Changing the face of running - one step at a time

Across Leeds, a new wave of South Asian runners is emerging.

- by Harriet Sutton

For many South Asians in the UK, running wasn't part of the plan. Growing up, the focus was often on exams, careers and tradition.

Sports-especially something like endurance running-barely registered. It wasn’t just discouraged; it wasn’t even considered. But that is changing.

Across Leeds, a new wave of South Asian runners is emerging, stepping up to join park runs, founding clubs, entering trail races, and making themselves visible in spaces that once felt off-limits. Groups like Muslim Runners are leading the way, creating space for those who've never felt sport was “for them”.