Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Running? Community, Confidence, and the Runner’s High
By Hayles & Jussie | Women’s Running Collective Podcast
Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with running? And why does it feel like running clubs are popping up on every corner?
This week, Hayles and Jussie are asking the big questions.... in between a rough week of questionable sleep, unexpected ailments, missed runs and trying to get their lives together before marathon training kicks off. Oh, and Jussi is counting down to the end of netball!
But seriously, what is it about running that has so many of us hooked?
From the post-COVID running boom to the rise of run clubs, we unpack why running has become so much more than putting one foot in front of the other. It’s about finding your people, making genuine friendships as an adult, getting out of your own head and remembering who you are outside of being a mum, a partner or an employee.
We chat about why running is one of the most accessible forms of movement, how run clubs are helping women feel less lonely, and why you absolutely do not need to be fast, fit or particularly outgoing to find your place in the running community.
We also get into the science behind the runner’s high, why running can feel so addictive, the role of Strava and social media in making running the thing to do, and when that healthy obsession can start to become a little too much.
Because in a world that’s increasingly online, overstimulating and, let’s be honest, a bit cooked, running gives us something wonderfully real: time away from our screens, a shared challenge, a sense of achievement and connection with people who just get it.
Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner, a run-club regular, a solo plodder or someone still trying to convince yourself to get out the door, this episode is a reminder that running doesn’t have to be about pace, distance or performance.
Sometimes, it’s about finding your people and finding a little bit of yourself along the way. ❤️
Plus: we share one of our current running recommendations, ELYTE hydration powder, before wrapping up.
In this episode
- Why running has exploded in popularity since COVID
- How running can be accessible, affordable and easy to fit into busy lives
- Why run clubs are about so much more than running
- Making friends as an adult (yes, it really can be that simple!)
- Finding an identity beyond motherhood, work and everyone else’s expectations
- The mental health benefits of moving your body and taking a break from screens
- What actually happens in your brain when you experience the runner’s high
- Running, dopamine and why we keep coming back for more
- The influence of Strava, social media and the marathon boom
- When running becomes pressure instead of pleasure
- Why belonging might be one of the best things running gives us
Timestamps
00:00 — Cold Open Banter
00:03 — Podcast Intro Chaos
00:30 — Sleep, Periods and Ailments
00:52 — Running Week Recap
02:05 — Long Run Plans & Netball Ends
02:24 — Today’s Big Question
03:13 — Why Running Is Everywhere
05:06 — Accessible for Busy Women
06:08 — COVID, Social Media & Run Clubs
08:03 — From Solo Sport to Social
08:51 — Run Clubs Fight Loneliness
11:12 — Instant Friends & a Safe Space
13:05 — Women Beyond Their Roles
14:07 — The Ingredients of a Great Run Club
15:17 — The Titanic Tangent
16:27 — The Unexpected Impact of Running
17:17 — Craving the Real in an AI World
17:55 — Running as a Reset
19:29 — Authenticity & Real Connection
20:22 — Runner’s High vs Surf High
21:57 — The Brain Chemistry Behind the Addiction
25:42 — When Running Becomes Too Much
27:20 — Runner Identity & Belonging
29:16 — Why Women Love Running
31:58 — Strava, Social Media & the Marathon Boom
34:00 — Recommendations & Wrap-Up
Come for the running, stay for the community.
Follow Women’s Running Collective for more honest conversations about running, women’s health, confidence and finding your people.
And if you’ve ever made a friend on a run, found your headspace on a hard day, or accidentally signed up for a race because everyone else was doing it… this one’s for you.
