POPULARITY OF RUNNING UP 39% YEAR ON YEAR SPURRED BY THE GEN Z ZOOM
The Great Run Company, the UK’s biggest mass participation event organiser and owners of the world’s biggest half marathon, the Great North Run, reveals four core trends identified in 2024 which looks set to continue into the new year.
- The love of running is not waning with more and more people taking up the sport
- New runners are challenging themselves with the distances they take on
- The boom in running is being fuelled by Gen Z
- The gender gap in participation continues to shrink
Utilising 2024 participant data from over 180,000 runners cross their portfolio of annual running events, their Rewind24 Report highlighted;
KEEP ON RUNNING – The popularity of running continues at pace with a 39% increase in participation* versus 2023. This growth in participation follows stats reported by online event platform Let’s Do This which shows the running event market grew by 23% in 2024.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED – There is significant growth in brand new runners taking on Great Run challenges which start at 5K up to half marathons, with 53% of participants being first timers in 2024. This is up 13% on 2023 participants.
GEN Z ZOOM – More young runners are embracing the sport than ever before with 47% of entrants being aged 35 and under.
These guys are also not afraid to take on a challenge with young runners over indexing on the half marathon distance versus other age groups. (50% are aged under 35yrs)
WOMEN LACE UP – the gender gap in participation continues to shrink with 46% of runners being femalein 2024, up 2% year on year
However, distance wise 25% more men are taking on the Half Marathon distance with 5K and 10K distances now skewed more towards females.
Eilish McColgan OLY, Great Run Series Ambassador, British & European Record Holder and Commonwealth Games Champ says:
“It’s music to my ears to know that the popularity of running continues to rise. Running is in my blood, I’ve always loved it, but people find their way to running for many different reasons and at different stages in their lives. That’s what is so brilliant about it – the entry barrier to getting involved is so low, all you need is the motivation to get moving and a pair of trainers.
What starts as a jog around the block can progress to a 5K or 10K quite quickly with determination and commitment. We’ve also seen that the huge rise in ‘run crews’ is not only getting more young women lacing up as they feel safer running together, the groups are helping novice runners to extend their distances. The camaraderie and support between runners is hugely motivational and those regular run meets help you clock up the miles without you realising. Many young runners are now swapping a trip to the pub for their run crew meet as a regular way to socialise!”
Becky Dodds – The Coffee Run
23 year old Becky Dodds from Cramlington, Northumberland found her loving for running in 2024. Becky completed the 2024 Great North Run in memory of her Grandma, having never ran before, setting up her own run crew to ensure she completed the event.
“I decided i didn’t want to run by myself. I looked at other run clubs, and they were all set pace or set run times, which I definitely couldn’t keep up with. Because of this, I decided to create my own run club ‘The Coffee Run’, a community that has grown massively over the last 12 months.
“The Coffee Run is my main source of training, as running in a group makes it so much easier! They push me every week, and inspire me every single day! Meeting new people, from all fitness levels, continuously improving themselves and pushing each other to be 1% better everyday.” she says.
Hermen Dange – Made Running
Running gave Hermen Dange from Manchester a powerful outlet that became instrumental in turning his life around after a spell in prison.
“Temptation started kicking in when I got released because I was bored, with nothing to occupy my time. I needed to stay occupied, to create a hobby, so I focussed on getting really fit and taking care of myself.”
“I never had much interest in running, but once I started, I felt enveloped by the sense of community. Everyone was so supportive of each other, encouraging and egging each other on to push ourselves.”
As Hermen got more and more into running, he and his friend bounced around the idea of establishing a running club and Made Running, and inclusive running club with over 1000 members, was born.
“I gradually started attracting friends to join me for runs. Before long, I had around 20 people running alongside me, spurred on by the community feel we’d created.”
“As the club grew, I realised it was about more than just achieving personal fitness goals; it was about welcoming newcomers to the sport, each with their aspirations and reasons for running. What began as a desire to break free from the confines of my past evolved into a journey of empowerment and community. It’s not just about me anymore; it’s about helping others.”
Eilish McColgan’s top 3 tips for getting started:
- Invest in a pair of trainers – They don’t have to be expensive, instead look for good support to keep your foot stable as it lands on the ground, and cushioning to absorb impact and provide comfort
- Find a running buddy – check out social media for a local running group or crew near you. Many focus on ‘couch to 5K’ for complete novices or the mental health benefits of running – finding like minded people will be a huge support and motivation
- Commit – whether its two laps of the local park twice a week, or a Sunday morning group run, commit to making running part of your regular week until you get into the routine of running. Don’t go too hard too soon and set yourself up for failure – little and often and running will soon become second nature.
Fancy taking on a running challenge in 2025? Visit https://www.greatrun.org/events to explore the full Great Run Seres of events including the iconic Great North Run, the ballot for which opens today.
Check out the Great Run RIA Member profile here .