Running Experience Survey Report

Welcome to the 2025 Running Experience Survey (RXS) Report.

The RXS research project provides a snapshot of running behaviours and attitudes across a wide range of topics, with a particular emphasis on race participation.

It was designed, promoted and analysed by Neil Baxter, an independent sociologist and specialist in running culture. But it would not have been possible without the generosity of the British running community, and especially the 2,100+ runners who gave their time to complete the survey.

This report presents an overview of the key findings, based on unweighted data collected via an online survey between May and July 2025.

If you’d like to discuss the results, request tailored insights, or explore a research commission of your own, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.

Start here

Report contents

  1. Survey respondent characteristics
    Demographics, running characteristics and identities
  2. Race satisfaction summary
    Types of race respondents chose to provide feedback on, and overall satisfaction markers
  3. Motivational profiles of runners
    Common motivations, demographic differences, and four motivational profiles
  4. Race characteristics
    Key characteristics of different types of race and who they appeal to
  5. Event communications and social media usage
    How people find races and engage with running content online
  6. Travelling to running events
    How runners get to races, how long it takes them, and hotel use
  7. Economic impact on host city/region 
    How many runners stay in hotels, eat out and shop in host cities, and how much they spend 
  8. Running shoe choices
    Factors driving running shoe choice for different demographic and motivational groups
  9. Running and technology
    How runners engage with digital technology depending on demographic and motivational profile
  10. Nutrition and diet
    How runners eat, and how this varies depending on their age and motivations
  11. Attitudes and Intentions
    What runners seek from their racing and running experience and runner safety

    Thanks and methodology