2010 Marathon, Half-Marathon and State of the Sport Reports

U.S. marathons grew nearly 10%; more record finisher highs; ING New York City largest ever

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - (March 28, 2010) - In 2009, U.S. marathons overcame the “gloom and doom” of the recession by posting another year of record participation with 467,000 estimated finishers as well as the largest percent increase (nearly 10%) in more than 25 years. Across the country last year from New York City (left, PhotoRun) to Seattle, marathons most likely either sold-out or had a record field, and to-date, 2010 looks as promising with sold-out marathon fields at Walt Disney World, Chevron Houston, Honda LA, the upcoming 114th Boston and this October’s Bank of America Chicago.

There are several interconnected reasons for this marathon “mania” including: 1) a response to the bad economy (e.g., relieve stress, more time to train for some, etc.), 2) training for and running a marathon is something that one can control unlike the stock market or the economy, 3) positive, feel good energy surrounds marathon preparation and race weekend, 4) well-organized, fun events and 5) the challenge of 26.2 miles – a greater sense of accomplishment for many during bad economic times.

The following tables and lists provide a summary of the demographics and trends for U.S. marathons. It is interesting to note that since 2002, marathon median times have become gradually faster for both genders.

Table 1: Gender, Age and Median Times

	1980	1995	2000	2005	2007	2008	2009
Women	10%	26%	38%	41%	40%	41%	41%
Men	90%	74%	62%	59%	60%	59%	59%
Masters (40 yrs+)	26%	41%	44%	44%	46%	45%	46%
Open (20 to 39 yrs)	69%	57%	54%	54%	52%	53%	52%
Juniors (under 20)	5%	2%	2%	2%	2%	2%	2%
2009 Age Distribution	Female	Male
6-17 yrs	1%	1%
18-24 yrs	10%	7%
25-34 yrs	36%	25%
35-44 yrs	31%	32%
45-54 yrs	17%	24%
55-64 yrs	4%	9%
65+ yrs	1%	2%
Median Age	1980	1995	2000	2005	2007	2008	2009	(2009 Mean)
Males	34	38	38	40	40	39	40	(40.1 yrs)
Females	31	35	35	35	36	35	35	(36.4 yrs)
Median Age Overall			37	38	38	38	36	(38.0 yrs)
Median Times for U.S. Marathon Finishers	1980	1995	2002	2005	2007	2008	2009
Males	3:32:17	3:54:00	4:20:01	4:20:29	4:20:04	4:20:04	4:13:36
Females	4:03:39	4:15:00	4:56:46	4:51:19	4:49:48	4:43:31	4:41:26

2009 Marathon Snapshot
In the U.S., there was a solid 7% increase in finishers for the same 268 marathons for 2008 and 2009 (394,874 vs. 422,524). Overall, there were 42,000 more U.S. marathon finishers for 2009 than the previous year or a 9.9% increase (425,000 vs. 467,000) or in other words, 2009 had a larger percentage increase than the previous 4 years combined. See estimated U.S. marathon finisher listing below.

In addition, adding to 2009’s growth, more than 30 U.S. marathons had their inaugural running last year with a record five debut marathons with more than 1,000 finishers in the same year: Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh (3,447), Select Staffing Santa Barbara International (1,687), Christie Clinic Illinois (1,613), Pasadena (1,446) and Minneapolis (1,200).

Year Estimated U.S. Marathon Finisher Total

1976	25,000
1980	143,000
1990	224,000
1995	293,000
2000	353,000
2004	386,000
2005	395,000
2006	410,000
2007	412,000
2008	425,000
2009	467,000 (record total)

Record number of U.S. marathons with more than 1,000 finishers
Last year, there were a record 88 U.S. marathons reporting greater than 1,000 event finishers, compared to 77, the previous record, in 2008. Since 1999, the number of U.S. marathons with greater than 1,000 finishers in a single year has nearly doubled (45 in 1999 vs. 88 in 2009).

Table 2: 2009 U.S. Marathons (>1,000 finishers) with the...

…Fastest Median Times	1995	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Boston		3:53:03	3:44:47	3:48:40	3:46:13	3:44:04
Baystate						3:48:42
Steamtown		3:55:36	3:54:24	4:03:05	3:56:13	3:55:48
Grand Rapids				4:07:30	3:58:15	3:58:31
California International						3:59:43
…Slowest Median Times	1995	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Bataan Memorial March			7:45:52	7:38:57	7:47:50	7:37:50
Honolulu	5:50:19	5:39:40	5:43:29	5:50:11	5:49:00	5:44:46
City of Los Angeles	4:50:30	5:26:49	5:23:45	5:36:57	5:31:57	5:23:30
Maui						5:12:32
Nike Women’s						5:10:39
…Most <4 Hour Finishers	1995	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Boston	6,467 (68%)	10,260 (59%)	13,341 (68%)	12,996 (64%)	14,547 (66%)	15,691 (69%)
ING New York City		8,270 (22%)	12,168 (32%)	11,959 (31%)	13,106 (35%)	15,275 (35%)
Bank of America Chicago	4,286 (50%)	10,740 (33%)	11,608 (35%)	3,643 (14%)	6,382 (21%)	11,226 (33%)
Marine Corps						4,771 (22%)
Philadelphia			2,770 (45%)	3,149 (47%)	3,193 (44%)	3,221 (46%)
…Most >6 Hour Finishers			2006	2007	2008	2009
Honolulu			10,428 (42%)	9,450 (45%)	8,761 (44%)	7,788 (38%)
City of Los Angeles			6,764 (33%)	7,881 (39%)	6,420 (37%)	4,373 (31%)
Walt Disney World				2,572 (23%)	3,217 (25%)	3,165 (21%)
ING New York City						2,194 (5%)
San Diego Rock 'n' Roll						1,848 (14%)

