Want to freshen up your Instagram feed? From ultra-runners chasing stones to compete at the UTMB to parkrunners, run club leaders, athletes and inspirational coaches, these are the names to follow right now.

Inspiring runners you need to follow on Instagram

1. Susie Chan

IG handle: @Susie_Chan_
Followers: 81.6K

    To many of the running IG world, Susie Chan and endurance go together like peas and carrots, Bogie and Bacall, blisters and marathons. From not running at all to becoming – arguably – the face of British amateur ultra running, Chan has worked her way up through the distances and has now racked up three Marathon Des Sables Health & Injuries We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article through the Amazon, become the first European female to finish all three Badwater races, and snaffled a How to run twice a day and why you should try it for the furthest distance run on a treadmill in 12 hours (68.54 miles) – and that’s just a few of her achievements.

    2. Twice the Health

    IG handle: @twicethehealth
    Followers: 66.7K

    Friends since university, Hannah and Emily are the blonde duo dressed head-to-toe in matching (North Face) kit. From completing multi-stage ultra-marathons (Ultra X Azores, Ultra X Jordan) to taking on various swim, bike, run events (IronMan Vichy, IronMan 70.3 Finland) these two provide a constant source of advice and inspiration around training for marathons – and always seem to have the biggest smiles plastered across their faces. And since Emily is also a qualified nutritionist, there’s no chance you’ll be fed questionable TikTok trends here.

    3. Emma Kirk-Odunubi

    IG handle: @emmakirkyo
    Followers: 32.1K

    Gait and injury analyst Emma explores the biomechanics of running and offers coaching advice at her website, emmakirkodunubi.co.uk. Having recently completed four marathons in four weeks (finishing with an ultra), she’s taken on numerous intense challenges, including an indoor Ironman, and holds the How to run twice a day and why you should try it for the fastest 100m run in ski boots (16.86).

    4. Charlie Watson

    IG handle: @therunnerbeans
    Followers: 85.1K

      NHS dietitian, blogger and mum Charlie (‘The Runner Beans’), is known for her can-do ethos when it comes to running. She’s run all six Sophie Raworth: Why calf raises rule, but running PBs isn’t necessarily her top priority. Since becoming a mum, she’s learning how to balance work, running and parenting – something that obviously chimes with her sizeable follower base.

      5. Charlie Dark

      IG handle: @daddydarkrdc
      Followers: 35.6K

      A complete guide to running in the dark Jungle Ultra Marathon How to sprint: Your guide to faster running UTMBs OCC 35 mile race community – a running crew specifically designed for people who didn’t typically consider themselves ‘runners’ – after seeing the great change running brought to his life. Charlie and the crew now work closely with young people across London to provide mentoring and introduce them to running.

      6. Sophie Raworth

      IG handle: @sophieraworth
      Followers: 72.2K

      BBC News presenter Sophie is a dedicated runner, having been inspired by Brendan Foster to take up the sport 17 years ago. She’s since run 20 marathons – 11 at the London Marathon – and a whole host of ultras, including UTMB’s OCC (35 mile race) founded the vastly popular.

      7. Sabrina Pace-Humphreys

      IG handle: @sabrunsmiles
      Followers: 7.5K

      After only starting running after the birth of her fourth child, Sabrina quickly found running was a great way to manage her mental health. From completing the New York, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, Edinburgh and London Marathons to increasing her distance to ultra-marathons – she completed the Marathon Des Sables (a 250k multi-day ultramarathon in the Sahara desert) in 2018. She’s since gone on to co-found the community Black Trail Runners, which seeks to increase the inclusion, participation and representation of Black people in trail running.

      8. Lillie Bleasdale

      IG handle: @lilliesfitness
      Followers: 17.8K

      Marathon Des Sables Train Passa, Lillie uses Instagram to document her running journey – showing how she’s gone from a 4-hour marathon to an impressive 03:03 – all while documenting how debilitating endometriosis can be.

