'Jump Start January' launched to get more people running and Jo Pavey announced as new brand ambassador
England Athletics is delighted to announce its New Year campaign, ‘Jump Start January’, designed to encourage runners of all ages and abilities to dust off their trainers for the new year. The spotlight will be placed on its social running initiative, RunTogether, which is focused on creating fun, inclusive and friendly running opportunities.
Alongside this, England Athletics is also delighted to announce five-time Olympian Jo Pavey MBE as a brand new ambassador across RunTogether and RUN:EA programmes.
Brand new research from England Athletics' recent participation tracker shows that 29% of non-runners could be converted to start running if they just had someone to run with, equating to approximately six million people. Research also shows that mental wellbeing is higher among runners than non-runners.
RunTogether is a national programme from England Athletics that offers fun, friendly, safe and inclusive running opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
Whether you’re just starting out, returning to running, or looking to improve, RunTogether connects you with local running groups, led by qualified leaders, in a supportive environment.
Jo Pavey recently joined up with her local RunTogether group Cranbrook Running Club’s Couch to 5k session, chatting with members about their experiences in the sport so far and sharing some of her expertise with them. A video of their session will follow shortly.
Jo Pavey MBE said:
“I really enjoyed meeting up with Cranbrook Running Club, it was absolutely inspiring to meet the lovely group who are out running as part of the RunTogether programme.
“I’m so excited to be ambassador for England Athletics’ RunTogether and RUN:EA programmes. Over the years, I’ve had so much fun being part of the running community, so to encourage people to get out running, I feel really motivated and honoured to be representing that.
“Running is something that can increase people’s self-esteem and mental wellbeing as well as their physical fitness, and getting out running with others is just such a positive and brilliant thing to do.”
Chris Jones, CEO of England Athletics, said:
“Running is more than just a sport. It creates a sense of purpose, belonging, and can significantly boost your health and wellbeing. Over 250,000 people have registered to join England Athletics’ RunTogether groups since the programme launched in 2017, and the focus is very much on the social, community, fun, and personal fulfilment side of running.
“There will be many people setting New Year’s resolutions and goals for 2026, and our RunTogether groups and network of fantastic Run Leaders are here to help you achieve them wherever you may be in your running journey.”