Glastonbury is famous for debauchery and chaos, so why did this running club decide to change that? Is this the start of the British festival scene going soft?
Anything Goes at Glasto
Glastonbury is the festival where anything goes, but this year, the word ‘anything’ was given a peculiar meaning.
Strange Sights Take a Turn
The walls of the world-renowned music festival in Worthy Farm must have seen some wild sights over the years, but this one was definitely not expected.
Starting New Traditions at Glastonbury
In the early morning hours on the first day of Glastonbury, past festival-goers would usually start the day by cracking open a tin of beer, but not this year.
Festival Gets Up And Running
Many festival-goers ditched the tinnies for a group run around the festival grounds in a new tradition that bewildered many.
Hundreds Sign Up
Hundreds of runners signed up for the event, which was organised by three former members of the rave scene in a bid to swap the bad stuff for fitness.
Ravers2Runners
Five hundred runners attempted the three-mile jog around the festival grounds, organised by the running group, Ravers2Runners.
A Peculiar Warmup
The ex-ravers didn’t forget their roots, as they were captured doing stretches and warmups to the sound of hardcore techno beats.
Onlookers Admit Strange Sights
Of course, not everyone is caught up in the idea. Many people stood and watched as the runners flew by, with some admitting the sight was very strange.
Viewers “Impressed” by Morning Run
Some who witnessed the event admitted that they were completely “baffled” by the whole situation, while others claimed they were also “impressed.”
Causing a Change in Culture
With British festivals being famous for complete chaos and debauchery, who are the masterminds behind this culture change?
A Healthy Swap
The running organisation, Ravers2Runners, put on events across the UK in an attempt to swap the alcohol-infused lifestyle with a healthy alternative.
Humble Beginnings
From humble beginnings, Ravers2Runners was started by three friends who found a love for running around Bristol. They slowly took things to the next level.
Taking Things to the Next Level
The running club took their run to Glastonbury festival and attracted five hundred participants, starting at the Greenpeace stage.
A Charitable Twist
The run was also infused with a charitable twist, starting at the Greenpeace stage and raising money for the climate charity.
Coming a Long Way
Jo Bryan-Smith, co-founder of Ravers2Runners, spoke of how far the running club had come from its first Glastonbury run just three festivals before.
“Absolutely Wild” Turnaround
Bryan-Smith called the situation “absolutely wild” before revealing the scarce number of runners that took part in their first year.
From Five to 250
According to Bryan-Smith, “two years ago there was five of us running it from Ravers2Runners and last year we had about 250.”
High Demand
“This year we have 450 running – but the demand has been double that,” claimed Bryan-Smith, meaning that the festival scene could be experiencing a drastic change.
Post-COVID Lifestyle
After COVID-19, less young people are drinking and partying in order to focus on a more healthy lifestyle, and it’s only a matter of time before this seeps into parts of British culture.
More to Come?
With the running club already a hit at Glastonbury, will we see more exercise events at British festivals this Summer?
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / marietta peros.