Jersey Women Strong is a health and fitness team for women, located primarily in the Northern New Jersey area. Our membership includes women of all ages and abilities, including those who have never run or exercised. We currently have over 150 women on the team. Many of our team members compete in local races throughout the year, while some simply join to reap the benefits of exercising with other like-minded individuals. We offer weekly meetups, nutrition and fitness education, seminars, unlimited motivational support and perks from our sponsors. Our training groups generally include: Beginner 5K (walk to run), Faster 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon and Triathlon. Charitable outreach is an important tenet of our program. We have worked closely with and raised thousands of dollars for local organizations such as Oasis: A Haven for Women and Children (Paterson), Center for Hope and Safety (Hackensack) and healingSPACE of the Bergen YWCA (Hackensack), as well as other local groups and families.

Yearly membership is $150. Please inquire about pro-rated fees.

We meet year-round every Saturday (7:30 AM) and Sunday (8:00 AM) at the Saddle River County Park Duck Pond, 1113 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood. Additionally, track sessions are offered every Tuesday at 5:45 AM and 7:00 PM at the Glen Rock High School track. Our practices begin early to enjoy some “me” time and to have the rest of the day to spend with our families and friends. In addition, we offer several informal meetups arranged through our Facebook group. Practices are not mandatory. You attend as often as you can.

A weekly schedule is sent out via email every Sunday evening that will document your exercise plan for the week. It is designed so you can fit the workouts into your schedule where it’s most convenient. We also send out regular training tips, including nutrition and strength training guidance. The goal of this program is not only to get you fit but also to help you make permanent healthy lifestyle changes. Email and phone support is available throughout the duration of the program. We encourage you to ask questions and voice concerns as we move towards our goals together.

This is low-stress! It’s not a problem if you have to miss a scheduled training session or sessions. We understand how busy women’s schedules are and do not do NOT expect you to be at every practice. If you miss, you will just make that particular workout up on your own or meet up with a friend from the team.

All practices begin with a quick discussion/instructional session, followed by a 5-10 minute warm-up and/or 10 minute optional strength training session. We will then proceed with the planned walk or run for the day. In most cases, we wrap up within an hour. Exceptions to this are when individuals are training for a longer race.

Then, you’ve found the right place! The Walk2Run group will loosely follow Cool Running’s Couch-to-5K program (for the first 5 weeks), which you can find at: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml People literally start this program from a zero base every day. If you are not currently exercising at all, you can make the transition to the program a bit easier by starting a walking program a few times a week between now and when our session starts. Just get moving for 20-30 minutes, use the stairs where you can, and park your car farther away from the entrance when you shop. If you are currently exercising, keep it up!

Joining a new group or organization is often a huge step outside your comfort zone. Our membership is diverse and includes women from all over Northern NJ with different lifestyles and goals. With over close to 150 women on our team, you are sure to quickly find a friend or two. Many wonderful friendships have been formed on the team, and these extend well beyond running and fitness.

Absolutely! You (and your friends) are free to try any practice or event to see if it fits your needs. Just send an email to let us know you are coming!

One of the goals of our program is to allow women the freedom to make time for themselves in the company of like-minded individuals. Our practices are offered early weekend mornings or later evenings to best work around kids, work and all the other things which take us away from being healthy—physically and emotionally. We don’t offer regular babysitting services but little ones in strollers are welcome.

A good pair of running shoes, water bottle, running watch (or a watch with a second hand), comfortable exercise clothes, hat/visor, sunscreen, ID—and of course, a positive attitude!

iPods are welcome; however, running without music is the safest option. If you choose to run with music, we do recommend keeping the volume low or using one earpiece. Pedestrian and bike traffic on the path can be heavy, and we must always be aware of our surroundings.

We host several free events throughout the year. In addition, our outreach efforts are always open to the public. You can stay on top of our latest events by joining our mailing list or following us on our social media outlets (see main page).

You can join our mailing list here. In addition, you can click on the button below to join us