Generation Z sets the pace for the UK’s latest running boom
Some are chasing marathons, others just to survive a 90 second jog, but either way, Gen Z are leading the UK’s running revival, bringing it online, and to life.
Ever felt like everyone around you is training for a marathon or doing a quick 10k? Well, chances are, that's because most people actually are. The TCS London Marathon announced that an astounding 840,318 people entered the ballot for the 2025 London Marathon. However, the data doesn't stop there, new information has revealed that over 1.1 million people have entered the ballot for the 2026 London marathon, creating a new world record. This is part of a broader running boom that has taken place in the UK
But behind the soaring numbers lies the bigger story, a significant rise in participation from young people. Gen Z is fuelling the latest running boom according to the Running Industry Alliance. Over a third of the 2026 London Marathon entries are aged 18-29, and at the London Marathon 2025, there was a 105% increase in entries from 20-29 year olds.
So, why now? What’s the reasoning behind Gen Z’s growing love for running? To understand what’s pulling the generation to the starting line, I spoke to 21 year old Amelia Mardell, a Gen Z runner, who has just completed the London Marathon 2025.
For Amelia Mardell, the motivation to run started at home, she credits her dad for her inspiration to complete the London Marathon. ‘My biggest inspiration was my dad’ she says ‘he ran the London Marathon in 2009, and I still remember it vividly’. But it wasn’t just the race that stuck with her, it was the atmosphere. ‘Ever since watching my dad, it's always been a goal for me’ Amelia explained. ‘So when I had the opportunity, I knew I had to take it’.
Amelia has noticed a clear rise in running’s popularity, specifically for Gen Z, she believes social media has fuelled the trend. ‘It’s all over TikTok’ she says ‘people are posting their runs, their running outfits and even their training schedules’. Running is starting to feel like a team sport prioritising community ‘More of my friends are getting into it too’ she adds. ‘It’s becoming something we do together as a social activity’.
While training for the marathon, Amelia turned to running apps such as Strava and Runna. ‘The apps helped me to create a running plan’ she notes ‘ they created plans tailored to my fitness level and schedule. Strava’s 2024 report revealed the platform reached 135 million users in 2024, with a 9% increase in race uploads- and Amelia was certainly one of them, using Strava to guide her training programme.
For Amelia, running isn’t only about fitness, it's become a vital part of her wellbeing routine. ‘It has had such a positive impact on my mental health’, she says ‘it’s a way to clear my head and reset, even on tougher days’ In a world that often feels challenging, Amelia shows that for Gen Z, running is a way to unwind. ‘Going for a run makes me feel in control’ she adds.
‘Crossing the finish line was one of the most emotional moments of my life’ says Amelia. The marathon was no small moment for Amelia, ‘ the entire day was physically and mentally demanding but in the best way’ she adds.
But despite Amelia’s journey, not every runner sets out to complete the 26.2 miles of the London marathon, for some of Gen Z, the goal is smaller, but just as meaningful. I spoke to David Harris, 22, a new runner, preparing for his first challenge, Race For Life, taking place at Hyde Park, London, on the 27th of July 2025.
‘Signing up for Race for Life is a big change for me, I’ve never really been a runner’ says David. ‘But I wanted to challenge myself and have a goal to work towards’. When asked about the influence of social media on his running journey, David did not hesitate. ‘Absolutely’ he says. ‘I notice it every time I scroll through Instagram or TikTok, running comes across as a welcoming community. And that’s something I want to be part of’.
‘I’d love to run the London Marathon one day’ David adds. ‘I’m starting small, so I can hopefully build myself up and run the Marathon when I am ready’.
Is fitness replacing drinking culture?
A few years ago, if you asked a young person to choose between a run or a beer, the answer was obvious. But times are changing, and it turns out, Gen Z’s lack of interest in alcohol is fuelling the running boom among their generation. Data from 2024 shows that Gen z are drinking less than millennials did at their age, with 28% of young people in the UK not drinking at all. Gen Z are navigating healthier lifestyle choices, and alcohol just does not fit the ‘clean living lifestyle’.
‘Running has become a huge part of Gen Z’s lifestyle’ says David. ‘It fills that void of going out and drinking, it's now about pushing yourself and achieving a new goal’. He’s not the only one feeling the shift of Gen Z. ‘A lot of my friends choose exercise over drinking, drinking culture just is not the same anymore’. And the numbers prove this, with 37% of Gen Z viewing exercise as a new way to socialise.
How run clubs are defining community:
For Gen Z, running isn't a solo activity, it’s a form of social connection, a new way to socialise with others. Strava’s annual trend report found a 59% increase in running club participation in 2024. I spoke to Kevin Mason, group leader of Bicester Striders, a local RunTogether group to understand more about the increase in running club participation.
‘There’s definitely been a rise in the number of people running’ says Kevin, pointing to a 50% increase in attendance at his local park run on Saturday mornings. Kevin adds that whilst his RunTogehter group has limited spaces, the number of people attending remains consistently high.
Kevin also runs with the Heyford Aardvarks, where membership has grown significantly in recent months. ‘At social sessions, I’ve noticed more and more young people turning up’, he adds, highlighting a clear change of socialising for Gen Z.
From social media posts, to parkruns to marathons, Gen Z are leading the running boom taking place in the UK. Gen Z are creating a community, showing us what it means to run, and why they do it. Whether it's to set a new goal, build fitness, or simply to connect with others, running has become more than just a fitness trend.
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