When did you start running?
Compared to the other countries participating in our ‘Reasons to Run’ research, running is still a growing sport in The Netherlands, and it is continually attracting scores of new participants. This makes it the ultimate ‘beginner’ nation, compared to approximately one-fifth of Italians (who are the most experienced runners).
Percentage of all runners that started less than one year ago
A large proportion of the female runners who took part in our survey also started running less than a year ago. The most likely explanation for this is the fact that, up until recently, running was very much a male dominated sport, but is starting to become more appealing to a greater number of women. More than 60% of European runners say they have noticed an increase in the amount of women running in their neighbourhood.
No less than 40% of all female runners in The Netherlands started less than a year ago. In most countries, this figure is roughly one-third, while in Italy it is less than a quarter.
Percentage of all female runners that started less than one year ago
