A HEALTHIER JAX AND A HEALTHIER YOU

Words by Briana Pereira

Never in my life have I ever wanted to be a runner girlie more than I have in the past year. Active clubs both globally and throughout Jacksonville have been on the rise. Run clubs, pickleball groups and more have been popping up all over our city, providing outlets for fitness and friendship. If improving your health is something you’ve wanted to focus on this year, it’s never too late to get involved in a local active group, here are two local clubs in Jax that you can check out.

Neptune Run Crew is the club that got me hooked on discovering fitness clubs. I actually originally found out about NRC from a TikTok of a pair running the New York City marathon together and talking about how they lived in Neptune Beach. I was instantly intrigued and had to know more. I found out that they were two of the founders of NRC Andrew Mogg and Keri Clarke. The club was founded in December 2022 by three individuals who wanted to create an environment for runners who believe in people over pace.

According to the group’s mission: “Running is the foundation of our group, but community is our focus.” They strive to build a community that fosters friendship and supports the community of Jacksonville by partnering with local businesses and local creatives. They meet regularly two days a week: Friday mornings for a 5K leaving from Lemon Bar in Neptune Beach at 6:45 a.m. and ending with coffee and kombucha and Wednesdays for their twomile “happy hour run” then meet for drinks after. The times and location are released on their Instagram, as well as time for their occasional Saturday “loooooong” run.

Jax Fray is another group that strives to build friendships and encourage play around Jacksonville. They host a variety of events including sport leagues and special events. Their club is 21 and up, but it’s the perfect opportunity for Jacksonville folks to stay active and make friends in their community, no matter what age. Jax Fray has a league for everyone, including sports that some would consider to be more niche like bocce, skeeball, darts and ax throwing, Currently they are hosting community events on certain Fridays throughout the Jumbo Shrimp season, as they hope to improve the sense of community throughout their leagues. Based on the league you choose to join, practice times and frequency varies, but the friendships made continue year round.

As a busy adult it can seem hard to find ways to balance maintaining a social life and squeezing in time to stay active. Joining groups like these help foster an environment that encourages healthy living and being surrounded by like-minded people. There is something so rewarding knowing there are ways to really “do it all” while enjoying the little things in life. If I can leave you with anything, it is not to be scared to step out of your comfort zone, if there’s something you’ve been wanting to try, go for it. It can seem intimidating knowing you may not be as strong or fast as others, but groups like these make it easy to feel included and encouraged no matter what level you’re at. This goes beyond just active clubs, but for anything in life. You got this!