'Sad for Sydney': Run club divides Aussies as Gen Z turns its back on nightclubs
It's official: Gen Z Sydney-siders appear to be forgoing the typical weekend line-up of decades past.
Gone are the days where going for coffee on a Saturday morning meant glimpsing hordes of heel-clad girls limping home from a night out; more often than not, matching activewear and post-run matchas are the new order of the day.
Once considered a rite of passage, nightclubbing has suffered a steady decline as young people swap their heels and Hennessys for Hokas in what some have now labelled a "sad state of affairs."
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Run clubs are on the rise amongst Gen Z and beyond. Getty
In a recent post from a Sydney-based run club – aptly named The Sydney Run Club – they assert the Harbour City is "replacing nightclubbing with this," overlaying footage of a mass of young people hitting the AM track in Bondi.
Watch the video above.
The post proved polarising, garnering a mixed reaction from Aussies ranging from approval to outright devastation – with many lamenting the alcohol-fuelled misadventures of days gone by.
"Genuinely, this illustrates so well the appalling state of Sydney's nightlife," one commenter stated.
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Sydneysiders in particular are hopping on the trend. Getty
"Back in the day, it was 24 hours non-stop, now we are 'applauding' run clubs.
"Oh dear, what a sad state of affairs."
Another appreciated the idea of younger generations prioritising their health and wellbeing, but believed one option should not supersede the other.
"Love the fact that younger gens are into fitness, but there's room for both. They should complement, not replace each other," they said.
Meanwhile, another also labelled Gen Z's growing penchant for run clubs as "sad."
"Go to Melbourne, where they still embrace a night life," they advised.
The Visa Australia Night-time Economy Index 2025, a new in-depth analysis measuring data such as spending, vibrancy, and venues open after dark, crowned Melbourne as the number one night-time hotspot in the country.
But the current run club craze sweeping Sydney is reportedly reflective of a new manner of socialisation among younger generations – and a growing uptick in those abstaining from alcohol.
In fact, a recent DrinkWise survey found 76 per cent of young Australians prefer to socialise and build romantic and platonic connection in ways that don't involve the drink at all.
Young people are developing a growing aversion to alcohol, preferring to socialise sober. IGA
Emerging as the all-in-one source for fun, fitness and friendship in a post-COVID environment, run clubs – for all intents and purposes – truly have it all.
And no longer are nightclubs and online dating apps the go-to method for meeting your soulmate, either; an increasing number of young people are now in hot pursuit of that evasive run club romance.
On that front, it isn't just run clubs leading the charge – the so-called 'Coffee Rave' is yet another emerging viral trend taking Australia by storm.
You read that right: Younger Aussies are doing morning raves now. In a café. With a coffee.
In lieu of clubbing, Gen Z'ers are attending the likes of run clubs and 'coffee raves.' dpa/picture alliance via Getty I
This concept of "soft clubbing," in tandem with the rise of run clubs, appears to be eschewing the typical messy, booze-fuelled escapades previously synonymous with youth – and that doesn't look to be changing any time soon.
With that, it appears as though the heyday of clubbing has reached its bitter, coffee-fuelled end.
Speaking to Rebel Sport, City2Surf media director Craig Heydon discussed the growing popularity of organised running events as a whole.
He attributes the sell-out events in both 2024 and 2025 to the rise of a more social, visible, and accessible running movement – particularly for younger participants.
The heyday of the nightclub may have finally reached its bitter end. Getty
"As the popularity of run clubs has grown not only in Sydney but further abroad, we're thrilled to see so many people who are a part of run clubs taking part in City2Surf, especially younger runners," Heydon says.
Recent figures indicate this new wave of fitness-focussed, alcohol-free activities are not merely a fad – but the future.
According to Google trends data, a steady rise in searches for "run club" has shown no signs of decline since spiking in 2022.
Evidently, run clubs are poised to remain a cornerstone of social wellness for years to come.
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