Vipers Run Club

What Vipers Run Club does

Vipers Run Club is a community-based, male-only running organisation founded in 2018 by Matty Abel and Olly Woolrych in Manly, on Sydney's Northern Beaches. It is structured as a registered Incorporated Association in NSW (Reg. INC2000575) and is governed by a volunteer committee elected at Annual General Meetings, with leadership teams across partnerships, events, member experience, digital, wellbeing and coaching. The club's core offering is an annual membership ($200 AUD per year, first month free) that grants access to two coached weekly group runs — Viper Thursday (the flagship 8-12km run from Queenscliff SLSC followed by social drinks at The Steyne Hotel) and the Tuesday Social (an ~8km conversational-paced run) — plus an annual Viper Retreat, a calendar of social events, and a portfolio of member-led sub-groups (Viper Dads, Trail Club, Road Runners, Slippery Vipers ocean swimming, Triathlon Club, Book Club, Dinner4Dads, The Rattlesnakes band, and a Viper Academy warm-up conversation program). A formal partnership with Lifeline Northern Beaches, established in 2024, underwrites the club's mental health infrastructure, supporting 50+ trained Mental Health First Aiders, Accidental Counsellor training, and member volunteering on Lifeline's crisis support hotline.

The club has no proprietary software platform, mobile application, API, or algorithmic infrastructure; its operating model is human-mediated and community-led, with a deliberate slow-drip quarterly cohort onboarding process that uses a waitlist to preserve culture. The flagship fundraising product is Move for 60, a 60-hour continuous 1km loop run at Queenscliff Beach symbolising that every 60 minutes, 60 men globally die by suicide; the event won Community Event of the Year at the 2026 Northern Beaches Australia Day Awards and has helped the club raise over $522,000 across Movember, Lifeline Northern Beaches, and member-specific causes such as the Jeff Jenkins MND wheelchair van.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through annual membership fees, with 150+ active members implying gross membership revenue of approximately $30,000 AUD per year; the $522,000+ in cumulative fundraising is donated to charity and is not club revenue. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a website interest form, with no B2B channel. Marketing is community-led — Instagram (@vipers.rc), word-of-mouth referrals from existing members, public runs, and earned media across Men's Health Magazine, Movember.com, ABC News, Channel 9, The Daily Telegraph, Boss Hunting, and Runner's Tribe. The primary customer segment is men aged roughly 35-50 in the Northern Beaches and lower North Shore of Sydney who are seeking connection to address male loneliness, with a secondary segment of recreational to competitive runners from first-time racers to ultramarathoners.

Name

Vipers Run Club

Legal name

Vipers Run Club

Website

https://vipersrunclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vipers Run Club is a Sydney Northern Beaches men's running community founded in 2018 to address male loneliness. It serves 150+ members via weekly coached runs, mental health charity partnerships, and member-led sub-groups, funded through $200/year memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Fitness Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Club Sports Programs (EDALAIAB)

Keywords

• Men's running club
• Community fitness programs
• Group running sessions
• Mental health support
• Recreational athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: Members pay an annual membership fee of $200 per year, which covers coaching, insurance, events, and club operations. The first month is a free trial before any payment is required. This is the primary recurring revenue stream for the club.
2. Charitable Fundraising: The club organises large-scale fundraising events including Move for 60 (a 60-hour continuous run), the Viper Ball, and direct donations. Funds are directed to Movember, Lifeline Northern Beaches, and member-specific causes such as MND support. This does not constitute commercial revenue for the club but is a core activity of the organisation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vipers Run Club is a community-led men's running club that operates weekly coached group running sessions and an annual paid membership program. The club combines physical training with structured mental health support, peer-led wellbeing programming, and partnerships with charitable organisations. Memberships fund club operations, run-leader coaching, and the club's charitable initiatives.

