Here's to running buddies: Strava shows we run further and more often with others
Today Strava releases its annual Year in Sport data report, looking at the hobbies and habits of its 100 million plus members. And with over 7 billion activities shared, there’s quite some data to trawl through. The results? Well, they show we are better when we run together.
What does the Strava data tell us?
Perhaps it's not surprising that we've emerged from the pandemic with a new appreciation of the joys of being together - but for runners, training together isn't just more fun, it's actually pushing us on. In fact, UK runners who ran in pairs on average ran for 21% longer and 15% further than if they were running solo. So we strongly recommend you go find yourself a good running buddy.
Women who ran as part of a group ran 10% further than when solo, with the most significant boost found amongst women aged 40-49, with a 15% increase. And in case you are wondering where to get that running buddy from – Northern Ireland was officially decreed as the most sociable region in the UK, with the highest percentage of group activities recorded there. Wales and northeast England made up the rest of the top three, while Greater London ranked last. Come on, Londoners, buddy up!
Some good news, also, for those dreading the gloomy post-Christmas period: January was the best month to run or ride together. In January 2022, cyclists and runners in group activities recorded a whopping 87% and 78% more active time, respectively, than those who ran or rode alone.
In cycling, pairs of Brits rode for 224% longer and 276% further than if they were alone – more than double the global averages. That buddy effect was particularly pronounced for female riders, who cycled 218% further when in a group activity compared to 158% for men.
Strava’s data also shows a return to something like pre-pandemic levels when it comes to racing, with those completing a marathon nearly double that of the previous year. Indeed, the UK’s 122% increase was well above the global average of 96%. Yet some positive pandemic-driven trends remain – hiking’s popularity has tripled on Strava over the last three years, with a whopping 52% of athletes uploading trail activities in 2022.
International travel among athletes is back to near pre-pandemic levels (which may or may not be a good news story, depending on your perspective) and Strava activities were recorded, say the company, in every country on earth. Extra kudos to those logging miles in Pitcairn Island or Tristan da Cunha – some of the remotest countries on the planet. We presume that doesn't, however, include Antarctica as it's not strictly speaking a country – any readers who have logged activities there, we'd be delighted if you proved us wrong.
The relatively new ability to add media to your Strava activities has seen more than 10 million photos and videos shared per week, while there are now over 30 million segments to compete for - though don’t go up against one of the 3,000 professional athletes on Strava to do so. Some of our favourites are Americans Molly Seidel, CJ Albertson, Kiera D’Amato and our very own Aly Dixon
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