(Courtesy of Hillside Runners Club) You’ve heard of kiddush club, but have you heard of running club? A group of residents from Elizabeth and Hillside are hoping the idea catches on.

The Hillside Running Club (HRC) began as a Whatsapp Chat in September of 2022 by Hillside resident Gedalya Gottdenger, and has now grown to 20 members strong. The group prides itself on a casual sense of accountability and members are encouraged to match up with others of similar pace, or to even slow down for newer runners who need the motivation to exceed their expectations.

Six members of the group—some with little to no long distance running experience prior to joining the HRC—crossed the half marathon and marathon finish lines at this year’s inaugural, and very wet, Jersey City Marathon.

“It’s truly inspiring to see the journey some of us have taken and the hurdles we’ve overcome to get here,” said HRC member Yehuda Schupper. “A half marathon can be quite the traumatic experience, but it speaks volumes to the unique nature of the Hillside Running Club that we’re all already talking about signing up for another race!”