…Most Finishers in Certain Age Groups	Event	2009 Subtotals
Female Juniors	Grandma’s	1,241
Male Juniors	City of Los Angeles	1,803
Females 20-29	Bank of America Chicago	5,287
Males 20-29	Bank of America Chicago	4,381
Females 30-39	ING New York City	5,287
Males 30-39	ING New York City	8,935
Females 40-49	ING New York City	4,461
Males 40-49	ING New York City	9,807
Females 50-59	ING New York City	1,794
Males 50-59	ING New York City	4,861
Females 60+	Honolulu	713
Males 60+	Honolulu	1,686
Overall 40+	Boston	12,838
Overall 50+	Honolulu	5,331

…Highest Percent Women*	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Nike Women’s	91%	94%	93%	93%	93%
Rock ‘n' Roll Seattle					54%
Portland	56%	57%	54%	52%	53%
…Highest Percent Men*	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
United States Air Force					74%
Illinois					68%
SunTrust National			69%	69%	66%
…Highest Percent Masters (40 + yrs)*	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Boston	55%	55%	55%	56%	56%
Steamtown	59%	55%	57%	56%	55%
ING New York City					52%

*Based upon events with >1,000 finishers in each representative category.

NYC #1 all-time, 6 marathons worldwide had more than 29,000 finishers in 2009
The ING New York City Marathon not only kept its title as the world’s largest marathon based on finishers with 43,660 in 2009, but the 40th edition also crashed through the 40,000 finisher barrier with ease to become the largest marathon ever (previous record was 38,607 by the 2007 race).

For the first time, 6 marathons surpassed the 29,000 finisher total in the same year, while the U.S. again had 7 of the 15 largest marathons in the world.

Also in 2009, for the first time, 10 U.S. marathons had more than 8,000 finishers and 20 U.S. marathons had more than 5,000 finishers in the same year (see the listing below).

2009
World’s Largest Marathons (finishers):

1)	40th ING New York City, NY	43,660 (largest marathon ever)
2)	Flora London, GBR	35,370
3)	real, - Berlin, GER	35,016
4)	Bank of America Chicago, IL	33,701
5)	Paris, FRA	30,334
6)	Tokyo, JPN	29,108
7)	Boston, MA	22,843
8)	Marine Corps, DC	21,405
9)	25th Naha, JPN	20,860
10)	Honolulu, HI	20,323
11)	Walt Disney World, FL	14,948
12)	Standard Chartered Singapore	14,258
13)	City of Los Angeles, CA	14,125
14)	Möbel Kraft Hamburg, GER	13,941
15)	Stockholm, SWE	13,718

U.S. Largest Marathons (finishers):

1)	40th ING New York City, NY	43,660 (largest marathon ever)
2)	Bank of America Chicago, IL	33,701
3)	Boston, MA	22,843
4)	Marine Corps, DC	21,405
5)	Honolulu, HI	20,323
6)	Walt Disney World, FL	14,948
7)	City of Los Angeles, CA	14,125
8)	Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego, CA	13,391
9)	Medtronic Twin Cities, MN	8,474
10)	Portland, OR	8,166
11)	Philadelphia, PA	7,494
12)	P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona	6,444
13)	Grandma’s, MN	5,998
14)	Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio, TX	5,906
15)	Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas, NV	5,888
16)	California International, CA	5,848
17)	Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle, WA	5,647
18)	St. George, UT	5,638
19)	Chevron Houston, TX	5,348
20)	San Francisco, CA	5,101

SOURCE: Running USA with Athlinks (2009) and Active.com (2005-08)

Contact: Ryan Lamppa, (805) 696-6232; ryan@runningusa.org

 

U.S. half-marathons grew more than 20% in 2009; overall, 13.1 mile finishers surpass 1 million mark for the first time and other half-marathon records set last year

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – (May 5, 2010) – With its astounding growth over the past decade, the half-marathon merits its own annual report like Running USA’s popular annual marathon report. Since 2003, the half-marathon has been the fastest growing road race distance in the U.S., and for four consecutive years (2006-09), the number of 13.1 mile finishers in this country has grown by 10% or more each year. Moreover, from 2008 to 2009, the distance grew an incredible 24%, from 900,000 finishers to more than 1.1 million finishers, a record annual increase for the distance. In the U.S., there was an impressive 18% increase in finishers for the same 626 half-marathons compared for 2008 and 2009 (808,668 vs. 953,292).

And barring the unforeseen, 2010 should be another up year as evidenced by record or sold-out half-marathon fields across the country at Walt Disney World, Aramco Houston, ING Miami, Surf City USA, Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras, Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas, NYC, ING Georgia, Go! St. Louis and the upcoming sold-out for the 9th consecutive year OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis, the country’s largest half with 35,000 entrants and more than 30,000 finishers.

Other half-marathon “boom” facts:

• In the past decade (2000-09), U.S. half-marathon finishers have grown from 482,000 to 1,113,000, a 131% increase; the 5K, the most popular distance, is a distant second with a solid 40% growth over the same period.
• Since 2002, more than 20 U.S. half-marathons annually had their inaugural running.
• Twenty of the top 30 largest U.S. half-marathons (greater than 8,000 finishers) are less than 10 years old or rebranded.
• In 2009, there were a record 17 U.S. half-marathons with 10,000 finishers or more; in 2000, there was one.
• The half currently has the largest female percent (57%) of any U.S. road distance; the percent flipped to a female majority in 2005, and by contrast, in 1985, the female percent was less than 20% in 13.1 mile races.

There are several interconnected reasons and factors for this historic growth. One, the ubiquitous training programs have given the novice runners the tools to prepare properly and fostered the camaraderie to keep at it as well as, for many, the charity appeal.

Two, fun, hip, destination-style events pioneered and developed by the Competitor Group’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Series (seven of the 10 largest U.S. half-marathons) that since 2001 has spawned other new half-marathons and two other half-marathon series (13.1 Marathon and USRA Half Marathon Series).

Three, compared to 10-15 years ago, there are more high quality, professionally-run events that market and cater to the runners (and their families) of the Second Running Boom.

