They say slow and steady wins the race. That’s at least what the new members of Brooklyn Walk Club believe, a new crew solely dedicated to neighborhood strolls.
On a cool Wednesday evening, the team gathered around the McCarren Parkhouse to chat before their weekly ramble. No stretching was needed.
“The people are great,” said Jeffrey Betts, 33, who had already been to the group four or five times since it started in June. “It’s low pressure, easy. I don’t want to do a running club, it’s too much pressure.”
Betts marched towards the front of the group and eight fellow walkers matched his stride. They all made their way towards Williamsburg as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Kevin Bayes, who walked near Jeff, said he admired the change of pace after a long day of staring at screens.
“A lot of people are just walking around on their own for exercise,” said Bayes. “It’s nice to find other people to walk with.”
That’s the exact reason why co-founders Chai Pilaka and Emily Chertow started the club. Both were eager to build community and offer an alternative to the run clubs running the city.
“I love to stay active and move my body, but the accessibility to run clubs is high,” said Chertow. “There’s a high barrier to entry to these run clubs that are all over New York, you have to be able to run.”
Chertow, who felt like she was missing out, turned to her friend Pilaka, who was experiencing something similar.
“At run clubs, one thing I noticed is that I always felt this pressure to be a good runner, and to be somewhat athletic,” said 27-year-old Pilaka. “But I’m not a runner.”
The pair were eager to meet new friends, but knew they didn’t want to sprint to catch up. So mid-summer, Brooklyn Walk Club was born. Since its launch, the club’s Instagram has gained over 650 new followers and they’ve had up to 25 people join a stroll. They’re typically under age 40.
“I definitely think there’s more than a movement going on right now where people want to be out and meet people in real life,” said Pilaka. “Even with things that are generally considered an older sport or activity… I think newer generations are picking them up a little bit.”
Walk clubs are everywhere, from Shorewalkers (who “see the world at three miles per hour”) to New York Walkers in Central Park. But Brooklyn Walk Club is one of a few that now skew slightly younger, like the viral Hot Girl Walk or City Girls Who Walk.
The general consensus? Racing’s just not for them.
Most Brooklyn Walk Club members came from across Greenpoint and Williamsburg with one goal in mind: to make new connections.
“I work from home, and sometimes I don’t go out at all during the day,” said Giusi Sotera, 35, who showed up alone. “I want to meet new people.”
Shruti Koti, 30, agreed: “I wanted to have people I regularly see around the area.”
Koti added that walking has both mental, emotional and physical benefits, along with its social component. It’s true: walking can help you live longer. It can also help you sleep better, reduce your stress, improve your mood, increase your energy and even stave off sadness. One study found that adults that walked two and a half hours a week lowered their risk of depression by 25%.
“We’re meant to be active, not do 30 minutes of cardio and then sit at a desk all day,” said Koti. “That’s why I’m trying to do as much as I can.”
The walk wrapped up at Domino Park, where the group paused to admire the sunset.
Founders Chertow and Pilaka plan to expand the movement, but say they’ll keep the group tight-knit. “Even if you meet one person in one of your walks, you keep in touch with them, and they end up being your friend, that’s like a really good success metric for us,” said Pilaka. “Rather than making it as big as possible.”
Chertow encourages everyone to join the movement, especially since walking is something most people do on a regular basis — especially hustling New Yorkers. Residents need healthy movement and offline community, she added.
“I think what is really interesting about this generation is that people are genuinely looking to connect in person,” she said. “It’s time to have valuable conversations ‘IRL’ and put your phone away for a period of time. Right now, more than ever, there’s a need for that.”