Daddee Run Club
By Luis Rodriguez De Cespedes
When referring to the spaces in which we live and learn, you may often hear about the third space which is a social environment separate from the home (the first space) and the workplace (the second space). Urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term for informal, accessible places where people gather and build community without pressure. Bangkok is not short of places to meet people. There are running clubs, playgroups, parks, cafés, and an ever-growing collection of niche meetups from book clubs to coffee raves.
Visit Benjakitti early enough and you will probably see packs of runners with coordinated outfits and matching aesthetics. Different clubs have developed their own identities: some focus on relaxed runs and socializing, while others offer hardcore structured training. But if you're a dad who wants to stay fit while being an equal parent, you quickly realize that those meetup schedules just don’t line up well with school drop-offs, dinner, and family time.
While chatting one day, my now co-founder, Ken Tabuki and I realized that there had to be more dads like us in Bangkok: those who want to train for their next race; spend time outdoors with their kids; and, most importantly, give mom some free time back. We just lacked an obvious third space to find each other. Inspired by the success of the US-based Daddy Stroller Social Club, we started a group chat with another dad friend, and the three of us met at Benjasiri Park for a stroller jog.
The sight of three dads out alone with their kids slowly attracted more “stray dads” to our group—this came dangerously close to becoming the official club name. One day, five of us gathered near the playground, which apparently activated daddy spidey senses, because another five dads appeared out of nowhere. I asked each of them if they wanted to join our “group” and started working on the club’s social media branding and vision that week. I even spent over US$100 on Instagram ads aimed at fitness-minded dads in Bangkok. Yes, I literally paid Meta to find me new friends.
Over the past year, Ken and I have kept tweaking the schedule until it worked for family life. Our “dad hour” runs now happen every Thursday and Sunday from 5am to 7am: proper training while the household is asleep. On Saturdays, we meet at Benjasiri Park from 8:30am to 11am for a stroller jog, outdoor playgroup, and coffee afterwards. Basically, either the baby is sleeping, or we’re taking the baby.
Today, Daddee Run Club has more than 1,000 Instagram followers, almost 100 members in our WhatsApp group, and about 20 regulars. We are not trying to become Bangkok’s biggest running club or playgroup. We care more about the impact on individual families than growth metrics. One dad who had never gone out alone with his child now joins our stroller runs regularly. Another returned to training and made major progress in his 10K time. The most common thing we hear on our runs is, “I would have stopped way earlier if I came here to run alone.”
And what do the moms do while we are out on Saturday mornings? My wife likes to read, take a Pilates class, meet her friends for brunch, shop alone in peace, or just do absolutely nothing and sleep in. That’s the whole point.
Moms sometimes try to send their husbands to us. Unfortunately, that rarely works. But when a dad hears about our group and thinks, “yes, that makes sense,” he usually fits right in. New members may come from different countries, professions, and life experiences, but everyone knows why we are there: to look after our health, spend meaningful time with our kids, and help one another become more confident fathers.
So, if you or a loved one have the urge to meet other dads, try a fitness challenge, give mom some solo time, or perhaps have some solo time with your child, consider this your formal invitation to meet with other “stray dads” at Daddee Run Club.
About the Author
Luis is a data analyst, community architect, and father who has been based in Bangkok for over ten years. He is the co-founder of Daddee Run Club, a Bangkok-based community for active dads. You can learn more on IG @daddeerunclub