Four, runners moving up to or down from the marathon; the former tied to the training program’s fitness test before the marathon and the latter, the “one and done” marathoners or experienced marathoners doing a shorter, yet still challenging distance.

Five, runners who don’t want to do a marathon (training time constraints and more punishing distance) so the half-marathon, for some, has become “marathon lite” – less training, yet a strong feeling of accomplishment.

Six, women, with their 57% share, are driving the growth in the half-marathon due to many of the above reasons.

Seven, running and its sense of control and the positive energy at running events have been a tonic for the recent bad economic times as well as a stress reliever for many.

The following tables and lists illustrate the depth, breadth, demographics and growth of the half-marathon:

Table 1: Gender & Age Group Breakdown	2002	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Women	49%	49%	53%	53%	55%	56%	57%
Men	51%	51%	47%	47%	45%	44%	43%
Masters (40 yrs+)	40%		42%	41%			39%
Open (20 to 39 yrs)	58%		55%	56%			58%
Juniors (under 20)	2%		3%	3%			3%
2009 Age Distribution	Female	Male
6-17 yrs	1%	2%
18-24 yrs	10%	7%
25-34 yrs	37%	29%
35-44 yrs	30%	31%
45-54 yrs	16%	20%
55-64 yrs	5%	9%
65+ yrs	1%	2%
Average Age	2002	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Males	38.9	39.7	39.2	39.5	39.3	39.2	38.9
Females	34.9	35.8	36.0	35.9	36.3	36.1	35.8
Median Times for U.S. Half-Marathon Finishers	2002	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Males	1:57:45	1:58:10	1:58:35	1:58:07	1:59:55	2:00:33	2:00:21
Females	2:16:14	2:16:12	2:17:09	2:16:33	2:19:12	2:19:02	2:19:47

Year Estimated U.S. Half-Marathon Finisher Total

1990	303,000
1995	420,000
2000	482,000
2004	612,000
2005	658,000
2006	724,000
2007	796,000
2008	900,000
2009	1,113,000 (record high)

Record number of U.S. half-marathons with more than 2,000 finishers
Last year, a record 131 U.S. half-marathons reported more than 2,000 event finishers, compared to 108, the previous record, in 2008. Since 2000, the number of U.S. half-marathons with more than 2,000 finishers in a year has increased nearly five-fold (27 in 2000 vs. 131 in 2009).

Table 2: 2009 U.S. Half-Marathons (>2000 finishers) with the...

…Fastest Median Times
Dexter Ann Arbor	1:55:35
NYRR: Manhattan	1:56:30
NYRR: Bronx	1:56:36
NYRR: Staten Island	1:56:47
B.A.A.	1:57:43
…Slowest Median Times
Nike Women’s	2:41:04
Disney Princess	2:37:04
26.2 with Donna	2:34:38
Walt Disney World	2:34:01
Disneyland	2:32:53
…Most <2 Hour Finishers
OneAmerica 500 Festival	8,476 (28%)
ING Philadelphia Distance Run	5,899 (48%)
NYRR: Brooklyn	4,849 (50%)
P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona	4,113 (19%)
Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago	4,058 (28%)
…Most >3 Hour Finishers
OneAmerica 500 Festival	6,669 (22%)
Country Music	5,299 (23%)
P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona	5,040 (23%)
Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio	4,651 (23%)
Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas	3,759 (21%)

…Most Finishers in Certain Age Groups	Event	2009 Subtotals
Female Juniors	OneAmerica 500 Festival	2,195
Male Juniors	Southern California	1,322
Females 20-29	Country Music	4,908
Males 20-29	Country Music	2,011
Females 30-39	OneAmerica 500 Festival	4,888
Males 30-39	OneAmerica 500 Festival	4,337
Females 40-49	Nike Women’s	3,596
Males 40-49	OneAmerica 500 Festival	3,617
Females 50-59	OneAmerica 500 Festival	1,926
Males 50-59	OneAmerica 500 Festival	2,291
Females 60+	OneAmerica 500 Festival	505
Males 60+	OneAmerica 500 Festival	856

…Highest Percent Women
Disney Princess	97%
Women’s Running Magazine	96%
Nike Women’s	94%
26.2 With Donna	74%
Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle	73%
…Highest Percent Men
NYRR: Bronx	62%
NYRR: Manhattan	62%
NYRR: Staten Island	59%
Dexter Ann Arbor	57%
NYRR: Queens	56%
…Highest Percent Masters (40+ yrs)
26.2 With Donna	55%
Brooksie Way	54%
Fort Lauderdale	53%
The Palm Beaches	52%
Walt Disney World	50%

Goteborg largest half-marathon; record 3 HMs had more than 30,000 finishers
In 2009, the 30th Goteborg Half-Marathon in Sweden supplanted the Bupa Great North Run in Great Britain as the largest half-marathon in the world with 40,523 finishers vs. 37,582 (the Great North Run had held the title since 2001). The Goteborg race became the second half-marathon to exceed 40,000 finishers in a given year. The largest half-marathon on record is the 2000 Broloppet in Denmark-Sweden with 79,718 finishers.

For the first time, three half-marathons surpassed the 30,000 finisher total in the same year (see largest half-marathon listings below), while the U.S. had 13 of the 20 largest half-marathons in the world.

Also in 2009, for the first time, 30 U.S. half-marathons had more than 8,000 finishers (the old record was 21 in 2008).

