On Saturday, August 8, 2026, more than 250 people came to Westboro Beach Club for a community 5K and a cold plunge.
The run started at 09:30. It was free to join, and we had the whole Westboro Beach Club space reserved for the day.
The idea
Most Saturday runs end at a parking lot. We wanted this one to end at the water.
The format was simple. Run 5K together, then get in a cold plunge with Ritual. The run is the hard part. The plunge is the reward.
The run
The 5K went along the water on Kichi Zībī Mīkan, then looped around Westboro. All levels were welcome. We set pace groups from 5:30 to 7:00 per km, so there was a group for the person chasing a fast 5K and a group for the person who just wanted to finish with company. Nobody ran alone unless they chose to.
The plunge
After the run we moved to the cold plunge, set up with Ritual. They brought one large party plunge tub and two smaller two-person tubs. The water was about 10°C.
It was a very hot day, so people loved them.
The banner
Our banner hung from the building over the crowd and the cold plunges. It read:
"The person you're meant to be is waiting at the finish line."
That was the moment people understood what The 25th Hour is about and what we stand for. A 5K, a cold tub and 250 people on a hot Saturday is a good morning. The line over their heads is the reason we do it.
Why it worked
A 5K is easy to say yes to. A cold plunge is easy to be scared of. Putting them together gave people a reason to show up and a reason to stay.
The rest of the day kept people there. There was music all day, including a DJ set, plus food and ice cream. Many new faces joined Team 25th that day.
Thank you
Beach Club Day was partnered with Ritual and Westboro Beach Club. Thank you to both. The season is over now, and more Beach Club Days are coming in 2027.
What is next
The Thursday run club meets every Thursday at 19:00 at Sporting Life Lansdowne, 125 Marché Way. No sign-up, no fee. Details on the run club page. See every upcoming and past event on our events page.