      9. Anya Culling

      IG handle: @a.culling
      Followers: 87.2K

      In just three years Anya went from running the London Marathon in 4:34 to 2:36 – which is pretty extraordinary. Now she’s a Lululemon ambassador and has even represented England at Copenhagen Marathon.

      10. Marcelino Da Silva Vong

      IG handle: @calisthenics_runner
      Followers: 24K

      Marcelino is a keen runner, but that’s not all there is to him. On top of being a sub-3 hour marathoner, he’s a callisthenics enthusiast and can perform an impressive human flag (click here if you don’t know what that is, but don’t try it at home, even if you have a flagpole in your front room).

      11. Marcus Brown

      IG handle: @marcus_runs
      Follower: 28.1K

      From a 4:55 to six-time sub-3 hour marathoner, Marcus is always preparing for the next big race. Check out his blog for training round-ups, musings on mental health and exercise, and encouragement for runners of all kinds.

      12. Rose Harvey

      IG handle: @roseharvey.runs
      Followers: 16.8K

      For Rose Harvey, running was ‘a lockdown project that got a bit out of control’. From someone who dreaded running at school to a finance lawyer, Rose is now one of the UK's best female distance runners (a 2:23 marathoner) and will be representing Britain at the Paris Olympics this summer.

      13. Lee Ryan

      IG handle: @leemryan
      Followers: 13.9k

      Nope, not the bloke from Blue. This one is a Dubai-based endurance coach who has set several How to run twice a day and why you should try its, including the most burpees in 24 hours (an unreal 10,110). His frequent challenges – including, most recently, running 40 marathons in 40 days – and social media updates are done for his family and in memory of his young son, who sadly passed away.

      14. Ali Ball

      IG handle: @aligoesrunning
      Followers: 6k

      Our very own E-Commerce editor has run nine marathons – including a rather adventurous 26 miles through the African Savannah – as well as a 220km ultramarathon in Tanzania to raise money for Forever Stars, a baby loss bereavement charity. She’s currently aiming to collect all of her 6 stars for the Abbott World Majors – did someone say Berlin Marathon in September? – and loves sharing all the many highs and lows of running with her IG followers.

      15. Aidan O'Flaherty

      IG handle: @theirishphysio
      Followers: 50.5K

      Not only is Irish physiotherapist, Aidan O'Flaherty, a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the reduction of running injuries and maximising performance, but he's also a very keen runner himself. Aidan, who was a professional footballer in his late teens was forced to give up the sport due to injuries, so he knows a lot, professionally and personally, about how to navigate setbacks in sport. Last year, he ran the London Marathon and shared the experience of taking on the 26.2 miles while dealing with old injuries. He's also a very cheery chap in person.

      16. Sophie Power

      IG handle: @ultra_sophie
      Followers: 36K

      Ultra runner Sophie is so much more than just being remembered for the above picture, but the striking image of her breastfeeding her 3-month-old baby is iconic. Taken when Sophie was racing the 166km UTMB, the photograph went viral around the world and further ignited the debate around motherhood and women in sport.

      Now a mother to three children, Sophie documents the juggle of work, family and ultra running and is open about running with a prolapse. She also founded @she.races - an initiative to make races more inclusive for women.

      17. Haroon Mota

      IG handle: @haroonmota
      Followers: 22K

      Founder of the Active Inclusion Network, which promotes diversity in the outdoors and fitness and @muslim.runners, Haroon has run all six Sophie Raworth: Why calf raises rule, including completing the Boston Marathon during Ramadan. In total, he’s run upwards of 20 marathons and is also a Science in Sport athlete and Arc’teryx ambassador. He’s also never too busy to forget snapping a banging group selfie on runs either.

