 2024, for example, sold all 45,000 tickets in record time. Such was the demand that ticket fraud to gain access allegedly occurred.
Of course, you might not be ready to run a marathon. You might never want to. But running can still provide a fun, informal way to get fit and meet people! So, we at Expat Republic have put together a list of the 10 best running clubs in the Netherlands to get you started. Wherever you are in the country, whether you are a beginner, an intermediate, or a marathon-monster, there’s a Dutch running club for you!
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Running Clubs Across the Netherlands
Amsterdam
Founded in 2010, what began as a small gathering has grown into an established running community. The Running Junkies ‘crew’ is diverse and international, with no single working background or set of interests. What united them first was running, but what keeps them together is ‘the vibes’. According to the group’s website, as well as running, members travel, eat and drink together in Amsterdam, or further afield.
To get started, attending a social run on Tuesday or Thursday is your best bet. Meaning ‘no one is left behind’. Attendees still need to be fit enough to run at least 1 hour nonstop, but the group splits into pace groups.
A more casual Dutch running club is Amsterdam Coffee Run. Established in 2023, every runner is welcome at the twice-weekly gatherings in the capital. Aiming to build “a community through movement”, the “unpretentious, welcoming space” has seen its runners cover more than 100 routes in the last three years.
Setting out on Thursdays at 18:30 from the Stadhouderskade ASICS Shop, and various times on Saturdays, sessions culminate at a different café each weekend. Details about the route and the café are posted on its Instagram every week. As well as supplying much-needed fuel, this gives internationals a chance to get to know their city, bit by bit!
Den Haag
Hague Road Runners (HRR)
The Hague Road Runners club is one of the largest Dutch running clubs in the Hague area and, therefore, the entire Netherlands. The club caters for all levels of experience from beginners to serious competitors, with groups which train for all distances up to and including marathons. Apart from the weekly training sessions, the club organizes training weekends, group trips to runs in Holland and abroad and of course, social events.
With over 600 members, the club’s website is clear that “even if you do not speak Dutch well (yet), you are very welcome”. While training courses are conducted in Dutch in principle, the trainers will repeat important information in English wherever necessary. This means expats are included and can also work on our Dutch listening while we get fit! And if you would like to try before you buy, the club offers a free trial month of running. After this, the basic membership fee is €171 per calendar year.
Leiden
The Leiden Run Club is a free-to-join social running group that aims to connect runners, help them have fun, and get to know each other. Ideal for the freshly arrived expat, the group meets every Sunday morning at Morspoort, 10:30. As you might guess, post-run social coffee usually follows.
The club looks to maintain an “easy pace” of 6:20 minutes per km. But it also supports those who aren’t quite there yet. Offering introductions to recreational running, 071 Leiden Run Club supports new members with a 0-6km course. The six-week program advises people who are considering joining but not yet ready on how to steadily build stamina.
Rotterdam
This unique community-driven group meets every Tuesday at 19:00. Aiming to create an inclusive space, the crew maintains a social pace of 6:30 minutes per km, over a 5 km route.
Better yet, the social running crew bills itself as the only one of its kind in Rotterdam, both being oriented to expats, and taking place free of charge! Signing up is quick and easy via the Strava app.
Providing a safe space for women to exercise and make friends, Girls Run Club Rotterdam hosts weekly running sessions across the city. Again, the runs are followed by coffee, with the women-only club offering expats the chance to make contacts and learn about their city through their hobby.
With over 1,500 members in the Netherlands, requests to join this running club are open via Strava.
Eindhoven
Founded in 2009, Eindhoven Atletiek is one of the Netherlands’ largest athletics clubs. An inclusive club for everyone from young to old, whether recreational or competitive, the organisation helps people exercise, perform, and have fun together. The organisation offers training and activities for young people, recreational athletes, competitive athletes, para-athletes, and walkers.
Offering structured running sessions for every level of competence, Eindhoven Atletiek does have a more formal membership model. Recreationalists will need to contribute €51.50 to the Dutch running club each quarter, with other discretionary rates available on the group’s website.
Utrecht
As another traditional athletics club, Hellas Utrecht offers various membership levels for different interests. That includes a recreational running group, which frequents Altetiekbaan Maarschalerweerd.
Quarterly contributions to the club for road athletics, including recreational running, range from €52.50. For new members, there are two fixed introductory sessions each month. These are divided along the lines of how fast you can run 10k. There is also a maximum of three training sessions available during an initial three-week trial period – after which, you can decide whether or not to become a member.
Nijmegen
024 Waalrunners meet for Dutch as a running club for distances between 5km and 10km. Everyone is welcome to join, with runners meeting at 20:00 on Tuesdays outside Cafe De Hemel. There are different routes every time, helping expats become acquainted with their home. Meanwhile, the group welcomes all new people to join them for a drink at De Hemel.
The group is joinable via WhatsApp.
Zeeland
Zeeland’s coastal beauty offers a wide array of sights to take in while participating in this Dutch running club. From windswept paths to scenic sea views, expats looking for a chance to get more nature in their lives would do well to check it out.
The Zeeuwse Run Club is a social running club in Zeeland, the Netherlands. Free to join, everyone is welcome, regardless of their level. Information on weekly runs is available on Strava or Instagram.