Running Into the Climate Crisis: What It Means to Be a Sustainable Runner

For many of us, running isn’t just a sport. It can serve many purposes: a way to stay healthy, a coping mechanism, a community. It’s how we connect with our bodies, clear our minds, and carve out space for ourselves in a noisy world. But as the climate crisis intensifies, running, one of the most adaptable sports, one that requires no gym, no machines, just our legs and the open air, is being threatened.

The Ability to Run

From wildfires and record-breaking summer heat to hurricanes and flooding, recent years have begun to reveal how climate change is already shaping our daily lives. In 2023, the Urban Institute reported that 3.3 million Americans were displaced by a natural disaster, a number that’s expected to rise as global temperatures increase. 

However, climate change isn’t just causing havoc on a macro scale, like destroying homes or wiping out entire species. It’s also impacting us in smaller, more personal ways. Between unsafe air, unrelenting heat, and shrinking access to clean outdoor space, climate change is directly reshaping when, where, and how we can run. 

Air pollution, exacerbated by wildfire smoke, car emissions, and industrial pollutants, can make the basic act of breathing dangerous. Asthma cases are also spiking. In 2019, asthma caused 455,000 deaths globally. Increase in climate events such as drought, flooding, and wildfires have led to longer pollen seasons, higher mold concentrations, and stronger allergens. This is having a direct impact on the onset, severity, and management of asthma, especially for children and communities without consistent access to healthcare.

Additionally, record-setting heat is making outdoor runs more dangerous and less frequent, especially for marginalized communities that have historically been denied environmental protections.

Not All Communities are Affected Equally 

Access to green spaces, fresh air, and clean drinking water has never been equal. This is a consequence of environmental racism, which refers to “any policy, practice, or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages (where intended or unintended) individuals, groups, or communities based on race.” 

Communities of color, migrant farmworkers, and low-income workers have long been disproportionately exposed to environmental and health hazards: toxic waste facilities, garbage dumps, and polluting factories. This exposure increases health risks like cancer and respiratory disease.

In 1983, a General Accounting Office (GAO) study found that 75% of hazardous waste sites in eight states were placed in low-income communities of color. A subsequent landmark report, Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States, confirmed that this was a nationwide pattern. These placement decisions reflect policies and practices, historical and ongoing, that favor the interests of wealthier white communities.

The legacy of segregation and redlining still affects communities of color, as these practices discouraged investment in these areas, leading to insufficient housing and public infrastructure. According to a report by the Tishman Environment and Design Center, polluting industries try to locate their facilities where the value of land is lowest, and cities respond by zoning these communities for industrial use. 

One striking example comes from a recent study by UC-Berkeley and Columbia University, which found that African American and Latino communities redlined in the 1930s have twice as many oil and gas wells today than predominantly white neighborhoods in the U.S. 

As a result, these communities are less likely to live near safe, maintained parks, trails, and sidewalks. When running outside becomes unsafe or inaccessible, it’s more than a personal inconvenience, it’s an environmental justice issue.

Climate Change and Race Day Disruptions

One of the most tangible ways we see climate change impacting running is on race day. Increasingly, extreme heat, poor air quality, and climate-related disasters are forcing organizers to cancel, alter, or rethink events. Wildfires, hurricanes, and summer heatwaves make it unsafe for athletes to line up at the start, assuming the course hasn’t already been damaged. 

After training for a race for months, the last thing a runner wants to do is “take it easy,” DNF, or not even start the race. Many runners convince themselves that accepting and enduring discomfort is part of the sport, and that being a good athlete means adapting to tough conditions.

But heat-related illnesses like exertional heatstroke are becoming increasingly common and more dangerous. They can result in organ damage, muscle breakdown, or even death. Smaller, local races often lack the medical infrastructure to handle such emergencies, and even larger and more well-funded races don’t have the capacity to handle dozens, if not hundreds, of runners experiencing health problems. 

Performance and Athlete Health Under Climate Stress

Beyond the immediate risks, climate change is affecting race performance in measurable, quantitative ways. Temperature on race day accounts for over 30% of the variance in finish times. A study conducted by Run Repeat’s Research Center, in collaboration with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), analyzed 19.6 million marathon results from over 30,000 events between 1986 and 2018. They found that the average runner adds 1 minute 25 seconds to their finish time for every additional degree Fahrenheit, a slowdown of six seconds per year in line with the global temperature trend. 

