Darren DeMatoff, 57, had an interesting realization a few years ago: Many of his close friends were up to 30 years younger. It then became clear to him why: They had met through a running group.
“Running is a great equalizer. It’s a space where people find common ground, face similar challenges, overcome obstacles, and achieve personal milestones,” says DeMatoff, owner of a Chicago interior accent design and manufacturing company, in an interview with Fortune. “When you meet and run together, age doesn’t even factor in.”
This valuable lesson came through his involvement in the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA), which he joined when he decided to run his first marathon in 1995. Now the vice president, DeMatoff believes running with others can be a particularly effective—if surprising—antidote to the loneliness epidemic, currently affecting nearly 1 in 2 people in the U.S.
While running is often seen as a solo activity, it can also be done with others, bringing numerous physical and mental health benefits.
Why it’s necessary
In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called loneliness an “epidemic.”
“We are called to build a movement to mend the social fabric of our nation…each of us can start now, in our own lives, by strengthening our connections and relationships,” his advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community reads. Running group members believe these groups are an excellent place to start.
“I think everyone is looking for new friendships as they go through life, and it can get harder as you get older,” says Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of the nonprofit New York Road Runners (NYRR), in an interview with Fortune.
In 1997, he trained for and ran his first marathon alone, and the experience was “just fine,” he says. “But it was nothing like when I did it again years later on a team and met people in the park to train with every day,” he adds. Training with others provided accountability and social time, leading to a better marathon performance. But for Simmelkjaer, it’s not really about the running.
“It’s about the kind of people you surround yourself with,” he says. “You’ll talk about your careers, life stories, and family. But running is a nice common ground…you get something very different out of it when you’re doing it with others.”
Why running?
Running has long been known for its physical benefits. As little as five to ten minutes a day, even at slow speeds, can significantly lower the risk of dying from heart disease. It also positively impacts brain health. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, regular cardiovascular workouts like running can improve working memory, focus, and mood.
A 2020 review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health linked running to improvements in mental health, especially in depression and anxiety disorders. Regular exercise helps release the stress hormone cortisol, making running a healthy way to regulate stress, according to a recent Runner’s World article. Running also triggers the release of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, chemicals often affected by mental disorders.
Adding the benefit of social connection, which the CDC states can reduce the risk of heart disease by 29%, stroke by 32%, and dementia by 50%, further highlights running’s value.
Research from AARP Services, UnitedHealthcare, and OptumLabs in 2023 found that moderate to high physical activity could lower severe loneliness and social isolation by up to 30%. Similarly, a 2023 study indicated that enjoyable physical activity could reduce feelings of loneliness.
If you’re among the 50 million Americans who run for exercise, joining a group or running with friends could be a simple yet powerful antidote to loneliness.
“When you can breathe and eliminate feeling alone, running is a saving grace,” says Shawanda Weems, 48, a middle school English language arts teacher and track coach in the Bronx, in an interview with Fortune. “It can free you. Running is a prescription-free way to deal with loneliness available to all.”
Simmelkjaer knows people who have met spouses, close friends, and mentors through NYRR, where it’s common to see CEOs running with early-career individuals who have similar skill levels.
Weems agrees, saying she’s seen track bring her students together and has cultivated long-term friendships with them as they matured into adulthood, including with Kiara Fernandez Chavez, 28. The pair ran the New York City Marathon together through NYRR in 2016, and Weems says she wouldn’t have done it without her friend’s motivation.
“To have her suggest we embark on this adventure was not a goal of mine at the time,” says Weems. But completing it together, she adds, was “one of the highlights of my adult life.”
It’s just one testament to the power of running with others. “If you get in with the right group, you’ll realize the runs are the mechanism for bringing people together,” says Simmelkjaer. “And that’s really what we all need in life.”