 

2009 World’s Largest Half-Marathons (finishers):

1)	30th Goteborg, SWE	40,523
2)	Bupa Great North Run, GBR	37,582
3)	OneAmerica 500 Festival, IN	30,281
4)	Country Music, TN	22,920
5)	P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona	22,111
6)	Paris, FRA	21,552
7)	Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio, TX	20,077
8)	Vattenfall Berliner, GER	17,888
9)	Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas, NV	17,880
10)	Rock ‘n’ Roll, VA	15,729
11)	Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle, WA	15,677
12)	Wien-Energie, AUT	15,483
13)	Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago, IL	14,459
14)	Chicago, IL	13,532
15)	Nike Women’s, CA	13,421
16)	Walt Disney World, FL	12,444
17)	ING Philadelphia Distance Run, PA	12,379
18)	Medellin Int’l, COL	12,100 E
19)	Reading, GBR	11,867
20)	Disneyland, CA	11,645
	E = estimated total; complete results unavailable

2009 U.S. Largest Half-Marathons (finishers):

1)	OneAmerica 500 Festival, IN	30,281
2)	Country Music, TN	22,920
3)	P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona	22,111
4)	Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio, TX	20,077
5)	Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas, NV	17,880
6)	Rock ‘n’ Roll, VA	15,729
7)	Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle, WA	15,677
8)	Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago, IL	14,459
9)	Chicago, IL	13,532
10)	Nike Women’s, CA	13,421
11)	Walt Disney World, FL	12,444
12)	ING Philadelphia Distance Run, PA	12,379
13)	Disneyland, CA	11,645
14)	San Francisco, CA	10,889
15)	Surf City USA, CA	10,790
16)	Long Beach Int’l City Bank, CA	10,717
17)	NYC Half Marathon, NY	10,196
18)	Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose, CA	9,961
19)	ING Georgia	9,714
20)	ING Miami, FL	9,673
21)	NYRR Grand Prix: Brooklyn, NY	9,641
22)	Kentucky Derby Festival, KY	9,423
23)	Atlanta, GA	8,604
24)	Cincinnati Flying Pig, OH	8,600
25)	Go! St. Louis, MO	8,549
26)	Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank, MI	8,404
27)	Amica Insurance Seattle, WA	8,389
28)	MetroPCS Dallas White Rock, TX	8,374
29)	Aramco Houston, TX	8,336
30)	Nationwide Better Health Columbus, OH	8,048

 

SOURCE: Running USA with Athlinks (2009) and Active.com (2005-08)

Contact: Ryan Lamppa, (805) 696-6232 or ryan@runningusa.org

 

Affluent, highly educated, half-marathon favorite distance and more

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - (April 11, 2010) - The 2009 National Runner Survey is a comprehensive survey conducted every two years by Running USA. Initially launched in 2007, the National Runner Survey assesses the demographics, lifestyle, attitudes, habits, and product preferences of the running population nationwide. Results from the National Runner Survey reflect “core runners”, that is, active adult participants who tend to enter running events and train year-round.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• College-educated: Today’s core runners are highly educated with 79% having earned a college diploma, compared with only 27% of the United States population (ACS, 2006-08).
• Affluent: These runners are affluent with 73% of those surveyed reporting a Household Income of more than $75,000, well above the U.S. median household income of $52,175 (ACS, 2006-08).
• Active Participants: Core runners are active participants who train year round, reporting running / jogging an average of 224 days and logging 1,357 miles per year, a significant difference compared with the typical fitness runner / jogger who runs approximately 85 days per year (SGMA, 2009).
• Running Shoes: The average respondent purchased 3.2 pairs of running shoes in the last year contributing to the 2.31 billion in jogging / running footwear sales reported by the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).
• Race Distance: The favorite race distance continues to be the half-marathon reflecting why the half-marathon has been the fastest growing distance in the U.S. since 2003 and why for four consecutive years (2006-09) the 13.1 mile distance has grown by 10% or more in this country, according to Running USA.

The National Runner Survey is distributed electronically to event participants, club members, specialty shoe store visitors, members of USA Track & Field, subscribers to running publications, and those who frequent the online running community. Running USA worked closely with more than 35 organizations to help distribute the online survey to various constituency groups between the months of August through December of 2009. A total of 11,264 runners nationwide (53% female, 47% male) responded to the survey with an 86% rate of completion. Select results from the 2009 study are presented below.

The following female and male runner snapshots represent “core runners”, that is, active adult participants who tend to enter running events, train year-round, and purchase 2-4 running shoes each year.

Typical U.S. Female Runner

Demographics:

• Average Age: 38.6
• 61.9% Married
• 78.7% College educated
• 69.0% Earn a household income of $75,000+

 

Running History:

• Average number of years running: 11 years
• Average number of running events participated in during the last 12 months: 7 events
• 53.9% have completed 1 marathon or more in their lifetime

 

Running Routine:

• 74.7% Run/Jog 4+ hours each week
• 80.1% run 12 months a year
• Average number of days run per week: 4.1
• Average number of miles run per week: 23
• 64.8% describe themselves as ‘Frequent/Fitness Runners’

 

Running Preferences:

• Favorite race distance is the Half-Marathon (38.1%)
• Interested in entering next year: Half-Marathon (76.6%), 10K (57.9%), 5K (56.6%), Marathon (48.0%)

 

Motivation:

• Primary motivation to start running: For Exercise (25.3%), Weight Concerns (13.8%)
• Motivation to continue to run: Staying in Shape (75.5%), Staying Healthy (74.8%), Relieving Stress (62.4%)

 

Product Preferences:

• Average number of running shoes purchased in last 12 months: 3.0 pairs
• Last running shoes purchased: ASICS (29.9%), Brooks (14.9%), Nike (13.6%)
• 64.4% spent $90+ on their running shoes and 50.1% purchased their running shoes at a specialty running store
• Favorite brands of running apparel: Nike (64.3%), Under Armour (42.2%), Champion (36.9%)
• 80.2% spent $100+ on running apparel in the last 12 months and 61.5% purchased running apparel at a specialty running store

 

Health:

• Average Weight: 136.2
• Average Body Mass Index (BMI): 22.6
• 43.0% are content with their weight
• 44.7% are content with their fitness level

 

Typical U.S. Male Runner

Demographics:

• Average Age: 44.8
• 73.5% Married
• 78.8% College educated
• 76.4% Earn a household income of $75,000+

 

Running History:

• Average number of years running: 16 years
• Average number of running events participated in during the last 12 months: 9 events
• 67.9% have completed 1 marathon or more in their lifetime

 

Running Routine:

