2016 vs 2026: Ten Ways Running Has Changed in Ten Years

The 2016 vs 2026 comparison has been everywhere on social media lately, so it feels fitting to join in. I’ve been writing this blog for over ten years and in that time I’ve watched the running space quietly change. Not overnight, not dramatically, but in small ways that only become obvious when you’ve been around long enough to notice.

2016: Running started at the end of your driveway

You met a friend outside your house in whatever old race tee was clean enough to pass as acceptable. No co-ordination, no plan beyond “shall we head left or right?” You ran, you talked, you solved the world’s problems somewhere around mile three.

Now: Running often starts at a trendy café. The latest ones now seem to have a regular run club. There’s a meeting point, a warm up and sometimes a photographer or videographer. The run is still there, but it’s occasionally overshadowed by the matcha afterwards and the content before.

2016: You ran for the run

You ran because you liked it, or because you’d signed up to something mildly terrifying and needed to train. Running with others was about company, not strategy. You’d run, sometimes moan about your day, sometimes run in comfortable silence. You always felt better afterwards. That was the point. There was no need to justify it or document it, the running itself was enough.

Now: You sometimes run for the optics. Who’s there, who’s watching and what it looks like can feel almost as important as the miles themselves. It can start to feel a bit like networking, just in trainers.

2016: Community meant familiarity

You recognised faces at races. You knew who paced too fast and who always needed a loo stop. Friendships formed slowly and naturally, built over shared runs, damp mornings and mutual suffering. You’d nod at each other on cold start lines and share quiet encouragement without needing to say much at all.

Now: Community can feel accelerated. Connections are quicker, louder and more visible, but not always deeper. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s friendship or just proximity.

2016: Social media was an afterthought

Maybe you posted a sweaty selfie or a screenshot of your route to Facebook if you remembered. No captions, no hashtags, definitely no brand tags.

Now: Social media is part of the run. GRWM videos, “come for a run with me”, tagging trainers, leggings, watches, headphones and yes, even the porridge brand. Just remember to get them all in the frame.

2016: Nobody cared what you wore

Old race tees, questionable socks, shorts that had seen better days. Comfort over aesthetics, always. You wore what worked, not what matched. What you looked like never crossed your mind once you’d started moving.

Now: The look matters. Matching sets, colour palettes, and outfits chosen as carefully as the route. Don’t foget to tag the brand. There’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s definitely a shift.

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2016: Running happened whether anyone saw it or not

You ran in the rain, in the dark, on quiet streets. No audience required. Miles run, big tick.

Now: Being seen running can matter. Videographers, angles, stories, reels. Sometimes the proof feels almost as important as the run itself.

2016: People wanted to run with you because they wanted to run

Simple as that. A bit of company, a shared struggle, someone to chat to.

Now: Sometimes people want access. Who you’re connected to, what brands you’re near, what doors you might open. Running can become a way in.

8. 2016: Growth meant consistency

Turning up. Week after week. Slowly getting better, stronger, more confident.

Now: Growth is often measured publicly. Followers, engagement, partnerships, visibility. Progress still happens on the roads, but it’s often judged online.

9. 2016: Community was presence

Cheering at races, clapping strangers, standing around in damp hoodies waiting for friends to finish.

Now: Community can be performative. Not always, but sometimes. Presence is replaced by production.

10. 2016: Running was simple

Messy, hard, joyful, human.

Now: Running is many things Still joyful, still powerful, still life changing. But also louder, shinier, and occasionally more complicated than it needs to be.

Running has changed so much from 2016 to 2026, and I can’t wait to see where we’ll be in 2036.