The evidence is public. Your fit is personal.
Create your evidence profile to see where your own running history appears in the patterns we observe.
Most observed
The studies readers are opening most right now.
The Many Shapes of a Marathon Major Finish
Sports Evidence Lab analysed 169,902 valid marathon finish times across 30 event-year groups, comparing finish-time bands and pooled medians for London, Boston and Chicago.
The Parkrun Personality Types: Which One Looks Most Like You?
SEL looked at 136,996 observed running journeys from 524,777 public 5k results to find playful patterns like Local Loyalists and Comeback Runners.
Uncovering Changes in Parkrun Participation and Demographics (2023–2025)
This article examines changes in parkrun participation and demographic composition, revealing observed trends in finish times and field sizes from 2023 to 2025.
How Timing Changes Affect First Finishes After a Break in 5 km Events
An analysis of first finishes after a 4+ week break across 5 km events based on 600,422 results from SEL's high-confidence dataset from 2020 to 2026.
When Clubs Turn Up Together, Race Results Do Not Simply Get Faster
Observed evidence from 527,602 non-parkrun race records shows that larger same-club groups were not usually the faster cohort within the same event.
Consistency
Patterns around showing up, staying steady, and returning over time.
Parkrun journeys
Observed journeys from Saturday 5K participation and progression.
Does Finishing Near The Back Discourage New Runners?
This study examines how first recorded finishes in the final 10% of a same-series 5k field relate to being observed again within four weeks.
The Parkrun Personality Types: Which One Looks Most Like You?
SEL looked at 136,996 observed running journeys from 524,777 public 5k results to find playful patterns like Local Loyalists and Comeback Runners.
Uncovering Changes in Parkrun Participation and Demographics (2023–2025)
This article examines changes in parkrun participation and demographic composition, revealing observed trends in finish times and field sizes from 2023 to 2025.
Beginners
Evidence from early-stage running journeys.
Recovery and returning runners
Studies about returning, rebuilding, and finding rhythm again.
Community and clubs
How running with others shows up in the observed evidence.
The Parkrun Personality Types: Which One Looks Most Like You?
SEL looked at 136,996 observed running journeys from 524,777 public 5k results to find playful patterns like Local Loyalists and Comeback Runners.
When Clubs Turn Up Together, Race Results Do Not Simply Get Faster
Observed evidence from 527,602 non-parkrun race records shows that larger same-club groups were not usually the faster cohort within the same event.
Running curiosities
The unexpected questions hiding in the observed running record.
The Many Shapes of a Marathon Major Finish
Sports Evidence Lab analysed 169,902 valid marathon finish times across 30 event-year groups, comparing finish-time bands and pooled medians for London, Boston and Chicago.
The Parkrun Personality Types: Which One Looks Most Like You?
SEL looked at 136,996 observed running journeys from 524,777 public 5k results to find playful patterns like Local Loyalists and Comeback Runners.