Messina Run Club meets at Kent Town every Monday night to catch up with friends, make new ones and indulge in a cheeky scoop or two.

Chatter can be heard from the street out the front of Gelato Messina in Kent Town, coming from more than 20 grinning people ready for a post-run treat.

Every Monday at 6:30pm, Messina Run Club meets outside Gelato Messina for a three-kilometre run followed by the most important part of the evening – a big serve of gelato.

This run club is one of the many documented in the archives of CityMag, all succumbing to the notion that running really is the new thing.

This week’s turnout is the biggest the three Messina Run Club co-founders and Adelaide University Rugby Union Club teammates Brooke Gallyer, Grace Powell and Bek Jones have seen.

“This is the first time we’ve had people turn up that we didn’t know,” Brooke says.

The idea for the run club was born out of a wine tour and trying to find an excuse to come to Messina Gelato as much as possible.

“We were out for our friend’s birthday and we were like, we should do this and we were like why not just do it now? So we made the page and set a date for three weeks later,” Grace says.

“I’m originally from Queensland. I moved to Adelaide two and a half years ago and me and my sister used to go to the Gelato Messina all the time and as soon as I heard they were opening up here I was like yes! I’ve been waiting so long.”

What they’re running to get their hands on. This picture: Claudia Dichiera.

The long-awaited Adelaide Gelato Messina store opened its doors in January after Covid-19 put the store’s plans on hold for four years.

The run club began in March and the trio says the club has been a great success, with runners showing up every week rain, hail or shine.

“It’s very good motivation and as soon as I’m done, ice cream,” Grace says.

The club not only has fitness and delicious creamy benefits, but helps people meet new friends or catch up with existing ones.

“A lot of us are just friends running together which is cool,” Bek says.

“I don’t know if any of us would actually run [if not for the run club]. Friends and gelato was perfect.”

Each week the Instagram page is updated with a picture of the week’s runners, Strava route and a list of the delicious flavours consumed.

“The specials here [at Gelato Messina] change every week as well so it’s great motivation to come every week,” Bek says.

This week’s favourites included WU-TANG FLAN, caramel flan gelato with dulce de leche and a caramel crust and STRONZBERRY, strawberry yoghurt gelato with strawberry puree, strawberry shortcake and whipped cream.

The future of the club looks as delicious as ever with the trio hoping to create merch and “make the route bigger and keep eating good gelato”.

“We still want to keep the 3km route too cos’ that’s how we started and how we get new people,” Bek says.

“Being a 3km run it’s much less intimidating for newcomers,” Brooke says.

Brooke says the run club is a fun start to the week and differs from others as they “love to socialise and don’t take ourselves too seriously”.

“We always welcome new members. If anyone wants to tag along they’re more than welcome,” Grace says.

Anyone interested in joining can reach out to Messina Run Club via Instagram or show up at the shop at 6:30pm on a Monday night.

Gelato Messina Kent Town. This picture: supplied.