How Can A Runner Look For Love On Valentine’s Day?
What's a runner to do when it comes to dating? We explore the best ways to meet a valentine in none other than a dating app.
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We’re entering that time of year beloved by chocolate, perfume and gift card stores the world over. It’s also the most depressing time of the year to be single. Happy couples just seem to be everywhere—holding hands on the streets, clinking wine glasses in restaurants, and whispering sweet nothings in movie theaters. As a single person, you make a promise to yourself that this will be the last Valentine’s Day that you spend alone—that you’ll meet someone special before Feb. 14 comes round next year.
So if you’re a single runner, what are your options for finding love? Meeting another runner would be ideal. You know that they’d also be fit, active and self-motivated. And being a runner means you’re typically a higher performing individual in all aspects of life. However, it’s hard to meet people through running—especially if you train on your own like many runners do. Races come intermittently and are normally spent running alone or in the group that you came with.
So what are some other options to find a soulmate? There are the traditional approaches like meeting someone in a bar or club, or through your social circle, and the more modern digital dating options like Tinder or OKCupid. Dating apps have had huge press attention recently, with new ones like Bumble, Happn, and Hinge trying to dethrone Tinder as the most popular.
Related: If Candy Hearts Were Made Just For Runners
It’s easy to understand the appeal of these. There is an seemingly endless supply of prospective partners that you access through an uber-easy interface. Unlike the old profile-based sides, dating apps have become a form of entertainment. However, therein lays the problem. With a continuous stream of people popping up on your phone, to be flicked one way or the other, each option is never considered seriously. For many guys, the easiest thing to do is to swipe right continuously, waiting for a match to occur before deciding whether to invest in a chat conversation.
As a result dating apps haven’t been shown to be very effective. Vast quantities of time are spent swiping and messaging and relatively little time dating. Reportedly on Tinder, the average guy needs to swipe right 200 times in order to get one match. According to the Pew Internet study, less than a quarter of online daters find a relationship and seven times more time is spent online than on dates.
The traditional approaches are actually still the most popular ways to meet a partner. According to a 2015 study among 18-34 year olds, nearly 40% of respondents met their partner through common friends—much more than any other method. These findings broadly agree with an earlier study at Stanford.
Through your extended social circle you’re much more likely to meet someone similar to you. And despite the notion that opposites attract, it’s been proven that similarity is key to maintaining a relationship.
The best way to find your special someone is to have an active social life where you’re regularly getting set up with friends of friends. But what about all those folk that don’t have time to socialize because they’re stuck behind a desk?
Spritzr, an app for friends to play matchmaker like many other dating sites, is a good place to start. Unlike real world matchmaking there’s no pressure or awkwardness involved, and both singles and couples can play matchmaker. Spritzr has partnered with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series in a cool way that will be revealed soon.
In the meantime, enjoy the season of love as best you can!