Why is everyone running?

Thousands of runners are expected to participate in the hugely popular TREK Singelloop Utrecht next Sunday. Over the last four years alone, the number of participants in the oldest street race in the Netherlands has almost doubled, reflecting a wider running boom stretching from 5Ks and 10Ks to half marathons and full marathons. So what's behind running's growing appeal? We put this question to Professor Maarten van Bottenburg, who heads the Sport and Society research group at Utrecht University. 

Only 50 years ago people were ashamed of running in public.

Maarten, why do we all suddenly want to join a running race?

“I really think that the popularity of running reflects a broader change in social norms and values. Today, running is much more than a sport. For many people, it is part of a healthy lifestyle, a way to stay fit and invest in their health. But there is also a social dimension: the pressure to look healthy, to look fit, and to achieve an ideal body.

Completing a marathon is also a symbol of status and achievement. It’s on many people’s bucket list. Like climbing a mountain or travelling to a dream destination, it is a way to prove something—to yourself and to others.

At the same time, the commercialization of running has made it easier and more accessible than ever. There are running events almost every weekend, training schedules, running apps, online registration systems, marathon influencers and fashionable running gear. Running shoes have become dominant forms of casual fashion, which just goes to show how running has evolved from a sport into a lifestyle.”

Was running always this popular?

“Not at all. The current boom in running is quite remarkable from a historical perspective. Before the 1960s, running was often considered ‘a waste of energy’ because most people already did physically demanding work in factories or agriculture. At that time, running was mainly a competitive activity practiced in athletics clubs, schools and universities. 

Then came automation and the rise of a new middle class of highly educated knowledge workers who sat behind a desk all day. Running increasingly became a way to compensate for a more sedentary lifestyle; ‘a necessary investment of energy’.”

For CEOs, completing a marathon was a way of showing they were ‘fit for the job’.

When did running become a mass phenomenon?

“We, researchers, identify two waves. The first started in the 1960s and accelerated in the late 1970s, when people began running outside athletics tracks and into public spaces. Many early adopters were CEOs for whom completing a marathon was a way of showing they were ‘fit for the job’.

The second wave began in the late 1990s, with a spectacular increase in participation. More women and middle aged men took up running and jogging, and their motivations for running the 42K changed. While in the first wave, runners were motivated by competition; the achievement now was crossing the finish line. As a result, the average finishing time at running races started getting slower. Today, most people don't care whether it's within three hours, four hours or even six hours.” 

Figure: Trends in the number of marathons and the number of marathon participants worldwide 1939–2007

Looking back at the evolution of running, what’s the most surprising aspect to you?

“What is most surprising to me is that only 50 years ago people were ashamed of running in public. For half of humanity, it was even forbidden to take part in competitions officially [ed. Women were not allowed to take part in a major marathon until the 1972 Boston Marathon]. Today it's the opposite: it’s prestigious to be seen as a runner. That's really a fascinating social development.”