Strava Releases 12th Annual Year in Sport Trend Report, Revealing That Doomscrolling Is Out, Movement Is In

December 2, 2025

Strava, the app for active people with over 180 million users across more than 185 countries, today released its 12th annual Year In Sport: Trend Report, revealing a fundamental shift in how younger generations are choosing to connect: they’re logging off and lacing up.

Running and racing boomed in 2025. Gen Z led the charge, but they also embraced walking, weight training, and multi-sport variety to stay consistent.

Despite 65% of Gen Z reporting being directly affected by inflation, they’re still doubling down on fitness spending and finding community, connection, and even romance along the way.

From running shoes to wearables, 2025 revealed clear winners across categories. This year, more users recorded their workouts on their phones, while a different running shoe claimed the number one spot for the first time. Technology also helped athletes work out smarter around the world, with Strava and Runna harnessing AI to turbo-charge performance. Strava’s community-powered Routes feature—which analyzes data from popular routes to generate personalized recommendations—proved especially popular, with a new route created every 19 seconds throughout the year.

Despite 65% of Gen Z reporting being directly affected by inflation, they’re still doubling down on fitness spending and finding community, connection, and even romance along the way. Strava