SportsShoes’ 2026 Running Report outlines the soaring popularity of running in the UK and the retail opportunities for selling running gear, noting that over half of surveyed runners living in the country do not replace their shoes at the recommended manufacturer’s interval and that nearly two-thirds do nott know their running gait (neutral, overpronate, or underpronate).
The survey of 5,000 U.K. adults, conducted by YouGov in January 2026, found that while only 17 percent of Brits said they run outdoors at least once a month, either on the road, trail, track, or cross-country, 6 percent of the country’s population would like to start running in 2026.
Among those who run, 18 percent would like to run more this year, up from 13 percent in the 2025 survey, and only 8 percent in the inaugural 2024 survey. Gen Z is the most eager to start running, with 43 percent of 18- to 28-year-olds saying they want to start running or run more frequently in the next 12 months.
SportsShoes, the U.K. running and fitness e-tailer, wrote in its report, “Much the same as last year, our data aligns with other published research which shows Gen Z care more about their wellbeing than previous generations, with a study by EY showing that over half of Gen Z rate their mental and physical health as the primary measure of future success.”
Running Motivators
The Top 10 reasons why people surveyed run is to maintain/improve fitness, 37 percent; to challenge themself, 30 percent; to lose weight, 30 percent; maintain/improve mental health, 28 percent; to look better, 28 percent; to be in the outdoors, 22 percent; to have a hobby, 15 percent; lower cost alternative to gym memberships and team sports, 13 percent; to fitter or faster than someone they know, 12 percent; and to explore new places, 11 percent.
Both men and women who participated in the survey agreed that their top running priority is maintaining or improving fitness. For men, the second-largest motivation is to challenge themselves (32 percent), whereas for women, it is to lose weight (34 percent). Nine percent of runners surveyed are motivated to run to achieve a goal such as a marathon, even though over half (54 percent) said that they took part in a competitive event of some kind in 2025.
For Gen Z, the top motivator is to look better, while for all other generations, it is to maintain or improve fitness.
Running Benefits
The Top 10 benefits from running for those surveyed, include improved mental health/mood, 32 percent; improved sleep, 30 percent; more energy, 30 percent; less stressed, 27 percent; feel stronger, 27 percent; improved fitness, 24 percent; time alone, 22 percent; body confidence, 22 percent; time away from devices, 17 percent; and time to listen to music or podcasts, 15 percent.
SportsShoes wrote in the report, “Looking at the results, one thing is clear: for many runners, the value of running itself extends far beyond physical fitness alone. Putting one foot in front of the other, whether on the treadmill, trail or pavement, supports both their mental and physical well-being.”
For men, the biggest benefit of running is better sleep (32 percent), while for women, it’s improved mental health and mood (32 percent). The study found that 2omen are more likely to cite stress relief and body confidence benefits, while men are more likely to cite better sleep and time away from devices. Only one in 10 cites “making friends” as a benefit.
SportsShoes wrote, “Considering the fact that year-on-year only around 1 in 10 say they run in a group, and that this year a huge 42 percent said they opt for solo runs, the data reinforces the idea that, despite group running being up year-on-year, running tends to still be a very individual experience.”
Running Barriers
The Top 10 reasons why surveyed respondents do not run are “I don’t enjoy it,” 27 percent; “I feel too old,” 25 percent; “I have a health condition or injury that means I can’t,” 25 percent;” I think I am too unfit,” 22 percent; “I find it painful,” 20 percent; “I find running boring,” 16 percent; “I am not very good at it,” 13 percent; “I’m scared of falling over/getting an injury,” 11 percent; “I think I am too overweight,” 10 percent; and “I feel embarrassed when other people see me running,” 9 percent.
Though the top reason for not running is a lack of enjoyment, the same as in previous years, this is slightly different for men and women. For men, the most common reason is feeling too old (29 percent), whereas women are more likely to cite a lack of enjoyment (28 percent). The proportion of non-runners is roughly the same for Millennials and Gen X (70 percent and 73 percent, respectively), and 95 percent of boomers do not run.
Other common barriers for both genders include health conditions or injuries, feeling too unfit, and finding the sport boring. Notably, the number of people surveyed who find it painful rose by 4 percent over the last 12 months.
SportsShoes said, “With so many people each year saying they want to run more, but the actual proportion of runners among the population staying the same each year, it’s clear there are some serious blockers to the sport.”
Running Spend
On average, runners living in the U.K. spend £1,296.54 ($1,710) per year on the sport. Men spend an average of £1,458.93 per year, £348.23 more than women, who spend £1,110.70.
Footwear represents the largest single area of spend. U.K.-based runners spend an average of £186.64 per year on shoes, followed in the Top 3 by gym memberships at £164 and technology at £154.89. Clothing, supplements, coaching, and race entry fees all contribute to annual spend.
The most used running technology is wireless headphones, used by 41 percent of runners surveyed; followed by a smartwatch (40 percent), a running app (23 percent), wired headphones (16 percent), and a heart rate monitor (10 percent). One in five (21 percent) use platforms such as Strava or Garmin to plan their runs, using data and past activity to guide distance, pace or effort.
Carbon-plated running shoes are worn by 7 percent of runners surveyed and are most often used for races or specific performance-focused goals, rather than everyday training.
Runners Knowledge
Nearly two-thirds of runners surveyed (62 percent) did not know their running gait, such as whether they are neutral, overpronate or underpronate, although awareness improved compared with last year, with 90 percent of runners surveyed not knowing their running gait.
The survey still found that over half (52 percent) bought running shoes based on what they think is their running style, while over one-third of runners (37 percent) said they are not confident they are wearing the right type of shoes for their running style.
One area showing improvement is runner gait analysis. A quarter of runners (25 percent) surveyed have had a gait analysis, a significant increase from last year, when fewer than 7 percent had done so. Uptake is highest among younger runners, with a third of 25- to 34-year-olds having had a gait analysis, compared with 13 percent of runners aged 55 and over.
However, the survey also found that many runners are holding on to their running shoes longer than recommended. More than half of runners surveyed (56 percent) said they do not replace their shoes every 500 to 750 kilometers (311 to 466 miles). The general advice is that running shoes should be replaced every 300 to 500 miles before the cushioning and support begin to break down.
Almost half of runners surveyed (48 percent) reported wearing their running shoes for everyday activities, such as errands, which SportsShoes noted can accelerate midsole compression and reduce a shoe’s ability to absorb impact during runs.
Other Survey Findings
- As in previous survey results, men are more likely than women to run outdoors overall, with 23 percent of men reporting they run at least once a year, compared to nearly 1 in 6 (15 percent) women.
- Millennials run most often among generations, with just under one-third (30 percent) running at least once a year. Gen Z is close behind, with 27 percent hitting the road or the trails at least once a year. This drops by nearly half for Gen X, of whom 15 percent run at least once a year, while the figure more than halves again for baby boomers (5 percent).
- The most common type of run is a casual or leisure run (31 percent), followed closely by treadmill running (30 percent), with road running accounting for just 21 percent of all runs.
- Over half of runners surveyed (54 percent) took part in some form of competitive running in 2025, with participation highest among younger age groups. The Top 5 races runners are training for who participated in the survey are: 5k (12 percent), fun run (12 percent), 10K (9 percent), half-marathon (9 percent), and marathon (7 percent).
- Three-quarters of runners surveyed have sustained an injury from running in 2025, up from 70 percent last year. The most common injuries runners reported are lower back pain and blisters, both experienced by 15 percent of runners surveyed.