• 79.2% Run/Jog 4+ hours each week
• 82.5% run 12 months a year
• Average number of days run per week: 4.5
• Average number of miles run per week: 29.5
• 55.8% describe themselves as ‘Frequent/Fitness Runners’ and 32.7% as ‘Serious Competitive Runners’

 

Running Preferences:

• Favorite race distance is the Half-Marathon (31.7%)
• Interested in entering next year: Half-Marathon (69.7%), 5K (58.5%), 10K (58.0%), Marathon (56.9%)

 

Motivation:

• Primary motivation to start running: For Exercise (22.0%), Competed in School and Never Stopped (15.2%)
• Motivation to continue to run: Staying in Shape (75.2%), Staying Healthy (70.8%), Having Fun (58.9%)

 

Product Preferences:

• Average number of running shoes purchased in last 12 months: 3.4 pairs
• Last running shoes purchased: ASICS (29.1%), Nike (15.9%), Brooks (14.1%)
• 56.4% spent $90+ on their running shoes and 42.9% purchased their running shoes at a specialty running store
• Favorite brands of running apparel: Nike (56.1%), ASICS (33.8%), Under Armour (32.0%)
• 76.2% spent $100+ on running apparel in the last 12 months and 66.6% purchased running apparel at a specialty running store

 

Health:

• Average Weight: 171.2
• Average Body Mass Index (BMI): 24.2
• 47.7% are content with their weight
• 45.9% are content with their fitness level

 

The following tables offer a snapshot of some of the findings and reflect the top factors that determine event participation, favorite race distances, and the most common self-reported running-related injuries as reported in the 2009 National Runner Survey.

 

Table 1: Factors that Determine Event Participation
Date the event is held	69.2%
Location is convenient	69.1%
It’s a distance I prefer	61.9%
It sounds fun	50.2%
I have time to train	40.1%
Scenic course	38.1%
My friends are doing it	36.1%
Reputation of event or organizers	32.8%
Health/Injury	31.9%
Chip Timed	24.4%

Note: response % is >100% for a “check all that apply” question.

Table 2: Favorite Race Distance
Half-Marathon	34.9%
5K	18.8%
10K	15.0%
Marathon	14.9%
12K or 15K or 10 mile	5.5%
4 mile or 8K or 5 mile	4.1%
Ultra-Marathon	2.1%
1 mile, 2 mile, or 3 mile	1.6%
Other	3.1%

Table 3: Self-Reported Running-Related Injuries in Last 12 Months
Blisters	30.9%
Knees	22.7%
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)	15.6%
Plantar Fasciitis	14.0%
Shin Splints	12.7%
Hamstring	12.3%
Foot	12.0%
Hips	11.9%
Low Back	10.4%

Note: response % is >100% for a “check all that apply” question.

*Only select results are presented in the tables above. A complete list of responses is available in the 2009 National Runner Survey Report available through Running USA.

Sources for Part I: National Runner Survey = The 2009 National Runner Survey is a product of Running USA. Approximately 11,264 runners nationwide completed the online survey distributed by running events, clubs, specialty shoe stores, USA Track & Field, and running publications. Variables measured include: demographics, sports participation, running history and routine, shoes, events, community resources, apparel, sponsorship, health/diet, technology, sports/fitness products, food/drink, and travel. Results include data segmentation for gender, runner type, and distance. A full report is available for purchase with a Running USA member discount http://www.runningusa.org/node/57812. Custom reports may be available upon request. To order or for more information visit http://www.runningusa.org/node/57812 For questions, contact Tracy Yoder at: tracy@runningusa.org

ACS = American Community Survey (2006 – 08). An annual nationwide survey distributed by the United States Census Bureau that collects updated and relevant data to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing between the decennial census. Numbers reported reflect a three-year estimate between the years of 2006 and 2008. The ACS collects information such as age, race, income, commute time to work, home value, veteran status, and other important data. For more information, visit: http://factfinder.census.gov

NSGA = National Sporting Goods Association. “National Sporting Goods Market in 2009” and the Sporting Goods Market with Historical Data CD, based on retail sales in the U.S. projected from consumer interviews. For more information, visit: www.nsga.org

Running USA = State of the Sport Reports, many types of running data and lists of the largest races from past years can be found on www.runningusa.org in the “statistics section”. For other questions about running trends and demographics, contact Ryan Lamppa ryan@runningusa.org or Tracy Yoder tracy@runningusa.org

SGMA = Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. “Sports Participation in America” (2009) reporting participation trends in fitness, sports, outdoor, and recreational activities. For more information, visit: www.sgma.com

Nearly every sector of the Running Industry reports record numbers

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – (June 16, 2010) – Unlike most of the economy, the Running Industry continues to be recession-resistant as 2009 proved to be another year of astounding growth in virtually every sector. From record or sold-out fields across the country, the number of finishers in the sport has increased dramatically as evidenced by the record 467,000 marathon finishers, nearly a 10% increase over the previous year, and more than 1.1 million half-marathon finishers, an incredible 24% growth in 2009, according to the Running USA Marathon and Half-Marathon reports. Overall, in 2009, Running USA estimates that there were approximately 10 million U.S. road race finishers (another record high).

Tied to participation, the number of individuals registering online for running events was up 15% in 2009 compared to the previous year and more than 72% of running events experienced growth in online registration, according to The Active Network, Inc., a technology and media company and the largest provider of sports registration software for endurance events in the United States.

Runner’s World magazine also increased its newsstand sales by 3.6% in the second half of 2009, improved its market share over competitors by 13%, and saw a boost in subscriptions generated from online channels with 59% growth, all of this despite price increases in 2006 and 2008.

A Sport for Everyone Running has grown into a sport that everyone can enjoy – no matter what age, shape or size. The decision to participate in certain activities is largely motivated by those who want more value from their time, and that’s why consumers are looking for activities that are relatively affordable, especially in today’s economy, states the Physical Activity Council (PAC). Running continues to post increases in activity, because it is inexpensive, can be done anywhere at anytime, no membership fees required and no need for a partner. Just lace up your shoes, get out the door and go!

