your weekly nyc fitness and wellness guide: may 11 - 17
A major Hyrox activation, a niche sports comp worth watching, many fun runs, plus where to spectate for the RBC Brooklyn half.
Spring is officially here and alongside these warmer temps come a mad amount of fitness events this week. We’ve compiled a tasting of what we think will be worth your time.
This week: Sober morning raves, free Pilates, a sumo competition, an unsanctioned relay race from Canada to NYC, and where to post up if you’re cheering on friends at the Brooklyn Half. Here’s what’s going on:
on the radar: this week’s fitness and wellness events
Tuesday May 12: The Yard Gym—Move Different Padel (Williamsburg), 6:30PM $40
Padel, which originated in Mexico, is picking up some major steam as the racket sport to watch (or try) in the U.S. Think a combo of pickleball and squash, but more dynamic, a bit sweatier, and a lot cooler we dare say. The Yard Gym is hosting a class this week—all gear and coaching included in the price.
Wednesday May 13: The PartyPlace Cookie Run (NoHo), 630PM, free
Three mile fun run with cookies at the finish line cohosted by Almost Friday Run Club and Slow Girl Run Club (love the name, can relate). All paces welcome. No bag check, so pack light.
Thursday May 14: The Athletic Clubs Community Class (LES), 530PM, $10 refundable ticket if you actually show up
If you pay attention to the NYC fitness scene, it’s hard not to hear about The Athletic Clubs, a social fitness concept where you workout regularly with the same group of people—which they call your squad. I know quite a few people involved, and it seems like a great way to make friends. Classic strength and conditioning style workout with free weights, ski erg, etc. Also they request attendees wear all-black attire which feels a little tired, but sure it photographs well. If this fills up, there’s also one on Tuesday.
Friday May 15: Daybreaker Let’s Be Friends Morning Rave (Midtown), 6AM - 9AM $69
If your ideal Friday involves dancing on a rooftop before most people check their email, Daybreaker is a series of sober raves that start at a wild 6 AM. This one is at One Times Square rooftop (where the ball drops on NYE), which has been closed to the public for 50 years until now. Usually they host yoga before everyone heads to the dance floor, but the yoga portion is sold out for this event.
Friday May 15: Tracksmith x Reckless Run Club Brooklyn Half Shakeout Run (Williamsburg), 8AM, free with registration
Running the Brooklyn half on Saturday? Join Reckless Run Club for a three-mile shakeout starting from the Tracksmith Trackhouse in Williamsburg. Coffee and electrolytes provided after!
Saturday May 16: Free Peace x Awake NY Meditation Club (LES), 9AM, free with registration
If you’ve ever struggled to meditate, this free practice hosted at Awake NY’s storefront feels accessible and intriguing, as it blends music with mindfulness and breathwork. It’s led by Kenji Summers, who has a series of events called Meditation for Black Men Who Do Too Much.
Saturday May 16: Bad Ball Club QTBIPOC Kickball Game (Crown Heights), 12PM, suggested donation
Queer and trans BIPOC friends: What better to do on a spring saturday than embrace your playful side and kick some balls, hosted The Softness School, a BK-based design studio. Joining as a player, coach, or cheerleader is encouraged.
Sunday May 17: Vuori x BodyRok Mat Pilates Class (Williamsburg), 9AM, free with registration
Y’all loved the free mat pilates class mention last week and we’re back with news of another one—hosted at Vuori (the athleisure brand known for making the softest clothing in existence) in Williamsburg. Bring a mat! Its close to selling out but if it does, you can join the waitlist.
Sunday May 17: Coffee and Chill (East Williamsburg), 1030AM - 1230PM, ticket required
Another sober morning party, but this one more focused on cold plunging, coffee, and wellness activations through brands: those big compression boots from Hyperice, B12 shots from Drip Hydration, and protein smoothies from OWYN. Feels like a media event I would attend as a journalist, but open to the public. Last time I went, the crowd skewed somewhat finance bro-esque, but this one is in Brooklyn, so it may be different.
