FIVE ELEPHANT CIRCUIT
Image by Jack Hare
Where the idea grew
It's a dreary January day in Berlin, the smell of Glühwein and the shiny lights of the Christmas markets have faded. Lake days and evening gelatos are a distant memory as we sink deep into the grips of the infamous Berlin winter.
For those who thrive on outdoor activities to get their endorphin hit, this season can be a major challenge. HIIT classes are booked out, there are more bodies than wall at the bouldering gym, and cycling feels like you accidentally joined the Winter Olympics ice track event.
We might wish it away, but winter serves a purpose. The shorter days push us to rest and reflect, giving us the space to plan and recharge after the nonstop, energy-filled wave of summer. It’s in this space inspiration can strike.
The relationship between coffee and running
In recent years, the connection between coffee and running has been growing stronger. The smell of freshly ground coffee and warm cardamom buns often becomes the reward that keeps you pushing through those final kilometers. Berlin is a road runner’s dream—flat routes, picturesque neighborhoods to explore, and an endless supply of amazing coffee spots to wrap up your run.
The idea was simple: five cafés, five coffees, all showcasing Five Elephant’s commitment to building community around their spaces.
Ideas need people
To bring this idea to life, I teamed up with Peter and Jack from Crews & Brews, two of the most recognisable faces in Berlin’s running scene. Crews & Brews is their brainchild, a project documenting global running crew culture by partnering with locals to run routes and sample brews.
With the concept in place, the next step was figuring out how to make it truly coffee-centric. With the five locations, the plan was to get participants to run a circuit hitting all five cafes, starting and ending in the same spot. But we needed more than just a run—we needed a quest.
After plenty of caffeine-fueled brainstorming sessions, we landed on a circuit that would challenge not just the legs but also the palate. The plan was simple: teams of three would start and finish at the same location, but the route they took to the other cafes was entirely up to them.
Peter briefing the runners. Photo by Jack Hare
At each café, teams would taste the filter coffee on offer. For every correct guess about the coffee’s origin, we’d knock 5 minutes off their final time.
To make the coffee tasting a bit easier, we provided a cheat sheet with flavor notes to expect from each origin, which also served as a place for them to jot down their answers.
Cheat sheet
Sponsorship from New Balance
New Balance, one of the most active and community-focused brands in running, generously sponsored the event with a product trial station, giving participants the chance to test out their latest shoes on the circuit. To make things even better, they raffled off two pairs of trainers to a couple of lucky participants.
New Balance product trial station
With the plan set, we launched the event and had 12 teams (36 participants) take on the 14km challenge. The winning team crushed it with an impressive time of 1:09:21—not even counting the 15 minutes they shaved off with some coffee-tasting skills that would make James Hoffmann proud.
As the day came to a close, it was clear that this event wasn’t just about running or coffee—it was about bringing people together. In a world where we're all looking for healthier ways to connect, events like these show that you don’t need a night out to build community. Running crews, with the help of a good cup of coffee, offer a way to bond, challenge yourself, and share experiences that leave you energised, not exhausted.
So, whether you’re a runner looking for a fresh way to connect or a café owner hoping to create a new hub for your local crew, the formula is simple: community, accountability, and of course, coffee.
Finish line = Bagel time
