Julia Azcona remembers what held her back from running in her neighborhood. “I didn’t feel too safe,” she said. “You know, as a woman, the cat-calling and all that when I tried to even go out for a walk. It just kind of kept me from running.”

Today, things feel different when she steps out her door for a Tuesday evening run. Now she’s not out there alone, thanks to the vibrant community she created as the founder of the Ridgewood Runners.

Joining her first NYC run club

Her path to creating the run club began when Julia decided to commute an hour from her home in the Bushwick-Ridgewood neighborhood—which straddles the Brooklyn and Queens boroughs of New York City—to Central Park. The park felt safe. Lots of people ran there. “I’m tired of being afraid,” she said.

She liked running in the park alone, and she didn't know much about running in organized groups. “They used to intimidate me,” she said. Then she discovered the Adidas Runners in 2022, a NYC run club that welcomed her with open arms.

“I just fell in love with running with people,” Julia said. “It made me a better runner because I learned so much from each person’s experiences and the coaches.”

This experience sparked an idea. “I don't know if I’ve ever seen a group run through Ridgewood," she realized. Despite her initial hesitation, Julia took the plunge.

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The first Ridgewood Runners event

One evening in April 2023, Julia stood nervously in Ridgewood Plaza, unsure if anyone would show up for her new run club’s first-ever run. She felt like she didn’t know what she was doing; this was the first time she’d ever organized a group run. At the same time, she remembers feeling like it was the right thing to do.

She’d already promoted the run in the neighborhood. “The Saturday before that Tuesday, I created this really corny flyer on Canva,” Julia laughed. “I had my friend print it from a regular printer, so it wasn't even great quality, and I went around the neighborhood, to coffee shops and restaurants. And even in the street, I was like, ‘Hey, do you like to run?”

To her surprise and delight, 18 people showed up for the first run. The group quickly grew, with 25 runners the following week, then 30, and now sometimes the weekly runs reach nearly 100 participants.

Fun vibes and a “sexy pace”

Julia’s infectious energy and inclusive approach sets the Ridgewood Runners apart from other NYC run clubs.

She’s particularly proud of the “sexy pace” group. “I run a 10:30 mile on a good day, but mostly 11 or 11:30," she explains. “A lot of runners who are running by themselves fear joining groups because they feel they’re going to hold the group back, that they won't be able to keep up.” She wanted every single person to feel welcome to run with the group, no matter what their pace.

She also brings the energy. “I like making running fun,” she says. “Whether it's with music or creating kind of a little party-on-the-go type of thing. It helps take away a little bit of the stress or the pain of running.”

Her plan worked. “The Sexy Pace group is the larger subgroup of the entire group,” Julia said. “Most of them are ready to move up and run a little bit faster, but they choose to stay with the Sexy Pace because that's where the party is.”

A more vibrant neighborhood

Beyond running, Ridgewood Runners has helped build community. Julia collaborates with local businesses, ending runs at coffee shops and partnering with a yoga studio for monthly classes. 

“I love meeting different business owners and collaborating,” she says. “We help make the neighborhood more vibrant, more alive.”

What keeps Julia going is the impact she sees on individuals and the community. “I always walk away from an event and I was like, ‘Damn, that was amazing. That was great.’ It fills me up with so much energy and so much happiness.”

As Ridgewood Runners celebrates its first anniversary, Julia's vision for the future is bright.

“I have many plans,” she said. “Plans for more community events for us to participate in so we can bring more people, more community members, together here in our little neighborhood, our little Ridgewood.”