How the modern NYC running scene got its stripes

Jessie Zapo has been an integral part of 21st century running culture, pushing the concept of community forward again and again.

Having been one of the very earliest protagonists of urban running crew culture in New York to creating one of the first women-only spaces in running, Jessie Zapo has been an essential part of 21st century running culture.

Back in the early 2000s, Jessie was deep in NYC’s “robust nightlife.” She was juggling grad school with bartending, and liked to go clubbing after her shift. New York was filled with creatives of all kinds, and she frequently saw Bridgerunners founder Mike Saes around town, in her bar, at the nightclubs and, in pre-social-media times, he personally invited her to run with him each time. The story goes that she said no for six months. When Jessie finally went, it was just her and three others, but it was great.

“It really opened my eyes. We ran four miles, and that was further than I’d ever ran before. And they were all so nice to me, which sounds weird because New Yorkers are just not that nice. I felt really welcome and I never stopped going.”