Why has Running Become Increasingly Popular?
Why Not?
T. M. Kennedy
IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, WHO KEEPS UP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEW CRAZES, I came across the Unofficial Run Club in the summer holidays, a new craze that only started with a few friends. Every Friday from 6am, they would run to the Sydney Opera House and back from Milsons Point. Now, I’m not sure if Chad Cohen (the creator) would have imagined how big his run club would become. Presently, the Run Club has amassed over twenty-six thousand Instagram followers and over 1,000 people going on Friday mornings, including a few of our very own Shore Men. Now, I am interested in finding out why running and exercise have become increasingly popular recently.
Unofficial Run Club posing for a photo before reaching the 1,000 milestone
Now, although I haven’t been to Unofficial yet, I have had a chat with many people who have, with all positive comments such as “it’s amazing to see so many people all exercising at once” – Chris Mathur. Now although this has only just recently started, I am going to dive into why running, in particular and more broadly, exercise has become so popular. First and foremost, I think our society is becoming more fitness conscious, which has so many benefits for our bodies and our minds. It is recommended to do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, so why not in your next study break go for a run and try to set a personal best?
A snippet from Nedd Brockman’s Strava
I think the second reason that a lot of people have started running is the influence of running sensations such as Nedd Brockmann, who recently ran from Cottesloe Beach, WA, to Bondi Beach, NSW – a distance of over 3,600 kilometres. Nedd was an athlete before, but not your David Goggins. He put his body and mind to the task and completed it, running nearly 100 kilometres a day at a six min/km pace!! I think a lot of people saw what Nedd accomplished and thought to start their own journey of fitness, whether that be riding a bike, swimming or running. Whether it be running across a continent or running 5km, you have to start somewhere. Now, one of the bigger influences would have to be the one and only David Goggins. He is the GOAT of short inspirational quotes such as “Who’s gonna carry the boats?”, “Don’t be motivated by the fear of failure. Be motivated by the possibility of success.” He is a retired American Navy Seal, an ultra-marathon runner, ultra-distance swimmer and triathlete. Oh, and did I mention he’s published two books and is a motivational speaker? Goggins says, “Laziness is running rampant in the world”, which expresses his views on the world, and I believe it to be entirely true with most of the population looking that way. I think you grasped why he has influenced a lot of people to get off the couch and put one foot in front of the other.
Goggins in action in the desert ultra
So, my top tips for the day are to get yourself off your couch and start putting one foot in front of the other.
- Run with friends. This is definitely a psychological thing, but I believe if you run with friends, you are less likely to stop earlier.
- Find a good running playlist or podcast that motivates you.
- Record your run, but don’t worry about time or pace, because the main thing is getting out – you have to start somewhere.
- Lastly, the David Goggin’s 40% rule – when your brain thinks you’re done, you’ve only done 40% of what you can. So, keep pushing yourself and think of Nedd Brockman or David Goggins running across different continents. So, until next time, keep running and get off your lazy couch.
Nedd Brockman in action