I am a runner in the midwest having run 10+ marathons in my career. You can tell the running boom is happening when you no longer can book a last minute marathon. The fall marathon in Indianapolis was always available just in case you couldn’t run Chicago. It’s now booked up months in advance. Running paths in my neighborhood are still full on Saturday mornings with all types of runners. Let’s look at what’s actually going on and why now is as good a time as ever to join the crowd.
The Running Boom is Not Just your Imagination
Marathons are really hard and take up significant investment. It is also a strong indicator of the popularity of running, because it is usually the longest distance within the traditional races racing formats. Here are a few by the numbers:
- 200K+ applicants applied to the Chicago marathon. A race near and dear to my heart will required some luck to get in to this elite race
- 1.1+ million entries globally for the London marathon. It’s the first sub-2-hour marathon ever completed in a race that counts toward official world records run by Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha.
- It’s not just big marathons. Smaller marathons are seeing the growth as well. The 2026 Missoula Marathon sold out its largest field in history of 1,700 runners.
- Between 2022 and 2025, global tracking firm GWI estimates that runners or joggers grew by 110 million
These numbers aren’t showing isolated changes, but real growth.
Running to Answer Why
I write about many reasons runners are motivated in my blog. It’s for health reasons, clearing the mind, and achieving a goal. I even have ideas for dads to get started. I think there is one big reason contributing to this running boom and it is for social reasons. Here are a few observations:
- Training groups – in my city, if you’re running long-distance there have always been training groups to help you get through the training program. I’m seeing the same training groups from 10 years ago, but with more meet up locations throughout the city and suburbs. There’s even one down the street from my house.
- Social Media – social media is a strong medium to create the social connectivity with running. On the Strava platform, it is estimated that running is the top sport on their platform. It’s easy to share runs with friends and to make it a social event. And there is nothing more exciting than sharing a picture with your medal on any or all of your social media platforms.
- Community – whether it’s a training group or a weeknight meetup, there are more opportunities to run with a group. The sense of community is motivating and makes you feel like it’s more than just a task.
Join the Running Boom
The running boom is real. It brings me great joy to see this sport continue to grow. I participated in many running groups when I started. These groups played a big part in my progress and kept me motivated. Getting up at 6am on a Saturday to run with 100+ people makes it feel worth it. Those mid-week speed runs are a little more enjoyable with a group. It keeps you accountable, but the social engagement is rewarding. I run half marathons with a college friend every year. It’s the only time we get to see each other. It’s a social event with everything else that goes with it.
Next time you see the running path a little more busy than usual, now you know why. If you haven’t been out yet, what are you waiting for?