The Eco-Conscious Runner’s Guide: Practical Tips for a Greener Practice

Running has won over millions of enthusiasts. For some, it's a way to stay fit. For others, to push their limits. Accessible, almost minimalistic… one might think running has a low impact. But behind this seemingly simple and natural activity lies a more complex environmental reality than it appears. Production of gear on the other side of the world, mass events, and consumption habits linked to this passion: all sources of pollution that increase our carbon footprint. So, what is running's real environmental impact on the planet? How can we reconcile our love for this sport with our ecological concerns? Let's dive into this analysis to understand the stakes and discover how to practice more responsible running by adopting sustainable habits that reduce our footprint.

Running clothes are designed to be lightweight. But when it comes to climate, it's another story. Equipment represents on average 11 to 13% of a runner's carbon footprint.

To estimate your own ecological cost, here are some key figures [1] [2]:
- running shoes: between 14 and 20 kg of CO₂
- long-sleeve t-shirt: 9 kg
- short-sleeve t-shirt: 4 kg
- shorts: 4 kg
- waterproof jacket/pants: 8 kg
- cap: 0.7 to 0.9 kg
- connected watch: from 6 to 33 kg, depending on brands

Shoes and t-shirts are the most impactful because they're the items we replace most often. The question of durability then becomes crucial: the longer a piece of equipment is used, the more its carbon footprint decreases.

Reducing your impact as a runner is about using common sense. And it involves three simple actions as an eco-conscious runner.

1. Prioritize Durability

Durability is the number one criterion when choosing your equipment. Before buying, ask yourself:
- Is it built to last?
- How many washes or kilometers can it handle?

It's better to choose durable equipment, even if it emits more CO2 during manufacturing, rather than frequently replacing fragile but less polluting gear. That makes no sense.

Thanks to the Impact CO2 tool, you can concretely measure the environmental impact of your choices. For example, a pair of running shoes generates a carbon weight of 20.1 kg over its entire life cycle (manufacturing and end of life). If you use them for one year, this impact remains 20.1 kg. But if you keep them for two years, it drops to 10.1 kg… and continues to decrease as their usage duration extends. Durability thus has real power over your carbon footprint.

2. Support Made in Europe

Although transportation doesn't have a considerable influence on the environmental load of the finished product (between 10% and 20%), the choice to produce on the other side of the world says a lot about a brand's ethics. Choosing a company that produces in Europe means supporting transparent brands that truly fight for the planet (and whose manufacturing process isn't coal-based like in France or Portugal).

3. Buy Less, Buy Better

The "buy less, buy better" philosophy invites us to resist the marketing sirens of big brands, which constantly launch new collections without real innovation. Before each purchase, question the real need to renew your equipment.

Misool, the Committed Brand for Lighter Running

Misool perfectly illustrates this responsible approach by placing eco-design at the heart of its strategy. The brand combines European production and technical performance through clear commitments:
- prioritizing short supply chains (French fabrics, Portuguese manufacturing)
- selecting durable materials, OEKO-TEX® certified with exceptional resistance (over 30,000 washes)
- while meeting runners' expectations in terms of lightness, comfort, and friction-free wear

⏩️ Discover all our expertise in designing ultralight and durable running apparel

In a podcast, the team from Dans la Tête d'un Coureur compares several runner profiles (carbon footprints calculated using MyCO2):

- Runner 1: runs three times a week, doesn't travel for races, doesn't regularly buy clothes, eats meat → 4.77 tons of CO2 per year
- Runner 2: professional athlete, participates in international marathons, receives clothes and shoes from sponsors, eats meat → 10.13 tons of CO2 per year

Runner 2 generates more than double the emissions of Runner 1, with air travel being the main cause of this difference.

Some shocking figures to visualize what this represents:
- a round trip between Paris and New York represents 1.77 tons of CO2, equivalent to buying over 100 pairs of shoes
- by taking a plane to your race, your annual ecological footprint automatically increases by 7 to 40%
- at the UTMB, 88% of CO2 emissions come solely from athlete transportation

Such data pushes us to seek less polluting alternatives through eco-conscious running practices.

So, how can you limit your emissions while continuing to race?

The most obvious answer is first to avoid flying. But you've already figured that out 😉

In France, we're fortunate to have:
1. excellent rail networks
2. allowing us to reach thousands of organized races

In short, there's no excuse for taking planes or giving up races!

Moreover, many events, both small and large, are now committing to eco-responsible approaches, like the Rennes Marathon and the Paris Ecotrail, for example.

For must-attend races like the UTMB or international marathons, commitment doesn't mean giving up. Train, public transportation, and carpooling become the preferred alternatives. Organizers encourage these practices: UTMB is studying preferential bib allocation to participants traveling by train. Some events go further by making a carbon contribution mandatory, like the Marathon du Mont-Blanc [3].

Let's revisit the profiles compared in the Dans la Tête d'un Coureur podcast:

- Runner 1: runs three times a week, doesn't travel for races, doesn't regularly buy clothes, eats meat → 4.77 tons of CO2 per year
- Runner 3: runs five times a week, travels by train for marathons, doesn't buy many clothes, is vegetarian → 2.93 tons of CO2 per year

Despite regular travel to races, Runner 3 has a 40% lower footprint. The key? Their diet.

Once again, nothing beats figures to realize the impact:
- replacing beef with chicken in a burger reduces its carbon footprint by 80%
- a 120g steak equals about 3.4 kg of CO2, the equivalent… of a Misool short. If you have to choose… 😅

No need to become extreme to reduce your impact. Nutritionist Anthony Berthou proposes a simple, healthy, and sustainable approach based on three key principles:
- Plant-based: 85% of calories from plant sources
- Real: 85% of calories from whole, unprocessed foods
- Varied, and if possible organic, local, and seasonal

By adopting this approach as an eco-conscious runner, you reduce your carbon footprint while improving your recovery, health, and performance!

Running responsibly means making less polluting choices without giving up pleasure or performance. Misool embodies this vision by offering a range of technical, ultralight, and durable running apparel.

And if you want to discover our brand new collection in preview, subscribe now to our newsletter!

Sources:
[1] Impact CO2 website: https://impactco2.fr/outils/habillement
[2] Interview with M. Bonau, Sustainability Project Manager at Decathlon, in the Dans La Tête D'un Coureur Podcast
[3]: https://www.marathonmontblanc.fr/coureurs/inscriptions