Marathons see a surge in young participants as the fitness trend grows

Over a quarter of the UK population want to start or are considering running more in 2025  and with runners competing in ultra-marathons, it’s no surprise more people want to join in on the challenge.

Young people are proving that running was more than just a lockdown fad- it seems like everyone is running marathons this year.

In fact, this past April, the London Marathon had 56,000 people finish the race, their highest number yet, and that’s only a small percentage of the 840,000 people who entered the ballot.

Charlie is a 23-year-old runner who, whilst everyone else was running the London Marathon, set himself a different challenge: running from St Bees to Robin’s Bay – 192 miles in 7 days. 

“I wanted to do something that challenged myself- push the human barrier to the limit. I’ve run a marathon before. That’s the closest comparison to this challenge.” 

Although Charlie runs regularly, alternating speeds and distances multiple times a week, he didn’t do anything specific to train for the coast-to-coast run: “It was quite spontaneous- for my next challenge, I’m definitely going to do some more specific training.”

To build up strength as a runner, he recommends yoga and lower-body gym work, focusing on the quadriceps and the hamstrings. 

“It’s just about getting out and running. It doesn’t matter how far or long, it’s just about being consistent with it. For a beginner, I’d stick to the roads, but if you increase your mileage, you can try running on grass to reduce the pressure for your joints, ankles, and knees.”

Running offers numerous physical and mental health benefits, from releasing endorphins, which act as natural painkillers, to improving cardiovascular health; it’s no surprise it’s such a popular form of exercise. It can even improve your heart health and lower your risk of all-cause mortality by 23%.

As you run, your heart pumps out more blood so you can take in more oxygen. More blood then returns to your heart, which makes your heart bigger and stronger, increasing its health and how it functions.

According to SportsShoes.com, 40% of the UK population go on runs, and the odds are you’ve seen someone running on your commute to work and wondered how they do it.

Despite the benefits, it can be daunting- the idea of running in public can be embarrassing, especially if you’re just beginning. The idea of needing a break before you’ve finished 5k whilst people are running marathons in under 2 hours can be nail-bitingly embarrassing, but nobody is born an Olympic-level runner.

Another young runner, Katie, began her fitness journey to lose weight, and although she was initially nervous, she found a passion for exercise: “I was unhappy with feeling lazy and overweight, and I’d see other people being fit and wanted to do it myself.” 

She started her running journey by going on walks and building up her stamina: “I just got the urge to run; I walked lots, and then my body just wanted more. I’d say doing those long walks and a lot of steps every day to build up my muscles. Some people just start running, and then they’re in so much pain because the body is in absolute shock.”

Training for a marathon might sound overwhelming, but Sam, 30, who is running his second half-marathon in September, and first marathon later on in the year, says: “For the half-marathon, I just increase the distance I run each week. I start training about three months out and increase by a mile every week, doing a couple of short runs during the week and then one long run on a Sunday.” 

Although injuries can be a big issue for runners, having previously gotten plantar fasciitis, a foot injury, he adds: “I got a massage gun- I think part of the reason I had problems with my feet was because of tight calves. It does help.”

With more people applying for marathons every year, it seems only natural to want to get involved. 

If you’re interested in running but not sure where to begin, try joining a running club, make sure you stretch properly, and start slow. The biggest cause of running injuries is starting out too strong and overexerting yourself. It’s also important to invest in some good quality running shoes - not your everyday trainers.

Remember to breathe, have fun, and enjoy the journey, not just crossing the finish line.