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Running replaces religion

Running replaces religion

Ian Campbell
August 21, 2025

“How did an individual sport become something that brings people together?”

I thought to myself.

It was the COVID pandemic and running, typically a way for people to train alone, was finding find itself in the center of social circles - especially in younger generations. More and more run clubs were popping up at the same time that traditional community groups like church, extended family and local neighborhood friends were playing less of a role in our lives.

Whether a local 5K with 300 runners, a major marathon with 30,000 runners, or a weekly group run with 3 friends, running seemed to be becoming a driving force behind more of our communities and friendships.

What I Learned From 30 Runs in 30 Days

I wanted to see for myself how running was building communities. So, I created a challenge: 30 runs in 30 days.

During the self-created challenge, I met serious athletes chasing sub-6 minute mile marathons along with people focused on the social element of run clubs. Some would even just walk 1 mile before drinking coffee with other members of the run group. The friends I met during the challenge confirmed to me that:

Running had become about more than just fitness.

And it’s not not just me saying this. Experts who research young generations write that running is the new way that people connect. For example, here are 3 articles explaining why running has taken off and become the core for many Gen Z and Millennial communities.

Article #1: From TikTok to the Track: Gen Z is Driving Running’s Third Boom

Running’s affordability, wellness appeal, and fashion-forward culture (Lululemon, Hoka, On) are reshaping our social behaviors.
TikTok and Instagram have popularized group running—it’s no longer fringe, it is mainstream.
Over 1.1 million entries to the 2026 London Marathon—double in just two years—driven by younger, more diverse participants.

Article #2: Run Clubs Are Replacing Dating Apps

Run groups like Chicago Run Collective double as friendship hubs and romance incubators.
Some members even wear signs saying, “I’m single, run with me.”
Young adults are ditching apps for authentic, offline connections.

Article #3: Run Clubs Are the New Nightclubs

Run clubs are emerging as the new “social night out,” by replacing bars and parties with affordable, healthy, expressive community spaces.

Globally, nightclub attendance is declining.
Strava reports a 59% jump in run-club participation in 2024.
Running offers the rituals, tribes, and belonging that younger generations are increasingly lacking in other areas of their lives.

What This Means

Younger generations are forming communities around running, so local 5Ks, charity walks, and fun runs have become about more than fitness and fundraising. They are now prioritized dates on social calendars.

We’ve come full circle from our hunter-gatherer roots. We are back running in tribes to belong. Only now, we’re chasing PRs instead of our dinner and we finish our runs by posting a selfie instead of spearing a wild animal.

-Ian