Another major study by Sport Ecology investigated 70 global cities to see which would still be able to host the Olympic marathon in the future, considering the impacts of climate change, socioeconomic development, and how well the cities were adapting to changing temperatures. They found that the number of cities suitable for hosting the marathon could fall by up to 27% by the end of the 21st century. 

Even elite runners are not immune to this. Despite new technologies like carbon-plated shoes, a 2024 large-scale investigation into global marathon-running performance and climate change concluded climate change will slow the progression of Olympic marathon performance. Technological innovation can only do so much on a warming planet.

The Environmental Footprint of Races

There’s also the broader environmental cost of racing. Major events like the New York City Marathon draws tens of thousands of international participants, with transportation accounting for the largest portion of the event’s emissions. According to Run Repeat and the IAAF, international race travel rose from 0.2% of runners in 1986 to 3.5% in 2018. While numbers are lower for half-marathons and 10Ks, the impact is still significant. 

When you factor in spectators, coaches, and family, the carbon impact increases dramatically. A 2021 study found that marathoners can reduce their racing-related carbon emissions by up to 80% simply by choosing local races over international travel.

Climate Activists in the Running Space

Fortunately, many runners are realizing that their sport is at risk, and they’re taking action. Groups like The Green Runners encourage athletes to consider the four pillars of sustainable running: how you move, how you kit up, how you fuel, and how you speak out. That might mean choosing local races, buying fewer shoes, taking public transportation, or using your platform to advocate for climate justice.

Green Runner Jasmin Paris, the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathon, has spoken publicly about her refusal to fly to races. She declined a spot on the Great Britain team at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Championships in Thailand to avoid the flight, and travels to races using public transport. She’s also an advocate for buying fewer, more durable running clothes, stating that “the industry needs to focus on well-made kit that can be repaired, the exact opposite of the recent ‘single-use’ shoes.”

Another notable figure is Innes Fitzgerald, nicknamed “the Greta Thunberg of sport.” At age 16, she turned down the opportunity to represent Great Britain at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships in Australia to avoid flying. At race finish lines, she now crosses her arms as a symbolic gesture against unnecessary private jets and has called out the top 1% for their disproportionate environmental impact.

These athletes are necessary reminders that being a sustainable runner isn’t about perfection, it’s about conscientiousness and intention.

Hope for the Future: The Rise of Gen Z Running Culture

Gen Z is both a generation of climate activists and runners. According to Strava and the NYC Marathon, runners in their twenties are flooding into the sport in record numbers. There’s a lot of speculation for why this may be. First, Gen Zers are drinking and partying less than previous generations, and replacing nightlife with sunrise miles and social connection. In the midst of the  loneliness epidemic that was intensified by COVID-19, this generation is craving in-person community more than ever. 

Climate change is also a top concern: over one third of Gen Z adults rank it among their biggest political issues. They’re more likely than any other generation to take action: boycotting polluting companies, changing personal habits, and advocating for climate justice both online and offline. 

They’re also questioning long-held assumptions like whether we need to fly to every race or buy brand-new gear every season.The values Gen Z holds provides a lot of hope that things are shifting towards something more collective and positive for the planet. 

How to Be a More Sustainable Runner

Being a sustainable runner doesn’t mean giving up the sport you love, but it does mean being more intentional about how you move, where you race, what you consume, and what you support. The good news is, it’s not something we have to do in isolation. Tackling climate change is a collective effort, and meaningful impact will only come when the broader running community embraces change together. 

Here are some ways you can take action as a more sustainable runner:

• Run local - Choose races that are closer to home or accessible by public transportation to reduce travel-related emissions

• Reduce, reuse, recycle - Invest in high-quality running gear that will last longer, and avoid single-use shoes. Donate or recycle old gear (if it's still in good condition) and support brands offering take-back or repair programs (like REI and Patagonia)

• Bring your own - Use reusable water bottles and gels instead of single-use plastics during training and on race day

• Be vocal - Share what you're doing with your running club or online community, and advocate for more sustainable practices at races

🎧 Want to hear more about how climate change is reshaping running culture—and what runners can do about it? Tune into The Running Explained Podcast episode with Zoe and Tina Muir for an inspiring and actionable conversation.

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About the Author: Sophie van Leeuwen is the Podcast and Social Media Assistant at Running Explained, where she helps manage behind-the-scenes content, research, and production. A lifelong runner, she got her start going on neighborhood runs with her dad when she was seven and has since completed multiple marathons and her first 50k. She’s currently aiming to explore more trail and ultrarunning.

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