New research has found a third of Brits (31 percent) wish they had a better running style which didn’t leave them so self-conscious. And like Phoebe from Friends, one in five (20 percent) go so far as to say they have a silly run.
One in three (27 percent) huff and puff while running, while 14 percent claim they can’t help running with their arms rigidly down by their side. A tenth (nine percent) say their arms have a life of their own and flail around, while eight percent identify as a foot slapper, heavy on their feet, with no natural spring.
Almost half (46 percent) of those surveyed by beef jerky brand, Jack Link’s have had the mickey taken out of the way they run by those around them. Just 24 percent of the nation reckon they could manage a 10k, with that percentage dropping to just 15 percent for a marathon.
When training, 35 percent of Brits prioritise the nutrient content in their running snacks, with being easy to eat (26 percent) and taste (17 percent) viewed as the most important qualities to look for in a running snack.
During a run, the majority of Brits (39 percent) use motivating music to power through, followed by pushing myself (22 percent) and the sense of achievement (17 percent) being the biggest motivators when running at distance.
Millennials (30–44-year-olds) are most confident they could do a marathon (20 percent) followed by Gen Z (under 29-year old’s) (19 percent). Not being fit enough (72 percent) is the biggest barrier to running 26.2 miles, followed by not having the motivation (30 percent) or mental toughness (29 percent). A sixth (15 percent) are too self-conscious and worry about the thousands watching them. One in five (21 percent) say they don’t have the time to train, while 17 percent think they’d just end up injuring themselves.
Two thirds (62 percent) like to run alone, with 38 percent preferring to run with other people. One in six (14 percent) run early in the morning to avoid encountering others, with one in ten (10 percent) waiting until the sun goes down before donning their running shoes.
A fifth (19 percent) admit they want to look good when they run and are jealous of other people who have a nice running style (19 percent).
One in four (26 percent) say that you shouldn’t care what you look like as long as you’re exercising, with 23 percent admitting they don’t care what they look like. 13 percent say they are not going to let an embarrassing running style stop them from running.
Four in ten (40 percent) wish they were better at running, with a quarter (24 percent) admitting they would love to run a marathon one day. Over three quarters (78 percent) of Gen Z would love to run a marathon eventually, alongside 72 percent of Millennials.
Workplace Wellbeing Professional is an online magazine featuring news and analysis on a broad range of employee wellbeing topics, focused on a UK based audience.