The streets of Edinburgh are flooded with runners and the sounds of their thick, white soles hitting the pavement. It seems that every time you go to leave your flat, you see a friend, coursemate, or Harry Styles sprinting down the street. Why is it that everyone you know is running now? And what triggered this running ‘boom’?
Running has gained popularity for a number of valid reasons; from its physical to economic accessibility, anyone can run. No £400 gym membership or top-of-the-line equipment to purchase — just a pair of shoes and solid determination. The societal shift towards focusing on bettering our physical health – in a world filled to the brim with ultra-processed foods and appliances designed to minimise how much energy we expend – is a good sign. It signifies a shift towards improving general mental health as much as physical. The dopamine thrills, ‘runner’s high’, and the social aspects (such as with run clubs) all contribute to the ‘boom’ that takes place today.
It is possible that this increased possibility started during the pandemic. Locked in our homes with restricted access to social spaces, running was a liberating exertion in a claustrophobic time. But this breakout came later than the pandemic; it is most likely due to the recent rise of running influencers on social media and the aestheticisation of fitness.
This creature can be recognised in the wild by their neon Nike aeroswift shorts, reflective visor glasses, and the running vest with the drinking tube they wear for their 5k runs. In truth, it is no surprise that influencers have taken up running; it is naturally a performative sport with instant validation and gratification, as runners will most likely be seen by others on their runs. It has become a status symbol – that you have the luxury of time and can be ‘unproductive’ (money-wise) while others are chained to their workplaces. It is another manifestation of the health/wealth gap, where people from higher socioeconomic backgrounds tend to be physically healthier than those from lower ones.
It is a natural deep-seated element of human psychology where people take anything and try to make it as exclusive as possible, as we place greater value on things that others can’t have. But running is intrinsically an inclusive and accessible form of exercise, and time needn’t be an issue to do it, as even commutes from the workplace to home can be done on a run.
Photo by Venti Views on Unsplash.