For 2009, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association reports significant increases in total running participants, estimating more than 43 million total runners nationwide and a 6.7% gain since 2008. Core participants (50+ days/yr) and frequent participants (100+ days/yr) reported greater than 9% growth for 2009. Participation in running activities has increased substantially the last nine years with running/jogging total participation up 40%, running/walking on the treadmill 38%, walking for fitness 21%, and trail running up 16%, according to SGMA. See Table 1 for running participation numbers.

Table 1: U.S. Running Participation Numbers for 2009

		Total Participants (’08 – ’09 +/-)
SGMA (1) Total Runners	Run/Jog at least once	43,892,000 (+6.7%)
SGMA (1) Core Participants	Run/Jog 50 days/yr	25,559,000 (+9.2%)
SGMA (1) Frequent Runners	Run/Jog 100+ days/yr	16,446,000 (+9.8%)
SGMA (1) Total Trail Runners	Run on Trails at least once	4,833,000 (-0.5%)
NSGA (1) All Runners	Run/Jog 6 days/yr	32,212,000 (-10.3%)
NSGA (1) Frequent Runners	Run/Jog 110+ days/yr	7,949,000 (+2.1%)

The Bad Economy Fuels Growth Running experts are finding that when the economy reached “gloom and doom”, the number of new runners surged. So, go ahead and blame it on the economy. Running USA researcher Ryan Lamppa states that running is an efficient way to exercise, a fast way to lose weight and an inexpensive way to socialize. In addition, running “gives you something to control – you can’t control the stock market or the economy, but you can control your health,” says Lamppa.

Running offers individuals a sense of structure, control and the opportunity to set new goals. According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, there are no direct statistics correlating unemployment to the surge in race participation, but as job losses have reached historic highs, so too has the number of individuals participating in running events (Holmes, 2010). And according to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the “changing economic landscape could forever alter the way Americans view recreational and competitive athletics, as more people discover the joys of training and competing” (Albergotti, 2009).

Despite the economy, running is as popular as ever. According to Fiscally Fit: How the economic downturn is and isn’t affecting your running life (Lee, 2009), a survey of nearly 2,000 runners, 75% of the respondents said the downturn in the economy has not reduced their running and 69% planned to run in the same number of races in 2009 as they had the year prior. But for the those who said the economy has made an impact on their running, many found themselves entering fewer races, wearing their running shoes a little longer before replacing, staying closer to home by competing in local races, not renewing their club memberships and finding other ways to keep costs down such as foregoing the race t-shirt and looking for online promotional codes.

Social Media’s Impact Let’s face it, social networking is also a key element driving individuals to go the distance. According to Running in Marathons: Facebook Made Me Do It (Webley, 2010), Facebook is the ideal forum for broadcasting one’s goal to complete a marathon. A review of account pages and status updates suggests that a large number of individuals seem to be training to run a marathon, whether asking for donations, joining specialty support training groups, expressing their feelings about the approaching race or posting status updates from each mile-marker.

In short, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter provide a community platform to announce one’s goal and when it’s out there for everyone to see, it makes one more likely to stick with it. Race directors and events are also jumping on the bandwagon by utilizing social networking to brand and to communicate with and recruit their race participants.

Running Footwear Up, Sports Apparel Down The National Sporting Goods Association’s (NSGA-2) “Sporting Goods Market in 2010” reports that total running/jogging shoe sales surpassed $2.36 billion in 2009, an increase of 3% in total dollars sold over the previous year. However, while total dollars were up as a result of the 3% average increase in price, the total units sold decreased by -1%. Sales are projected to grow an additional 3% to $2.42 billion for 2010. While not the largest increase seen in the last 10 years (10.4% increase in 2004), total dollar sales for running/jogging footwear continue to increase at a steady rate. See Table 2 below for historical shoe sales figures and distribution channels.

SGMA (2) reported $3.35 billion in running footwear sales, up 6% in 2009. While total athletic footwear sales dropped -0.8% across the board, running shoes topped the list and reported the highest percent gain for 2009. The only other athletic footwear category to report an increase was outdoor/adventure shoes at 4% for the year, while all others reported a decrease. Running shoes are projected to increase to $3.49 billion (4%) for 2010.

NSGA (2) reports that athletic and sports clothing purchases totaled $9.25 billion in 2009, down -9% from the previous year. Of total athletic and sports clothing purchases, running apparel purchases during the same time period decreased -3% to $883 million.

The 713 U.S. running specialty stores represented by Leisure Trends Group retail sales tracking reported $685 million in sales for 2009. Running shoes showed a healthy 9% increase in total dollar sales for January – December 2009, up to $443 million, with stability (sport/fitness) shoes accounting for the majority. Running apparel experienced an –8% decline in total dollar sales from the previous year.

Table 2: Jogging & Running Footwear Sales in U.S. (NSGA - 2)

	1988	1998	2008	2009
Running Shoe Units	25.31 million	29.41 million	39.99 million	39.76 million
Running Shoe Dollars	987 million	1.47 billion	2.31 billion	2.36 billion
Sales Channels - % of Units
Discount Stores	16.0%	14.8%	12.8%	22.0%
General Sporting Goods	22.0%	15.9%	16.3%	20.2%
Specialty Athletic Footwear	22.1%	22.1%	16.0%	17.6%
Online Internet	-	-	9.4%	10.9%
Factory Outlet	-	7.0%	7.4%	7.7%
Family Footwear	12.4%	10.4%	11.0%	7.2%
Department Stores	17.7%	16.1%	19.2%	6.7%
Specialty Sport Shops	3.0%	4.9%	4.7%	4.1%
Mail Order	2.6%	5.7%	1.4%	1.4%

Upcoming Running USA State of the Sport reports will feature gender and age group demographics, event finisher totals by distance and the largest races nationwide for 2009.

