Founded in early 2013 by a group of runners that had their own vision of a running crew, we rose to become an established part of the Berlin running community. At weekly runs and weekend events our international crew gathers in Berlin to chat, party, hang out and most importantly—to run and to train.
What was the idea behind founding a running crew, how and when did you come together?
It started with a group of friends that met regularly to train for their first half marathon and to enjoy post-run coffee and cake. As the group got bigger, it was time to organize ourselves in a more convenient way. So we created a group on Facebook and came up with a name for it. Run Pack Berlin was founded. Precisely on March 18th 2013.
Who are the founders?
Sven, Kathi, Flo, Henrik and Kai.
How did the name of your crew evolve?
The crew name Run Pack is inspired by the legendary Las Vegas Rat Pack. Pack describes us in a very good way.
Who designed the logo and what’s the meaning behind it?
Actually we have two logos. The easy recognisable “RP” and the infamous “Bärendogge” logo that should represent a bear which is Berlin’s heraldic animal. Somebody mistook it for a dog and the expression Bärendogge was born. Björn came up with both logos while Kai updated the RP logo.
Does your crew have a slogan?
Run with the Pack. Party with the Pack.
What do you think, makes Run Pack distinct from other running crews?
First of all, we are very international. You find more than 14 different nations in our crew. Second of all, we are a closed group, you can join by invitation only. But not for elitist reasons. It’s not about how cool someone is, but if we think that besides running, we’d like to drink, party, travel and hang out with him/her we really like to invite the new runner.
How many members are in your crew? How many members are attending your runs?
You never find more than
80 members in our Facebook group. We don’t want to lose the overview. It’s quite important that we everyone in the group. On a regular run, we’re running with 20 to 40 people in the streets of Berlin.
When are you running and where do you meet?
We meet every Tuesday at 8:00 pm for our 10k session, Thursday at 7:30 pm for a summer track session and Saturday for a long run.
Are you run different pace groups?
Our fastest pace group is 4:20, followed by 4:45, 5:10 and 5:30.
Which distances are you running?
On a regular Tuesday, we’re running more or less 10k while we’re trying to go for the longer distances on weekends.
Is there another crew in your city/country?
Berlin has a few crews on the streets. Only to mention a few crews: Berlin Braves, Kraft Runners, Midnight Runners Berlin, adidas Runners Berlin, Berlin Bagels and a few others.
What was the highlight in your running history so far?
Organizing “Remmi Demmi Berlin” during the Berlin marathon weekend and the Ultra Run Pack (subdivision) Zugspitz Ultra trail are two of many highlights. In June 2018 15 Run Pack members finished the Zugspitz Ultra Trail with a distance of 63km in 12 hours with the help and support of ON Running.
What are the top running events/races in your area?
Berlin Half and Full.
Is the crew involved in other activities besides running?
Yes, we go cycling and swimming. Especially during winter season we’re jumping into the pool and train our technique.
Does the crew get support by any brand?
Sometimes we work with brands on certain projects but we make sure it’s on our terms because we are independent and want to stay that way. We like brands that respect who we are, support us in doing things the way we like it and help us improve our potential.
How can one join the crew?
Get in contact via email, website and social media. Receive an invitation and check it out.
The thing is, we’re not just a running club. We’re a crew/tribe/gang whatever you wanna call it and our members understand one another, take care of one another. Social and emotional abilities are important to us. That’s why we have this sort of selection procedure, but it sounds worse than it actually is. So, don’t be shy or intimidated. You also should be able to run at least a 5:30 pace on 10k.
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