Move over boring, old run club — picking up trash while jogging with pals is the hot new fitness trend.
Run clubs have become increasingly popular as a way to exercise, forge friendships and make romantic connections, and now some New Yorkers are taking their passion a step further by cleaning the streets as they move.
Plogging — the eco-friendly fitness movement that combines jogging and the Swedish phrase “plocka upp,” meaning “pick up” — has been steadily growing with devotees around the world.
For Tina Muir, a sustainability advocate, her introduction to the activity was through plogging events hosted by New York Road Runners, a Manhattan-based nonprofit that caters to runners of all ages and abilities.
“I was excited at the time to… do something actionable and feel like I was contributing positively to the world around me and the city that I’ve really come to love,” the former elite marathoner told The Post.
“Getting to go out there with a group of humans, where you all go the same speed, was something that I had never seen before in the running space.”
NYRR blazes the trail
As Muir transitioned away from professional athletics, she wanted to pursue something that aligned with her environmental interests while continuing her work with NYRR.
She’s now a sustainability advocate for the organization’s plogging events, which occur just days before its three marquee races: the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon in March, the RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon in May and the TCS New York City Marathon in November.
NYRR hosted its inaugural plogging event in 2019 as part of an Earth Day campaign. The organization has since dedicated a station at its Runcenter in Manhattan where anyone can grab a bag and gloves to plog at their own pace.
NYRR saw plogging participation explode when it decided to tie the events to some of the city’s biggest races, according to NYRR’s director of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, Aly Criscuolo.
Marketed as shakeout runs, participants can do an easy jaunt to increase blood flow, reduce muscle stiffness and calm nerves while cleaning up the pre-race streets.
“You can’t run fast and pick up trash at the same time, it’s not physically possible.”
Tina Muir
Unsurprisingly, the marathon seems to draw the most interest.
“We have 2 million spectators of the marathon, so there’s a big community of people that are learning about plogging and bringing it to their local neighborhoods,” Criscuolo told The Post. “And even if it’s not a formal event, they’re picking up a couple of pieces of trash on their morning run every morning.”
Anyone is welcome at the plogathons, whether or not they’ve signed up to run the race.
“We get a good mix of those running the races and also those who are passionate about sustainability locally,” Criscuolo said. “We’re definitely hitting our maximum these days of a little less than 100.”
Litter-ally making a difference
While one person can only pick up so many bottles and burger wrappers, the hope is that plogging sparks collective community action and environmental awareness.
“We understand that we’re not going to solve the climate crisis by picking up these few pieces,” Criscuolo said. “But there’s a really great impact in that we’re educating those about plogging, and the fact that they can do it in their neighborhood.”
Muir believes these positive actions are contagious.
“If you see someone doing something that they don’t need to be doing, and they choose to do it for the good of humanity, the good of our Earth, they are also more likely to take that step,” she said.
Steps in the right direction
While it seems like the faster the run, the better, there are benefits to slowing down.
“Plogging tends to produce a lower heart rate than jogging because of the stopping to pick up trash,” Jason Fitzgerald, a running coach and host of the Strength Running Podcast, told The Post.
“This can be a good thing, as it keeps runners in easier aerobic zones, burns more fat, is more sustainable and is easier to recover from.”
And the benefits don’t stop there. Fitzgerald — who has plogged with a group in Denver — also highlighted increased aerobic fitness and endurance, stronger bone density, better metabolism management and prevention of conditions like Type 2 diabetes through weight management.
“Plogging is a valuable source of aerobic exercise, and running is one of the highest calorie-burning forms of exercise within that category,” he added. “Combined with a focus on nutrition, [it’s] a reliable way to burn calories and build a more robust metabolism that can burn both fat and glucose.”
Ploggers could also get some valuable strength training in their shakeout runs as well, Criscuolo noted.
“As you’re bending over to grab some trash, you’re doing some squats, you can do some lunges,” she said. “You’re working on some leg strength as well, so stretching is very important afterwards.”
But the movement might feel weird at first, especially for longtime competitive runners.
“While the first few times people have to bend down that might feel a little sore, they report feeling a lot better afterwards, that their body can move well,” Muir said.
Running ahead
Since the pace is slower, the activity requires some creative planning.
“I think plogging is the one place where you could have the fastest runner picking up trash alongside the slowest runner,” Muir said. “You can’t run fast and pick up trash at the same time, it’s not physically possible.”
Fitzgerald advises runners to aim for a distance they’ve tackled before since they’ll be spending more time on their feet due to the stop-and-start nature of plogging.
“I recommend thinking of plogging as a separate and distinct activity than just running,” he added. “That will help with any comparison traps, like thinking your pace is going to be the same.”
Beyond physical gains, there are also mental and emotional benefits to plogging.
Aerobic exercise can reduce symptoms of depression, perhaps even as effectively as antidepressants and talk therapy.
“Picking up trash is a positive social good, leading to feelings of accomplishment and doing something constructive for the community,” Fitzgerald said. “Plogging is also regularly done in groups, helping reduce isolation and building community.”
Muir echoed this sentiment, noting that people want to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves.
“It’s a great way to build community and build friendship, which is something many of us are seeking right now,” she said. “To give back is an additional layer that I think makes it really special.”
