The Goldfinger Track Club in Brooklyn is more than just a run crew—it’s a welcoming space for all types of runners who want to feel inspired. And at the center of it all is Jerry Ernesto Parker Francois—Coach J—a father, community leader, and running coach.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Coach J launched GFTC in 2016 after a spontaneous race at the Armory required a team name. He borrowed the name from his clothing line—Goldfinger. But what started as a one-off race crew became something much bigger.

His mission? “To continue to push fitness and wellness to the Black and Brown community, each mile at a time,” Coach J said. ”I put all runners in one space and make them all feel as talented, no no matter what pace, no matter what distance, body size, ethnicity.

GFTC has grown into a vibrant run club where seasoned marathoners run alongside first-timers, and walkers are just as celebrated as sub-six milers. At GFTC, everyone starts together and finishes together. Coach J says GFTC creates an easy entry point to running.  "Let's learn and feel comfortable running four laps around a track. Let's feel comfortable to run on the road. That's why we slowly started introducing walk groups to our community, because we know that the whole goal is to be active. A sense of movement is a sense of purpose."

“You didn’t go from work to your couch," he added. "You came outside. You moved. That’s the goal.”

What sets Coach J apart is how he shows up—not just as a coach, but as a runner. He runs the same reps and the same long runs. “I put my body through the same torment...because I want to feel exactly the pain you feel.” And his coaching goes far beyond pace charts. “The human being is first,” he says. “If you're winning at life, you're going to run your fastest times.”

That investment shows. His runners bond with each other and become friends, business collaborators, even neighbors. “Those are the connections you can't put a price on.”

Coach J uses Heylo to keep it all together. “Heylo has made my life so easy,” he says. “Everything we need is there. It's structured, it’s seamless, and it helps us grow.”

From Thursday community runs to 21-milers, GFTC is changing what it means to be a runner in NYC—and redefining what’s possible when someone truly believes in you.

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