Product overview

Vipers Run Club is a community-based men's running club offering a single, unified product centered around weekly coached running sessions (Viper Thursday and Tuesday Social), mental health support services, and a structured onboarding process. The club's core offering is its membership program ($200/year) which provides access to twice-weekly group runs, over 50 Mental Health First Aiders, and a calendar of events including the flagship Move for 60 60-hour continuous run and the annual Viper Retreat. Beyond the core running program, the club facilitates numerous sub-groups (Viper Dads, Trail Club, Road Runners, Triathlon Club, Ocean Swimming, Book Club, The Rattlesnakes band, and Dinner4Dads) that create additional connection points for members. The overall portfolio functions as a community health and wellbeing ecosystem where running serves as the vehicle for building meaningful connections and supporting men's mental health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Vipers Membership Paid annual membership giving individuals access to weekly coached group runs, club community events, mental health programming, and member benefits. Priced at $295 per year, with a first-month trial offer of $24.99.
• Weekly Coached Group Runs Recurring coached group running sessions held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, designed for men of varying running abilities, led by club run-leaders.
• Charitable Fundraising Events Fundraising efforts and events supporting men's mental health organisations, integrated into the club's annual programming and aligned with member registration.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and minor.

• NSW AthleticssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Vipers has put 10+ members through the NSW Athletics Level 1 Recreational Coaches course, enabling qualified coaching from within the community for all weekly sessions. This partnership supports the club's coaching quality and athlete development.
• Lifeline Northern BeachescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2024, Vipers has been in a formal partnership with Lifeline Northern Beaches. This includes mental health first aid training for members (50+ trained Mental Health First Aiders), the Accidental Counsellor course, a learning program, and Vipers volunteering on Lifeline's crisis support hotline. Lifeline is also a beneficiary of the club's fundraising efforts ($105K+ raised). The partnership is central to the club's mental health mission and differentiates it from other run clubs.
• Pace AthleticminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPace Athletic is listed as a local partner of Vipers Run Club. Nature of partnership is not further specified in available sources.
• The Steyne HotelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Steyne Hotel is a local partner venue where Vipers members gather for post-run drinks and socialising every Thursday after the main session. This is a regular and consistent community touchpoint.
• Queenscliff Surf Life Saving ClubsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerQueenscliff SLSC is the home base for Vipers Run Club's flagship Thursday evening sessions and the Move for 60 event venue. The partnership provides the physical location for the club's core activities.
• Northern Beaches CouncilsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNorthern Beaches Council recognised Move for 60 as Community Event of the Year at the 2026 Australia Day Awards. The council also references Vipers in its communications. Vipers collaborates with the council on SunRun training events and is acknowledged by the council as a community organisation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Lifeline Australia: National crisis support and suicide prevention charity, partner to Lifeline Northern Beaches (Vipers' mental health training partner). Comparable as the mental health infrastructure partner enabling Vipers' differentiated mental health capabilities.
• Headspace Australia: National youth mental health foundation. Comparable as a men's-and-youth mental health mission-driven organisation, though operating clinical services rather than activity-based community.
• Movember Foundation: Global men's health charity and Vipers' primary fundraising partner. Comparable as a men's mental health mission organisation with strong Australian brand, though operating as a global charity rather than a community-run club.
• Strava: Digital platform connecting runners and clubs through activity tracking, clubs, and social features. Comparable as enabling infrastructure for running communities, but a software platform rather than a community organiser.
• Men's Sheds Australia: Network of community sheds offering men space, tools, and social connection. Comparable in mission to address male isolation through activity-based community, though focused on woodworking/shed activities rather than running.

Direct peers

• Parkrun: Global community-based free weekly 5K events. Parkrun is the closest analogue to Vipers' inclusive, community-led model, though co-ed and non-membership-based rather than male-only and subscription.
• Sydney Striders: Long-standing Sydney running club offering regular group runs, coaching, and races. Comparable as a membership-based Sydney running club, though co-ed and not focused on men's mental health.

Regional players

• City2Surf: Iconic Sydney mass-participation 14K road race from Sydney CBD to Bondi. Comparable as a high-profile Sydney running event that engages amateur runners, though not a community club with year-round programming.
• Blackmores Sydney Running Festival: Major annual Sydney mass-participation running event. Comparable as a Sydney-based organised running experience, though event-based rather than a year-round membership community.

Broad incumbents

• Lululemon Run Clubs: Lululemon hosts community run clubs globally as part of its brand and retail strategy. Comparable as a free, brand-sponsored community running offering, though not membership-paid and not mission-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/vipers.rc
• Facebookfacebook.com/Vipersrunclub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vipers-run-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vipers Run Club