{"id":219798,"date":"2025-06-27T23:06:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T23:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/219798\/"},"modified":"2025-06-27T23:06:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T23:06:14","slug":"women-are-finding-ways-to-move-and-connect-outdoors-beyond-the-run-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/219798\/","title":{"rendered":"Women are finding ways to move and connect outdoors beyond the run club"},"content":{"rendered":"

Social run clubs have grown in popularity in recent years, offering a chance to make friends, get outside and exercise.<\/p>\n

But what about women who don’t enjoy pounding the pavement?<\/p>\n

A growing number say they want community, physical activity and time outdoors \u2014 just without the gasps for air that come with trying to chat mid-run.<\/p>\n

“An activity alone is often not enough to keep people coming,” said Dr Tarli Young, a research fellow in psychology at the University of Queensland.<\/p>\n

“It’s the sense of social group connection that makes the difference.”<\/p>\n

\"Group<\/p>\n

Pil Lattes social club gathers every second Sunday morning in Brisbane’s New Farm Park or Orleigh Park. (Supplied: Ang Lewis Photography)<\/p>\n

Outdoor experiences can feel out of reach<\/p>\n

Every second Sunday morning, group fitness instructor Keisha Love rolls out her mat and leads a free outdoor pilates class in Brisbane’s New Farm Park or Orleigh Park.<\/p>\n

It was created for people who love the social and movement aspects of run clubs but don’t actually want to run.<\/p>\n

\"Group<\/p>\n

Despite only launching Pil Lattes social club a few weeks ago, the club saw over 320 people show up to their most recent session. (Supplied: Ang Lewis Photography)<\/p>\n

Amid the cost-of-living crisis, Ms Love said inclusive and low-cost fitness options were filling an important gap.<\/p>\n

“I think people are searching for connection and ways to feel good that don’t cost an arm and a leg,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

she said.\"Six<\/p>\n

Amid the cost-of-living crisis, Ms Love said inclusive and low-cost fitness options were filling an important gap. (Supplied: Brave Babes Australia)<\/p>\n

While some are working out in the park at sunrise, others are seeking more adventurous ways to move outdoors.<\/p>\n

But they can often face barriers that make these experiences feel out of reach.<\/p>\n

Dr Lauren Pearson, a research fellow at Monash University, said safety concerns, knowledge gaps and a lack of confidence were key factors.<\/p>\n

“There are real concerns around personal safety, especially on isolated trails or shared paths,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

she said.’Doing it in a group felt way safer’<\/p>\n

Founded on the Sunshine Coast, Brave Babes creates beginner-friendly outdoor experiences designed specifically for women trying to meet like-minded people.<\/p>\n

“When I moved to [the Sunshine Coast], I was super determined to make new friends \u2026 especially ones who also loved getting outdoors,” said co-founder Kate Bradley.<\/p>\n

“I think as a woman it’s kind of very important to make sure that you’ve got all your ducks in a row \u2026 so I think doing it in a group felt way safer.”<\/p>\n

Women’s running changes once the sun sets<\/a><\/p>\n

An increasing number of women are signing up to local run clubs, even tackling their first marathon. But safety fears once the sun sets are hampering their training efforts.<\/p>\n

Catered to women in their 20s and 30s, the program operates across six different states and territories, offering an opportunity to connect through activities like rock climbing, kayaking and swimming.<\/p>\n

Attendee Michelle Purkhart came across the group after searching for a run club alternative and decided to try her hand at a mountain e-biking event.<\/p>\n

“Being on e-bikes meant you didn’t have to pedal as hard, so you could actually talk to everyone while doing something outdoorsy and fun,” she said.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Brave Babes creates beginner-friendly outdoor experiences for women such as kayaking alongside dolphins and swimming with whales. (Supplied: Brave Babes Australia)<\/p>\n

Practical skills such as choosing the right gear or understanding local trails are often passed down informally within male-dominated groups, Dr Pearson said, making it harder for women to find reliable advice and build confidence.<\/p>\n

“These kinds of programs \u2026 they’re so important because it kind of breaks that barrier of being able to ask these small questions,” she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Social run clubs have grown in popularity in recent years, offering a chance to make friends, get outside…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":219799,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4322],"tags":[86735,5554,25832,86738,1154,77672,1630,86734,48104,105,33388,86733,218,86732,86729,86737,9394,86730,86731,10649,16,15,4950,86736,68494],"class_list":{"0":"post-219798","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-building-confidence","9":"tag-community","10":"tag-community-group","11":"tag-connecting-with-nature","12":"tag-exercise","13":"tag-female-friendship","14":"tag-fitness","15":"tag-fostering-connection","16":"tag-friendship","17":"tag-health","18":"tag-hiking","19":"tag-kayaking","20":"tag-mental-health","21":"tag-mountain-biking","22":"tag-outdoor-adventure","23":"tag-outdoor-recreational-activities","24":"tag-outdoors","25":"tag-recreation","26":"tag-rock-climbing","27":"tag-swimming","28":"tag-uk","29":"tag-united-kingdom","30":"tag-wellbeing","31":"tag-women-led","32":"tag-young-women"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114757840948593720","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219798"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219798\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/219799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}