      18. Rowan Wood

      IG handle: @thefellrunner
      Followers: 4.6K

      If you dream of moving out of a city and running the fells of the Lake District, then living vicariously through Rowan Wood, aka @thefellrunner, is not a bad place to start. An experienced fell and trails runner, he’s also a running coach and sports therapist. Not one to shy away from a challenge, he’s just signed up to tackle the 13 Valleys Ultra - an off-road 100km race starting in Keswick and taking in seven valleys.

      19. Flora Beverley

      IG handle: @foodiefitnessflora
      Followers: 117K

      If you’re looking for someone with bags of energy (and a cute dog that also loves running), then Flora is the one. The Bristol-based ultra runner will take you along for the ride (literally) and posts a range of informative YouTube videos. There’s a wide mix, from following her training to how to recycle trainers. She’s also an ambassador for SunGod, Runna and Whoop.

      20. Russ Cook

      IG handle: @hardestgeezer
      Followers: 1.2M

      Russ Cook’s latest challenge proved his @hardestgezeer title. Having set off in April 2023, Russ became the first person to run the full length of Africa; that’s 15,000+km over 16 different countries. He also used the journey as an opportunity to raise money for Water Aid UK and The Running Charity.

      His journey wasn't without its challenges: visa refusals, food poisoning and being robbed at gunpoint are just some of the hurdles the 26-year-old faced. His candid approach has gained him fans and his honesty about previous alcohol and gambling issues has been praised.

      21. Suzanne Shaw

      IG handle: @suzi_shaw
      Followers: 144K

      You might better know Suzanne Shaw as one-fifth of the noughties band Hear'Say, but she's a hugely passionate runner and has taken on some impressive challenges. In May, Suzanne ran four ultra-marathons in four days, covering 140 miles, to raise money for the mental health charity, Mind and to increase awareness of the fact that one in four people in the UK experience mental health issues every year. She also openly discusses past issues with alcohol and her sober journey on her Instagram to inspire others to make healthy changes.

      22. Damian Hall

      IG handle: @ultra_damo
      Followers: 33.3K

      Damian has many strings to his bow: he's a GB ultra runner, coach, founder of @the.green.runners and author. A highly accomplished trail runner, Damian has set records in the Spine Race Course and bagged a fifth-place overall finish in the UTMB in 2018. He's also an environmental activist, so follow him for interesting and insightful commentary on how the climate crisis and running intersect.

      23. Ellie Lacey

      IG handle: @running_therift
      Followers: 5.9K

      World Transplant Games athlete, Ellie's motto is 'run because you can'. Having had an emergency liver transplant in 2017 when she suddenly became ill with liver failure, Ellie's positivity and zest for life shines through in her Instagram posts. Not only has Ellie represented Team GB at the World Transplant Games, but she's also won five gold medals and broken three world records. Most recently she won gold in the 800m at the British Transplant Games in Coventry.

      24. James Holt

      IG handle: @jceholt
      Followers: 1.5K

      If you like running with a side of partying, then you've probably heard of the Midnight Runners. James Holt, the founder of the music-loving running community, leads the way with a mix of fun challenges, runs in beautifully scenic spots across the world and some impressive results. Just recently, he was the second-place British runner to finish the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 55km race.

      25. Joshua Patterson

      IG handle: @joshuapatterson_jp
      Followers: 441K

      Previously best known as JP on Made In Chelsea, Joshua has transformed into a massive advocate for running. He loves a challenge too; in May 2023 he became the first person ever to run a marathon in all 76 UK cities. Once upon a time, you may have had more chance spotting him hanging out on King's Road, but now you'll more likely find him on an alpine trail in full running gear plotting his next fitness-focused project.

      26. Tasha Thompson

      IG handle: @tasharunstings
      Followers: 2.3K

      Founder of Run Dem Crew, Tasha is passionate about inspiring, encouraging and motivating Black women to run. She's also a seasoned runner, having run for more than 20 years and taken part in both the London and Paris marathons. She has a craving for green spaces and a non-fuss approach to running, which is a great attitude to get more people outdoors.