Survey
Running Experience Survey – 2025
Following on from the Big Running Survey, which formed the basis of my book Running, Identity and Meaning, the Running Experience Survey focuses in on the subject of races.
Running, and mass participation races in particular, are hugely important contemporary phenomena, whether considered socially, culturally or economically. They also provide a fascinating window on what matters to us today: on what we care about and are willing to invest our time, energy and effort in.
My aims in this research are to understand the reasons people have for participating in races, to identify the types of people drawn to racing, to explore why some races outperform others in terms of runner experience, and to assess the economic and environmental impact of running events in the UK.
I hope the results will be interesting to runners and researchers who study the sport. But I believe they will also provide food for thought for those interested in building the appeal of races, as well as the sport’s participation rates more generally.
How to participate
If you are a runner and would like to have your say, please just click on the button below to access the survey. It shouldn’t take much more than five minutes of your time.
At the end of the survey you’ll have the chance to leave your email address to receive an advance copy of the findings as soon as the research is complete.
Please note that I am conducting this research entirely independent and self-funding. I am not undertaking it on behalf of any commercial entity.
Hello! I'm Dr. Neil Baxter, a social scientist, runner, and author of this blog.
You can reach me via neil@runningstudies.co.uk.