The Jesmond-based Hii Run Club recently celebrated its first anniversary with a five-kilometre run from their newly-opened wellness centre in Gosforth to Newcastle City Centre bar Frate. 

About 100 people showed up for the run on November 28th, despite the frigid weather conditions. Confetti and light sticks were handed out to runners in the spirit of the occasion.

The club, a running group open to the public, holds weekly runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays in Newcastle of varying lengths that are completely free of charge to join.  

The HiiRun Club was founded in Jesmond by Josh Rose, an entrepreneur who has also founded and cofounded several other businesses – one of which is a healthy condiment brand called “Dr. Will’s”. 

JesmondLocal joined the HiiRun Club on one of their Tuesday runs. 

“Hii initially started as a run club, we launched the brand to start a community,” said Rose. Following the surge in popularity of the run club, Rose and his team obtained planning permission for a building in Gosforth for the gym in late July. Just a month later in August, the gym was opened for business.

“I’ve pretty much been obsessed with fitness my whole life,” said Rose. “I wanted to do something fitness-led.” 

Now a movement that has become much larger than Newcastle, Hii also holds concurrent weekly runs in Durham and Leeds alongside its Newcastle runs, with friends of the brand orchestrating the runs across the different locations.

With the help of his friends, Rose’s emphasis on inclusivity with the run club and message of positivity has resonated with many runners – including those JesmondLocal spoke to.

“It’s only my second time here,” said Jak Johnson, who recently became a regular attendee of the club’s Tuesday runs. “It’s quite quick because you keep talking to people, but it’s fun.” 

The ease of access and low barrier to entry are motivators for potential participants. However, Rose said the social aspect of a running group is also just as important as a motivating factor. 

Off the back of the success of the run club, Hii is also working with well-established athleticwear companies like Nike, Puma and Saucony. 

“During the summer months, some runs can attract maybe 150 runners,” said James O’Donovan, a friend of Rose, and an occasional participant in the runs. 

The gym also has an app that allows users to purchase memberships for the gym and other facilities. Though access to these facilities comes at a price, business is good and is only growing. 

Rose told JesmondLocal the weekly free-to-join runs will continue for the foreseeable future.