SOURCES:

Active.com = The Active Network delivers integrated technology solutions, marketing services and online media properties that enable and encourage participation in activities and events. For more information, visit: www.ActiveNetwork.com

Albergotti, R. (2009, July 16). Fast times for jobless runners: As unemployed amp up their training, marathon results and participation rise. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 1, 2009 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405297020426170457427407049266955....

Holmes, B. (2010, March 18). Training for the L.A. Marathon provides structure and solace to the newly jobless. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/18/sports/la-sp-marathon-recession1....

Lee, Yishane. (2009). How the economic downturn is—and isn’t—affecting your running life. [electronic version]. Runner’s World, June 2009.

Leisure Trends Group = Specialty retail market intelligence, consumer research and relationship marketing solutions. Data obtained via retail market intelligence software, RetailTRAK. To obtain further information, email: info@leisuretrends.com, phone (303) 786-7900, or go to www.leisuretrends.com.

NSGA = National Sporting Goods Association. (1) = NSGA Sports Participation in 2009, Series I, II, State-by-State, (2) = NSGA Sporting Goods Market in 2010, based on retail sales in the U.S. projected from consumer surveys of 80,000 households. To obtain information on any of the NSGA products and services, email: info@nsga.org, phone (847) 296-6742, or go to www.nsga.org.

PAC = Physical Activity Council’s Sports, Fitness and Recreation Participation – Overview Report in 2010, based on a research project in the United States tracking sports, fitness and recreation participation covering 117 different sports during the 2009 calendar year. A total of 40,141 online interviews were carried out with a nationwide sample of individuals and households from the US Online Panel operated by Synovate. For more information visit: http://www.physicalactivitycouncil.com/pages/index.cfm?siteid=8846.

Rodale, Inc. = A global media company with a heritage, mission and authority dedicated to the health and wellness of the individual, community and planet. The company publishes some of the best-known health and wellness lifestyle magazines including Runner’s World. For more information, visit: www.rodaleinc.com

Running USA = Running USA advances the growth and success of the running industry in America. State of the Sport reports, many types of running data and lists of the largest races from past years can be found on RunningUSA.org in the “Statistics” section. For other questions about running trends and demographics, contact ryan@runningusa.org or tracy@runningusa.org

SGMA = Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. (1) = 2010 SGMA Sports & Fitness Participation Topline Report, based on participation numbers in the U.S. projected from online interviews of a nationwide sample, (2) = Manufacturers’ Sales by Category 2010, based on estimated dollar sales by category. To obtain information on any of the SGMA products or services, email: info@sgma.com, phone (301) 495-6322, or go to www.sgma.com.

Webley, K. (2010, April 2). Running in marathons: Facebook made me do it. TIME Magazine. Retrieved April 3, 2010, from http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1977249,00.html#ixzz0jxkU....

 

Road Running reaches new heights with more than 10 million finishers, 17,000 events in U.S. for 2009; Half-Marathon, Marathon and 5K lead the charge

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – (August 4, 2010) – Road Running continued its “boom” in 2009 with another record year of participation. Despite the lingering recession, the sport grew to an estimated 10,290,000 finishers in U.S. road races, a record high. By contrast, according to Running USA, there were just over 3.9 million finishers in U.S. road races twenty years earlier (1989). The 2009 record increase also marks the first time that finisher totals exceeded 10 million and represents the largest percentage increase (9%) in U.S. finisher totals annually since 1992. The 5K, 10K and Half-Marathon accounted for 62.3% of all finishers and 68.7% of all events nationwide in 2009. See Tables 1 and 2 below.

2009 Road Running Snapshot:

• In the past decade (2000 - 2009) U.S. road running finishers have grown from 7,502,000 to 10,290,000, a 37% increase. In 2009 finisher totals exceeded the 10 million mark for the first time.

• 2009 is the 2nd highest percent increase in overall finisher totals (9%). Growth such as this hasn’t been seen since the early stages of the Second Running Boom: 1992 (9.2%) and 1993 (7.9%), and based on preliminary totals, 2010 should also show above average growth.

• Females now account for over 5.4 million finishers nationwide and represent 53% of race fields compared to only 23% in 1989.

• Total U.S. running events exceeded 17,000, an all-time record high.

• A record annual increase in total finishers for the Half-Marathon (24%) and an astounding 10% increase in the Marathon, which is the largest percent increase for the distance in the last 25 years.

• The 5K and 10K – the #1 and #2 most popular racing distances – also experienced higher annual increases than seen in previous years and exhibited growth patterns similar to trends seen in the early 1990s. In addition, the 5K surpassed the 4 million finisher total for the first time in 2009.

• A trend toward a slightly younger race field – based on average age – suggests that road racing will continue to grow as more Baby Boomers’ children, the so-called Echo Babies, enter the sport as young adults in the coming years.

Table 1: 2009 U.S. Road Running Event Finishers

Distance	2009 Totals	% of Total	’08 -’09 Change
5 km	4,061,000	39.5%	13%
10 km	1,234,000	12.0%	6%
Half-Marathon	1,113,000	10.8%	24%
8 km/5 mi	725,000	7.0%	3%
1 mile	520,000	5.1%	1%
Marathon	467,000	4.5%	10%
10 mile	362,000	3.5%	3%
15 km	244,000	2.4%	3%
4 mile	239,000	2.3%	2%
20/25/30 km	136,000	1.3%	1%
12 km	105,000	1.0%	1%
Others	1,084,000	10.5%	1%
Total	10,290,000		9%

Source: Running USA

Table 2: 2009 U.S. Running Events Summary

Distance	# of Events	% of Total	’08 -’09 Change
5 km	8,800	51.6%	4.8%
10 km	2,000	11.7%	2.6%
Half-Marathon	930	5.4%	7.0%*
8 km/5 mi	870	5.1%	0.0%
Marathon	470	2.8%	5.6%
Others	4,000	23.4%	2.6%
Total	17,070		4.1%

*Half-Marathon event totals adjusted based on a larger sample size compared to previous years. Due to the adjustment, the percentage change is reflective of comparing the number of events based upon new results data, as opposed to the number of events reported the year prior.

