The paper examines the problem of the social output of the leisure running boom as a relatively durable phenomenon of nowadays global scope. The concept of the “social footprint” to describe the social consequences and impact of the phenomenon of interest, is proposed, developed and implemented. Analysis conducted is focused on Poland as an exemplary country under social, political and economic modernization. The first two decades of the 21st century constitute the time frame of the study performed. The collected and analyzed empirical data allow us to claim that the running boom contributed to the progress of Polish modernization in the form of reconstruction of social structure (macro-social level), generation of social capital, strengthening of the position of local government, modernization of rural and urban landscape in social and spatial dimension (mezzo-social level) and changes in gender roles (micro-social level).