  
Back
To News/PR Index
|
|
2013
State of the Sport – Part III: U.S. Race Trends
Second Running
Boom in the U.S. continues with record highs in finishers and events;
non-traditional
running events impressively add to the boom with unprecedented growth;
5K keeps #1
popularity ranking.
Advanced
World Concepts, Inc. Licenses Reserve Study Software to Dubai Company
Colorado
Springs, CO – July 2013 / Hospitality 1ST / Since the mid-1990s, Running
USA has documented the sport’s historic growth, designated this time
period as the Second Running Boom and commented on the reasons why: training
programs; family-centered community events; new, fun, cool, hip events
and running series; improved race management; Title IX ripple effect tied
to women’s growth; technology and access to information via websites and
social media.
Over
the past 20 years, every year, except 2003, set a new high in the number
of finishers in U.S. running events, and 2012 continued the upward trend
with a record of more than 15.5 million finishers. The snapshot below presents
an overview of record-setting year by the numbers.
2012
U.S. Running Snapshot:
-
Females
account for 8.6 million finishers nationwide (a record number) and represent
the highest percentage ever reported of 56% of event fields. Males in 2012
also set a new high with more than 6.8 million finishers in U.S. races.
Overall, there were 15,534,000 finishers in U.S. running events.
-
The number
of U.S. race finishers has increased 80% since the year 2000, and female
representation has increased from only 42% to an all-time high of 56% in
2012.
-
Total
number of U.S. running events reached 26,370, another all-time high.
-
The half-marathon
continues to fuel the growth of the Second Running Boom with an annual
increase of 14.9% finishers (1.85 million) and an astounding 60% female
participation.
-
In 2012,
the 5K maintained the #1 position of all race distances with 6.2 million
finishers (another record number), claiming nearly 40% of all finishers
in the U.S., while the half-marathon again held the #2 position with approximately
12% of the finishers, followed by the 10K (9.5%).
-
Mud runs,
obstacle runs and color runs have grown exponentially in the past few years,
and it is estimated that approximately 2 million runners participated in
these non-traditional, adventure-type races last year.
Find the
rest of the report summary data here: www.runningusa.org/state-of-the-sport-race-trends?returnTo=main.
Contact:
Ryan
Lamppa
805-966-7747
www.runningusa.org
| |