Source: Running USA

Increase in Female Participants

Women continue to be a driving force behind Road Running’s continued growth. Women now account for 53% of all road race finishers, and in the last twenty years their participation rates have rocketed from 908,000 in 1989 to just over 5.4 million in 2009 (See Chart 1). Females are a solid majority of race fields in the 5K (54%), Half-Marathon (57%) and 12K (55%) and continue to be drawn to events with a charitable cause such as Race for the Cure and Team in Training or “chic”, fun events such as half-marathons with a theme. Fueling some of this growth is the fact that women are social and tend to tackle new goals with a close friend or group of girlfriends more often than men. Find a female who ran her first half-marathon in 2009 and chances are her best friend was right there beside her every step of the way.

Chart 1: 1989 - 2009 U.S. Road Race Finishers

Source: Running USA

Age Distribution

The trend toward a slightly younger running population is becoming more evident when we review the breakdown for average age and age group distributions. The average age of a timed road race finisher in 2009 was 35.3, with males averaging approximately 3 years older (36.8 males/33.8 females) than the typical female participant.

Finishers under the age of 40 now account for 62% of all finishers in the 5K, 61% of all finishers in the Half-Marathon and 60% of all finishers in the 10K (See Table 4). Since 2000, the 5K, 10K and Half-Marathon have seen a slight gradual shift towards a younger racing population. Overall, Masters (40+ years) continue to hold steady with 40% of all road race finishers falling within this category, but down slightly from 41% in 2006 and prior years.

Table 3: Age Group Distribution of U.S. Timed Road Race Finishers

Age Group	Female	Male
6-17 yrs	8.6%	9.4%
18-24 yrs	11.5%	8.2%
25-34 yrs	31.8%	24.0%
35-44 yrs	26.4%	26.7%
45-54 yrs	15.3%	19.9%
55-64 yrs	5.1%	8.8%
65+ yrs	1.3%	3.0%

Source: Running USA

Table 4: Age Group Distribution by Event

5K	2000	2005	2009
% Masters (40+ yrs)	39%	40%	38%
% Open (20-39 yrs)	49%	42%	45%
% Juniors (<20)	12%	18%	17%
10K	2000	2005	2009
% Masters (40+ yrs)	43%	41%	40%
% Open (20-39 yrs)	51%	52%	52%
% Juniors (<20)	6%	7%	8%
Half-Marathon	2000	2005	2009
% Masters (40+ yrs)	43%	42%	39%
% Open (20-39 yrs)	55%	55%	58%
% Juniors (<20)	2%	3%	3%
Marathon	2000	2005	2009
% Masters (40+ yrs)	44%	44%	46%
% Open (20-39 yrs)	54%	54%	52%
% Juniors (<20)	2%	2%	2%

Source: Running USA

 

Event Preferences and the National Runner Survey

In Part I of Running USA’s 2010 State of the Sport Report, we featured highlights from the 2009 National Runner Survey. More than 11,000 runners nationwide were surveyed, and more than 60% of the respondents had participated in at least a 5K, 10K or Half Marathon in the last two years (See Table 5). The date the event is held (69.2%), location (69.1%) and preferred distance (61.9%) rank as the top factors that determine event participation. The Half-Marathon ranked #1 as favorite race distance among respondents and mirror why 13.1 miles has seen impressive growth since 2003 (See Table 6).

Below is a snapshot of some of the findings in the National Runner Survey. For information on how to order a complete report, go to: http://www.runningusa.org/node/57812.

Table 5: Events Entered in the Last 2 Years

5K	77.4%
Half-Marathon	69.8%
10K	60.9%
Marathon	46.2%
4 mile, 8K or 5 mile	37.5%
12K, 15K or 10 mile	32.3%
Trail Race	18.7%
Triathlon/Duathlon	17.1%
Fun Run or Untimed Run	13.2%
Cross-Country Race	12.7%
1 mile or 2 mile	12.4%
20K, 25K, or 30K	10.7%
Track Race	8.9%
Road Running Relay	8.7%
Ultra-Marathon	5.2%
Untimed Walk Event	3.2%
None	2.2%
Other	4.4%

Note. Response percent is >100% for a ‘check all that apply’ question.
Other responses include: biathlon, mountain race, adventure racing, sprints, various distance races, Ironman, mud runs, steeplechase, competitive race walk, among others.

Source: Running USA’s 2009 National Runner Survey

Table 6: Favorite Race Distance

Half-Marathon	34.9%
5K	18.8%
10K	15.0%
Marathon	14.9%
12K, 15K or 10 mile	5.5%
4 mile, 8K or 5 mile	4.1%
Ultra-Marathon	2.1%
1 mile, 2 mile, or 3 mile	1.6%
Other	3.1%

Other responses include: Ironman, sprint distances, various race distances, track events, triathlons, among others.

Source: Running USA’s 2009 National Runner Survey

Sources for Running USA’s State of the Sport Part III: U.S. Road Race Trends

National Runner Survey = The 2009 National Runner Survey is a product of Running USA. Approximately 11,264 runners nationwide completed the online survey distributed by running events, clubs, specialty shoe stores, USA Track & Field and running publications. Variables measured include: demographics, sports participation, running history and routine, shoes, events, community resources, apparel, sponsorship, health/diet, technology, sports/fitness products, food/drink and travel. Results include data segmentation for gender, runner type, and distance. A full report is available for purchase with a Running USA member discount http://www.runningusa.org/node/57812. Custom reports may be available upon request. To order or for more information visit http://www.runningusa.org/node/57812. For questions, contact Tracy Yoder at: tracy@runningusa.org

Running USA = Running USA with data powered by Athlinks (2009) and Active.com (2005-08). Running USA advances the growth and success of the running industry in America. State of the Sport reports, many types of running data and lists of the largest races from past years can be found on RunningUSA.org in the “Statistics” section. For other questions about running trends and demographics, contact ryan@runningusa.org or tracy@runningusa.org or call (805) 696-6232.