The possibility of romance may be behind the spike in running

London CNN — The journey to the London City Runners clubhouse is a test of willpower in many ways. “When I started in 2003, there was nothing cool about running,” said Mike Saes, founder of NYC Bridge Runners, a popular running crew in New York City with around 27,000 followers on Instagram. Almost 70% of women have “experienced some form of abusive ” while running, according to 2024 research conducted by the UK’s University of Manchester. The Strava spokesperson said that “women are 16% more likely to be part of weekend group runs than men, with over half of women in 2024 having participated in a run with at least one other person.” Establishing a “safe space” for female runners was a primary concern when Molly Slater-Davison founded the all-female run club These Girls Run in York, England. A community of runners and support Stephen, a member of LGBT+-inclusive club London Frontrunners, said that while “there’s probably a lot of hookups going on,” many people who join are new to the city and looking to form a community.