The Palo Alto Run Club participates in, supports, and produces both non-competitive and competitive group running events in Palo Alto Area and nearby communities. Runners of all ages, abilities, and ambitions are invited to join the club and participate in our running and non-running activites.

Our weekly and monthly runs are non-competitive and there is always a wide range of runners attending. Our scheduled group runs vary in length from just under 5 miles to 12 or more miles. The middle of the pack runs at about an 8-minute per mile pace, but there's a large spread. You can almost always find someone to run with.

In the summer of 1986, runners John Bird and Jeff Wildfogel approached the Recreation Department of the City of Palo Alto about starting a running club. They got an enthusiastic response from department staff, especially Ann Cribbs and Tom Osborne. The city offered valuable resources including meeting room, printing and mailing services, advice, and encouragement. On November 26, 1986, about 25 people attended the club's first business meeting, followed by a group run.

Now independent of the City of Palo Alto, the Palo Alto Run Club includes members from throughout the bay area, and has grown to almost 300 members, many of whom participate in club activities.

The Palo Alto Run Club is a member of the Road Runners Club of America, a national association of not-for-profit running clubs dedicated to promoting long distance running as a competitive sport and as healthful exercise.