Running Is Booming. So Why Is Athletics Dead?

Parkruns are packed. Marathon ballots are more oversubscribed than ever. Strava is full of PBs. So why does track and field feel like it's on life support?

In this episode, we dig into the strange paradox at the heart of the sport: running has never been more popular, yet athletics participation keeps declining. We break down what the recent European Championships and Commonwealth Games revealed about the state of the sport — empty stands, shrinking grassroots numbers, and a growing gap between recreational running culture and competitive athletics.

We ask the hard questions:

• Is this a funding crisis, or something deeper?
• Why isn't the running boom translating into club membership or track participation?
• Have the sport's governing bodies lost touch with what's actually pulling people toward running?
• What needs to change before athletics gets left behind entirely?

If you love the sport but you're worried about where it's headed, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Listen/watch the full episode and let us know in the comments — what do you think is really killing athletics participation?

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