Reports: Slow AF Running Club have announced a tragic…..Read more

Nowadays, more and more people are opting to jog distances at their own pace, rather than racing against others, a practice known as slow running. With over three thousand TikTok videos, slowrunning has taken over social media. Athletes like Jasmine Collett have noticed an increase in slow-running footage on their accounts.

The slow-running women’s organization Runners High, based in London, began with 50 females in October 2023 and now has approximately 9,000 followers.

The creator of the Slow AF Run Club, Celina Stephenson, has the belief that everybody can run, irrespective of their weight or degree of fitness. Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run sold over 20,000 copies in six months, leading him to believe that his message—that anyone can run—resonates.

UK slow running clubs are sprouting up in Cardiff, Bristol, Manchester, and London. Last year, Run Social expanded its Wednesday run groups in UK cities to include Run Slowcial, further demonstrating how running organizations are adapting to accommodate slower runners. Runners are encouraged to maintain a speed of seven minutes per kilometer or slower if they choose. It is common for runners to be able to set their own pace in many groups.

Irish undergraduate Fiona McPartlan, 25, is a rookie runner who found motivation from social media posts on slow running. McPartlan is a student at the University of Amsterdam. It appears more approachable and less daunting to begin with a slow speed, since she sees more runner-generated video on TikTok addressing slow jogging.

More important to McPartlan than keeping track of her pace or trying to be the fastest is taking in the fresh air, being grateful that her body can run, and the satisfaction she gets from doing something she enjoys.