There’s community—and then there’s real community. The kind you can feel in your quads, your calendar, and your group chat. In Austin, 5RUN2 is that kind: a run club built not just to log miles, but to make movement social, sustainable, and maybe even slightly addictive. It’s why Klarna is a proud partner of 5RUN2, helping to make the sport (and the sign-ups) more accessible for everyone involved.
Founded in 2019 in the city’s St. Elmo district, 5RUN2 started when PJ Thompson decided to see if anyone wanted to join him on his easy training runs. A few early Wednesdays went solo. Then one runner. Then a few. Then a community. The kind where people return week after week, not for pace goals or leaderboard clout, but for something a little more human: connection.
Its moniker a nod to Austin’s 512 area code, 5RUN2 has evolved from neighborhood roots into a full-on citywide circuit, trading in volume-based training for something more boutique, more intentional, more...Austin. The weekly 5K and 5.5-mile trots kick off at Kerbey Lane Cafe, a local institution that doubles as the club’s unofficial clubhouse where early-morning huddles commence and runners get caffeinated before the jog ahead. Don’t let the flapjacks fool you—this route isn’t flat. 5RUN2 runs hills: metaphorical ones and the real kind that make newcomers rethink their newfound jogging hobby.
“They’ll get you ready for any race you're doing,” the 5RUN2 founder is quick to remind us. “And you’re not doing it alone.”
That community-over-competition ethos is laced into every aspect of the club. Yes, pun intended. Case in point: The Loop Running Supply Co., a gear shop tucked near the trail that feels more like a neighborhood clubhouse with a sneaker wall. It's where 5RUN2 members try on new kicks, talk goals, and (if you’re Thompson) impulsively register for the Houston Marathon while browsing hydration belts.
“I actually signed up at The Loop and paid for it on Klarna,” he says. “I did the four-payment option, and I’ll just be able to do that a little bit more with ease. Less stress when life begins to life. And bonus, it’s interest-free, unlike credit cards.”
Because sometimes the real hurdle isn’t mile 22—it’s the $190 race fee you weren’t expecting to drop on a random Tuesday. Klarna makes it easier to say yes to the big goals and gives you the flexibility to pay over time.
The only thing worse than cramping at mile 22 is getting priced out before mile one. Klarna’s partnership with 5RUN2 brings something rare to the running space: a way in. Whether it’s splitting an eyewatering race fee into payments or finally springing for those carbon-plated shoes, the goal is making the sport more accessible as you level up your endurance and your gear.
Next stop: Revolución Coffee & Juice, the club’s downtown basecamp for summer long runs and mid-run refueling. The downtown location is strategic: close to the trail, big enough for a crowd, and stocked with enough espresso to power them through the Austin heat and hilly terrain. Most importantly, it’s also where they host their Austin Marathon preview runs to give their crew a sneak peek at the race’s more brutal hills (hello, mile 26) before race day sneaks up on them instead.
5RUN2 knows that recovery is just as important as cardio. Final stop: St. Elmo Sauna, a nod to the club’s original stomping grounds and now a full-circle wellness HQ. Ice baths, compression boots, infrared heat—all run-adjacent, all equally encouraged. For Thompson, it’s personal: the sauna’s co-owners were his first coaches when he moved to Austin, and now they’re helping 5RUN2 runners hit their goals without breaking down in the process. After all, if you’re going to train for a marathon in Austin’s heat, you’d better know how to sweat smart.
Of course, the real story isn’t the loop or the location. It’s the long game. A club where the post-run hang might be a pasta night at someone’s house, and members book “runcations” together from Napa to Houston, training is a months-long IRL group chat of support, memes, and taper tantrums.
All puns aside, they don’t just run the city. They connect the dots between it and Klarna helps keep the pace going.
