Strava reported a nine percent increase in the number of marathons and ultramarathons logged in 2024. For Active Holiday Company, which focuses on marathon tourism, this has translated into a range of runners: Corporate workers, students, mothers, athletes, retired folks, father-and-sons, mother-and-daughters, friends, and more. “Running often becomes a way to overcome a personal challenge,” Jayaram tells me. “A marathon works as a gateway to overcoming things like obesity, depression, empty-nester syndrome, illness, and loss.”
More marathoners may be hitting the road, but so are the number of people who run to reap health benefits: Lower blood pressure and cholesterol, enhanced immune system, weight management, and improvements in sleep, mood and mental clarity.
Writer and photographer Trisha Mohanty who’s based in Pune, 97 miles (156 kilometers) southeast of Mumbai, finds running a deeply meditative practice, and it’s helped her battle mental health issues. “My running shoes always travel with me. But I’m not a very technical runner; I don’t fuss over timings and pace,” she says. “Running brings a lot of joy. If I can hit the road while the world is asleep and silent, and watch it stir and wake up as I finish my run, that’s good. That’s great.
Running doesn’t just take you places—it changes how you see them. As more people lace up for landscapes instead of lounges, running is becoming a new and exciting way to see the world. And at the top of the Rocky Steps, with the city stretching out below, I understand why this simple act endures. It isn’t about being Rocky, or even about the steps. It’s about claiming a little victory of your own; a reminder that sometimes, the best way to see the world is to run right into it.