Run clubs are the new NYC social scene for Gen Z and millennials to make friends and find love

They say don’t chase a man for love, but in this dating scene, he may be running alongside you. Forget dating apps and late-night drinks — lonely, but fit, Gen Z and millennials are swapping heels for sneakers and tequila shots for celery juice, as “run-and-raves” are bringing an entirely new social scene to NYC.“Singles wear black” is the motto for Lunge Run Club, “a social club disguised as a fitness club,” as founder Steve Cole calls it, having started the group to give younger people a space to meet other like-minded people. Lunge hosts weekly 3-mile runs in Manhattan, where runners are encouraged to move at a “chiller pace” sans headphones so participants can engage, and maybe flirt, with one another, followed by “afters” where runners grab a drink and socialize as their “cool down.”“Afters” range from casual beers at a local pub to EDM raves with wild DJ sets.Might sound like a nightmare to some, but for fitness enthusiasts, it’s a new way to socialize and flirt.Cole told The Post the goal was to revolutionize the way young singles between 24 and 35 socialize, date and if anything, find potential friends who also prioritize “balance.” “In the old days, people used to meet at church or work, and since a lot of people care about health and wellness now and prioritize it, it creates a dating pool for them,” explained the founder.

“Going to the bars and drinking is what the social life in NYC revolves around, so it’s cool to have a different space to meet like-minded people,” Cole added.Lunge tries his best to diversify the club’s events, like a run followed by a HYROX-specific singles event — or even, say, a Knicks watch party.With as many as 1,000 runners attending a single event, there are plenty of options for those looking to single, mingle and get their sweat on.“People come up to me and tell me that their friend is engaged to someone they met at Lunge Run Club,” Cole proudly told The Post. If Lun...