Run club over nightclub?
Why Gen-z are replacing martinis with mileage.
The last three years have seen a huge rise in the run club, Gen-Z have become utterly obsessed with running and clubs are quickly becoming the new must-attend social event every week. Running itself isn’t new, but its cultural position is. Strava’s recent ‘year in sport’ data highlights just how popular it has become, and with the London marathon hitting a world record high in its ballot entries for 2026 it’s clear that running is here to stay, and Gen-Z are leading the campaign.
Strava or it didn’t happen right?
Strava’s annual ‘year in sport’ reported a 3.5x increase in clubs in 2025 from the previous year. Online digital platforms have helped transform the solitary act of running into a community. It’s not just about fitness anymore, it’s about routine and community. With run clubs being open and usually free, they’ve allowed runners to meet like minded people in a way that doesn’t rely on spending, alcohol or staying out late.
Strava is the largest and most popular exercise tracking app with 180 million users, a 50% increase since 2023. Their annual report shows that Gen-Z are ditching the dance floor for the track with 64% of Gen-Z users saying they’d rather spend money on new gear than a date. Running isn’t just a fitness craze for the younger generation, it’s becoming a social identity. Fitness influencers have become a huge corner of social media and are highlighting all different types of athlete, from your elite to your first time runner, there are people of all skill levels being inspired online. Strava saw a 25% increase in ‘Kudos’, the thumbs up runners can give each other on the app, since 2024. The shift from nightclub to run club is widespread and applauded, people are encouraging each other more than ever to get their trainers on.
Marathons: The new badge of honour
Marathon ballot entries have been rapidly increasing year on year. The new badge of honour amongst runners is seen as the ultimate challenge and way of testing self discipline. As seen in recent data there’s been a 96.06% increase in the number of London marathon ballot entries over the last 3 years. It highlights a shift in running being a long term commitment and the marathon being the ultimate badge of honour to represent this.
The data highlights how becoming a ‘marathoner’ is becoming more commended due to the difficulty people have actually gaining a place. For the 2026 London marathon only 1.5% of applicants will get a place and get to run in the historic race. This scarcity of gaining a place makes the marathon even more of a status symbol amongst runners.
Tiktok trends and ‘Beat the Boys!’
Beat the boys has become a new phrase amongst female running influencers on tiktok as a way to empower and inspire women to get out running. There’s been a 103.12% increase in female applicants for the London marathon since the 2024 entry ballot and more than ever women are coming together to create safe spaces for female runners. All-female run groups have become commonplace across the country hosting an environment for all running abilities that allows women to do something social and beneficial without the need to worry over safety concerns. In 2024 Strava saw an 89% increase in women joining the app compared to the previous year. Women are creating communities that have not only health benefits but social ones as well.
Data is showing us that healthy habits, structure and discipline are replacing late nights and pub trips for our younger generations. Strava’s data highlights the steady rise in group based activities and new users joining points to running becoming much more than just a form of exercise, but a lifestyle and a new way of connecting socially. The nightclub hasn’t disappeared, and won’t anytime soon, but datasets are showing us that the future is looking more like pace-groups than pint glasses!