Running is the religion of our era, with footpaths being pounded by more and more of the faithful, who find peace, meaning and even love with each step.
As a runner myself, I am delighted to see people of all shapes, sizes and speeds finding joy in movement. It is free, inclusive and you do not even have to be fast to experience a runner’s high.
Group running is one of the fastest-growing social activities globally and is considered the “third running boom”.
The first was jogging (or ‘yogging’ if you are a fan of the fan favourite movie Anchorman) and the second was road racing and marathons.
This running boom is driven by Gen Z and post-pandemic shifts towards community fitness, with social running clubs popping up like mushrooms.
These Gen Z and young adults are increasingly trading late-night clubbing and alcohol-centric socialising for sober morning run-and-coffee meetups.
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Informal group runs have evolved into a popular alternative to dating apps, with a notable percentage of members forming romantic or professional connections.
It is refreshing and delightfully old school. Those meeting up in the wee hours in parks around the Coast may not even know each other but may be linked by friends of friends and social channels.
Curious researchers trying to fathom why young people are suddenly running en masse found that 70 per cent of them join to combat social isolation.
Platforms like Strava and Instagram fuel virality, tracking stats and sharing post-run content.
If running is religion, then church is surely parkrun. The free, timed community movement has more than 11 million registered participants across 23 countries.
Attendance at the 11 events on the Sunshine Coast and in Noosa has spiked. Saturday is the holy day and the ceremonies always begin at 7am. Sweaty coffee is sipped in communion at the conclusion.
Running clubs are effective because they provide support and accountability. If you’ve been a few times and don’t turn up, someone is going to notice, and that makes a difference in this lonely world.
If running is the religion of our era, its greatest promise is not faster times or eternal life. It is a better life now through health and connection.
Dr Jane Stephens is a UniSC journalism lecturer, media commentator and writer. The views of the author do not reflect those of UniSC or Sunshine Coast News.
