Running Together, Running Apart

Running seems like the most democratic sport in the world—just lace up your shoes and off you go! But is it really that simple? This episode explores the hidden complexities of running culture, from the rise of running clubs to the performance pressure fueled by social media.
We dive into how running transformed from a behavior once seen as odd, even suspicious, into a marker of social status comparable to golf. Along the way, we examine how neoliberalism turned our bodies into optimization projects and how apps like Strava make every run a “twice-performed performance”: once in real life, once online.
To understand these dynamics, we spoke with:

• Joël: A 26-year-old runner from Austria, who shares his experiences with running clubs and his relationship with fitness tracking technology.
• Dr. Neil Baxter: An independent sociologist studying running as a cultural practice.
• Dr. Hendrik Thedinga: A sports scientist focusing on physical activity among people with obesity.

From the exclusionary aspects of pace-based groups to the democratizing potential of inclusive communities, we uncover how running clubs reflect broader questions about who belongs, who gets left behind, and what it really means to run together.