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