Sunday May 17: HYROX x Stryde Social Powered by Lexus Fitness Event (Times Square), 930AM - 12PM, free
Hyrox—you know that fitness competition everyone has been posting about lately—is coming to NYC for two weekends at the end of May. This community event is bringing the buzz early. Join for a guided run, Hyrox-style workout, recovery sessions, or activations like wall ball or tug of war challenges. Should be pretty big and busy.
we think you should know…
A big part of our active lives happen outside (Maddie is a climber and Hannah’s a former backpacking guide), so we know that it can be really hard to find community around outdoor hobbies in New York. But while run clubs may still dominate the fitness scene, a growing number of outdoor-oriented social groups are carving out a much-needed niche for New Yorkers craving movement in the fresh air. Most of them work out the hard part for attendees (transportation) and some provide gear.
Of course we’ll include these events in our weekly calendar whenever we can, but many fill up quickly or require a bit more advance planning. Here are a few companies to have on your radar:
Usal Project makes hiking, birding walks, and community trail runs feel legitimately cool—and some of their in-the-city events are free. If you’re a last-minute planner, it looks like their Western Catskills Camping Trip (where they set you up a base camp complete with Snow Peak products), taking place this upcoming weekend, still has some slots left!
With branches in London, LA, Tokyo, and, of course, New York, Gorp Girls has built an outdoor community that feels both movement-focused and creative-minded. Their May calendar includes a Governor’s Island picnic and New Jersey hike.
The Crown Heights-based outdoors store, Outlandish, has become a strong local hub for hikes and trail runs. They’re also sponsored by Salomon, so when I joined last spring, I got to demo some boots on a hike in the Hudson Valley.
Outsiders may be one of the biggest companies focused on social connection through outdoor adventures, with at least six events filling out the rest of May alone. There’s everything from horseback riding to climbing to kayaking, so it may be a great option for diving into a new-to-you activity.
happenings around town
The RBC Brooklyn Half, which spans from near the Brooklyn Museum to Coney Island, is on Saturday. Registration is closed (the event sold out very quickly) but get out there and spectate: Start at Grand Army Plaza (around mile 1.5), which always has big crowds, then anywhere in Prospect Park will be fun. But runners may need more motivation along the loooong, quieter stretch on Ocean Parkway so pop down there next. There’s also a New Balance Cheer Zone at Mile 11 on Ocean Parkway and Avenue W, and an after-party at Maimonides Park if you wanna catch your folks after the finish line. Here’s a list of street closures and no parking zones.
A new yoga and pilates studio, Paloga, opened in Bed-Stuy a few weeks ago. Maddie hasn’t had a chance to check it out yet but a few of her colleagues (Nikita and Shane!) teach there and it looks promising, especially as the neighborhood doesn’t have a lot of independent studios and gyms.
This weekend, Southbound 400, a 400-mile relay from the Canadian border to NYC, returns with its annual race, offering a glimpse into one of endurance sports’ more interesting cultural phenomenons. Part of a growing wave of unsanctioned races, this grassroots event reject the hyper-commercialized, tightly regulated structure of major races like the NYC Marathon in favor of something rawer, more community-driven, and often far more adventurous. Ten self-supported teams will tackle the route, camping together between segments. Even if ultrarunning isn’t your thing, it’s worth follow along starting Thursday via Southbound 400’s Instagram, which will feature real-time coverage from some of New York’s most talented fitness photographers and videographers, including my pal Dave Hashim.
Hear me out: I know it’s random but New York’s only official sumo tournament—the Empire Cup—is coming to the city this week, and it’s free for spectators. I watched the video from last year and it looks like so much fun, and it’s hosted in part by a cool Brooklyn-based martial arts design collective, Half Sumo, that I’ve followed for yeaaars since I did Muay Thai. You can also check out culture and food offerings in Japan Village all day.
That’s all for this week. If you make it to any of these events, we want to hear about it—sound off in the comments. And if you come across something worth featuring, send it our way or drop it in the community chat! PR and brands, our inboxes are always open for news and events we need to know.
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See you next Monday.