Run clubs are the new social networks: Here's how they are rebuilding community in a digital age
Fitness is no longer just about health - it’s about belonging.
UK gym membership has hit a record 11.5 million, with fitness competitions booming, while Strava dubs run clubs the new “nightclubs” where Gen Z are four times more likely to meet people than in bars.
For Timipre Maxwell, founder of creative innovation company SVNTH Dimension and co-founder of BRKED-OFF run club, this shift reflects a deeper human need. “We’re on our devices all day, but people are yearning for real contact,” he says.
Tim’s work centres on creating digital and physical spaces where inclusivity, connection, and social change are at the forefront. He will be working closely with London Marathon Events to ensure The Big Half resonates with the capital’s diverse run crews and communities.
“In today’s world, we have more tools to connect us than ever before, but people feel more alone than ever. That’s why communities like running and hiking clubs are so powerful. They create physical and digital spaces for people to coexist.”
Tim grew up in Lewisham, one of the boroughs along The Big Half route. Football was his first love, but running soon took its place thanks to his close friend, Dapo Alade.
“Daps started his running journey on January 1, 2023,” he recalls. “He lost 16kg in five months - it was one of the most insane transformations you’d ever see. It inspired me, and loads of people across Southeast London, to start running.”
One night after football, sitting in a Deptford Maccys, Dapo, Tim, and their friend Alban Cacaj sketched out an idea: a run club that would bring together people from all walks of life. That night, BRKED-OFF was born.
This summer, the club celebrated its two-year anniversary, and they continue to meet every Wednesday for social runs across London. Their members have gone on to run mass participant events like the TCS London Marathon, which Tim has completed twice.
“What retained me wasn’t just the running,” he says. “It was the community. Whatever background you come from, whatever journey you've been on, it just felt like one of the few places where none of that matters. You could be your true self with no judgement. That’s why I love the running community so much.”
This sense of community is something that Tim has incorporated into SVNTH Dimension, which he founded after years of leading influencer campaigns for brands.
“We wanted to move beyond being seen as just an agency. SVNTH Dimension is about building solutions - across marketing, social media, and technology - that help companies truly connect with people,” he explains. “Our mission is human connectivity. We create tools, campaigns, and even tech that bring people together.”
He says they aim to offer a “seventh dimension” outside of the six-dimensional framework of daily life by focusing on ownership, access, opportunity, and impact. For him, inclusivity is key. It’s all about building those spaces where people feel seen and supported.
“Once that gap is closed, we can start living more cohesively together as a society. There’s a lot of division due to a lack of education, preconceived notions, and stereotypes. I want to break down these things.”
When you meet Tim the first thing that strikes you is his energy. Even on a packed day, he radiates optimism and conviction - the kind that makes you believe change is not only possible, but inevitable. It’s no surprise, then, that he’s quietly working on a bigger goal known only to a close circle. At the heart of all his projects is a clear throughline: a drive to create meaningful social impact.
“My biggest mission in life is about social change - particularly for ethnic minorities, and eventually for Africa as a whole. That’s why working with London Marathon Events feels so right. It fits with my personal ethos to the core: creating opportunities that lead to real impact.”