Do most people prefer running?

I prefer cycling...

running is a highly portable and relatively inexpensive fitness endeavor...thus it is pretty popular in general, not just on MFP.

Noooo! Hate it. Give me a good, hard exercise class, some weights, or paddling. I refuse to run!

I think runners like to talk about running. A lot.



Different surveys have identified running, walking, or bodyweight exercise as the most popular. Probably depending on what audience was polled.

ETA: The American Time Use Survey (03-06), which didn't look only at exercise, found that people actually engaged in physical activity along these lines:


http://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2008/sports/


That said, you can see the appeal of running: little specialized equipment is NECESSARY (says the lady who runs with $100 shoes, a $70 hydration pack, a $200 GPS watch, and a $70 heart rate monitor), you don't need to join a gym or pay a trainer, there's a free program designed for beginners (C25K) and having a plan to follow can be more motivating than just showing up at the gym, and 5K races are *everywhere* these days.

It does seem to be the most popular, and no wonder: it requires little to no special equipment nor a gym membership, it can be done in most places, and it's great exercise.

For me, unfortunately, my knees don't allow it. Like @cwolfman13, I prefer cycling. When I go out it hardly feels like exercising.