Friends and wholesome vibes: Why we're running more

Trainers on. Playlist set. Health mode activated.

Do you consciousness similar you've been seeing much and much radical braving the bedewed upwind to get a tally successful recently?

Maybe #RunTok has crept into your algorithm, oregon you've got that 1 person who keeps posting their latest stats to Insta Stories?

You mightiness beryllium connected to something.

Parkrun, which precocious celebrated its 20th birthday, says its biggest caller maturation has travel from radical aged 20 to 29.

And the organisers of the Great North Run, the largest fractional marathon successful the UK, accidental 13.3% of runners this twelvemonth were nether 25, up from 10.9% the twelvemonth before.

So wherefore are much radical taking portion successful moving and tally clubs?

"It’s truly hard making friends successful your twenties," says Megan Titterington, who runs an all-female moving radical successful Oxfordshire.

"I consciousness similar going to a tally nine kills 2 birds with 1 stone," she tells BBC Newsbeat.

"It's a societal outlet and you get to conscionable caller people, but besides you're capable to conscionable acceptable successful and enactment out, which is truthful important."

Megan, 24, acceptable up the nine aft a chat with her co-founder implicit TikTok.

"In February and we had possibly similar 20-30 sign-ups for a archetypal run, and present it’s 75," she says.

"I deliberation it's conscionable the information that truthful galore radical truly privation to [socialise],"

Megan thinks societal tally clubs similar hers assistance radical to consciousness safer.

According to run-tracking app Strava, those aged 18-29 are the astir apt to beryllium running, and successful 2023 women were much apt to upload runs than men.

As wintertime approaches, concerns astir moving unsocial successful the acheronian resurface, especially among women.

"I'd alternatively not tally for 3 months, than effort to tally successful the dark," Megan says.

"Even erstwhile going connected a tally arsenic a pistillate during the day, things tin inactive hap arsenic they tin hap to anyone.

"But being portion of a moving group, knowing that you're each going to instrumentality unneurotic and you won't beryllium near unsocial astatine immoderate constituent connected that tally is truly nice," she says.

That’s thing 22-year-old Jade Driscoll thinks about.

Jade, from southbound Wales, started moving successful April and tells Newsbeat it tin get "a spot lonely erstwhile you’re retired determination connected your own".

She’s besides acceptable up her ain tally club.

"It does physique up assemblage wherever you consciousness safe," she says.

"Especially coming into the wintertime months.

"We are going to request it due to the fact that we're not going to beryllium going retired successful the acheronian by ourselves, due to the fact that we cognize arsenic women [how] atrocious it is."

The accidental to consciousness similar you're improving your manner besides appeals to Jade.

"I privation to beryllium that miss who is going for a tally and past getting her greeting matcha," she says.

"That is idealistic."

She says societal media influencers person provided an aspirational image.

"I saw a batch of girls going retired past they person java dates aft it. And I was like: 'that sounds great'.

"Especially erstwhile you permission uni and are successful your mid- to precocious twenties, you bash deliberation you’re [over] that drinking culture," she says.

"People are leaning much towards going retired running, going for a aquatics oregon walks."

She adds those are cheaper options successful the agelong run, compared to nights retired and gym memberships, aft the archetypal outgo of trainers and kit.

"Running is simply a escaped activity."

Running does travel with risks - the NHS warns that injuries to the knees, shins and muscles tin impact radical of each acquisition levels.

It recommends warming up earlier starting, not pushing yourself excessively hard astatine first, and ensuring you've got suitable footwear.

But many, similar Laura Woodiwiss, accidental moving has had a affirmative interaction connected their lives.

Laura, 26, says bonding with her mates usually meant "bottomless brunches and drink".

"And it was getting earlier and earlier each clip we met up," she says.

"But present it's similar we're factoring successful a parkrun successful the morning.

"We're not really drinking that overmuch and I bash deliberation the manner change... makes maine consciousness I person achieved more."

And determination is thing rather similar the post-run feeling of the "runner's high", she says.

"You're doing thing much enjoyable and past coming retired of it feeling truly good."