Kingston residents are swapping loungewear for Lycra to improve their fitness and mental health.
In recent years, a cultural shift has taken place, particularly among younger generations and women, which has seen a growing number of people embrace running clubs as part of their lifestyle.
This movement reflects the popularity of wellness and community-centred activities, with local running clubs, social events and social media platforms inspiring young people to lead more active lifestyles.
The ‘Sober Curious‘ trend further supports this by encouraging reduced alcohol consumption, prompting many to opt for fitness classes and running clubs instead of traditional nights out.
Social media platform TikTok shows that 686.9K posts use the hashtag #RunTok, 53.6K #RunningTok, and 4.9m and 4.8m posts tagged #Running and #Run, respectively.
Celebrating its 20th year in October, parkrun is a global charity that organises free, weekly five-kilometre events, providing an opportunity for both beginners and experienced runners to stay active, meet new people and enjoy the great outdoors.
Parkrun started with just 13 runners at Bushy Park, and has since grown into a global phenomenon. Runs take place in over 2,200 locations across 23 countries, including 1,293 in the UK alone, with six in and around Kingston.
“We are currently seeing that parkrun finishers aged 20-29 are growing at around twice the rate of total parkrun growth,” Eleanor Heys, a spokesperson from parkrun HQ in Richmond, said.
“The growth amongst this age group is being seen across multiple countries that host parkruns and is being driven by females,” she added.
Kingston parkrun takes place at 9 a.m. every Saturday, with a five-kilometre route along the River Thames. Richmond’s parkrun features a course that winds through the natural surroundings of Richmond Park.
Kingston fitness fans looking to get involved in more local running clubs have several options.
Clubs such as The Pub Run Club and 26.2 Road Runners Club are both beginner-friendly, offering supportive environments for anyone ready to lace up their trainers and hit the track.
Describing themselves as “the poor man’s Ant and Dec,” two friends, Chris Ford and Carl Barthram, started the Pub Run Club by running from work to the pub to improve both their mental and physical well-being.
Nearly a year later, the club has grown into a five-kilometre run along the River Thames, with the option to end at The Grove for a post-run drink.
“For us it was never about charging, we’re completely free, we’re all about charity,” Ford said.
“We’re all about having fun, getting fit and being social,” Ford added, referring to the club’s slogan “Have Fun, Get Fit, Be Social”.
The running club has already raised over £2,600 for DEBRA UK, a charity that supports medical research and provides assistance to those affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa.
Ford said the community has “grown and grown, week in week out,” with people hearing about it through social media and word of mouth.
Barthram added that it is enjoyable to see regulars returning and even meeting at parkruns, which helps build a larger community, while new people continue to join each week.
Ford emphasised how it brings different generations together, saying, “You’ve got youngsters talking to older people,” and added, “we’re breaking down social barriers.”
The club meets every Thursday at 7p.m. behind The Ram in Kingston, easily recognisable by the disco lights and music carried by the run leaders. They offer both fast and slow paced sessions in a social, inclusive atmosphere.
Tom Field, a strength and conditioning coach and competitive powerlifter, leads weekly running clubs across London and has seen a surge in attendance, witnessing this enthusiasm first-hand.
“There has definitely been an increase in the number of people attending our run club,” Field noticed, adding that “there has definitely been a higher uptake in younger people taking part”.
Field, who is also a personal trainer at Chelsea barracks and the Corinthia hotel, noted that the yoga and pilates classes are “very popular across all the locations” he works at, and added that many people enquire about and attend the fitness classes, giving highly positive feedback.
“In my opinion social media has been the biggest driving force in motivating young people to become more fit,” the personal trainer said. “Social media such as Instagram, TikTok and Youtube have been a lot of young people’s first exposure to the fitness industry,” he added.
Field added that with the rise of social media platform TikTok, there has been a shift in fitness marketing towards encouraging young people to adopt healthier lifestyles, focusing on attainable fitness goals rather than unrealistic body images that once dominated the media.
You can begin your fitness journey at any stage in life, and to support this, Connected Kingston—a website managed by Kingston Council—has launched a new campaign called Move Well, Live Well, aimed at encouraging individuals of all ages to prioritise their health and remain active while inspiring everyone to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
