The focus is shifting away from pace obsession

I love seeing how running is evolving. The focus is shifting away from pace obsession and endless grind culture toward a more balanced, community-driven approach. And thankfully with that comes a lot more inclusion and normalisation - I hear ‘you don’t look like a runner’ a lot less these days!

Strava’s 2024 Year in Sport: Trend Report highlights a major shift: runners are embracing shorter, steadier runs with community at the heart of their training. 

Running Isn’t Always About Running

Stay with me on this. According to Strava, runners are changing their approach. Instead of chasing streaks, pbs and podiums, runners are prioritising balance. Shorter workouts, recovery days, and long-term sustainability are taking centre stage.

Marathon runners led the charge, logging rest days 51% of the time in the 16 weeks before their race. That’s a huge shift and aligns with the rise of training apps like Runna, which emphasises rest as a key part of performance.

It’s Becoming a Club Thing

Running isn’t just about fitness anymore; it’s about connection. Participation in running clubs surged by 59%, with more people swapping nights out for group runs. And I’m not talking about those ‘you must be able to run 10k in less than an hour to join us’ clubs but more of the ‘bring the kids and the dog and lets see what this running thing is all about’ kind.

But this part is fascinating: Athletes who ran with 10 or more people logged 40% longer runs than those who ran solo. So running together isn’t just fun—it actually helps you go further.

And the same is true for group workouts and strength sessions - They increased by 13%, and the best part? They included three times more downtime than solo runs. Think selfie breaks, coffee stops and chatting. The kind of workouts that make participation easier, more engaging and more achievable.

Even with this ‘slower’ approach, 72% of runners hit their goals this year, proving that balance doesn’t mean holding back—it means performing better in the long run.

What Gear Did Runners Love?

Strava’s data crowned the Nike Pegasus as the most popular running shoe. So I’ll save my judgemental sniffing on this one and point out that many of us (and mostly me) forget to update the shoe rotation on strava so this stat needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. 

Super shoes also continued their rise, with a 14% increase in races completed in carbon-plated models. And with brands now designing super shoes for everyday runners, not just elites, expect this trend continue to climb.

So what’s Next for Running in 2025?

We’ve seen running clubs thrive, slow running celebrated, and a real shift toward balance. But what’s coming next?

I’d love to hear your predictions!