2007 State of the Sport Part IIIa: American
Road Race Numbers
Half-marathon again leads the charge in U.S. road race
growth
Road running events in the U.S. grew across all distances and sizes in 2006 with a total of
8.535 million finishers. The annual RRIC estimates for the number of race finishers, road running events and active USATF
certified courses are provided below. The average increase for running event finishers was 5% with a range between -2% for
the 12K (the only decline) and a 10% increase for the half-marathon. The 5K – the most popular distance since 1994 –
accounted for 38% of all finishers and 50% of the events in 2006. The half-marathon had the most momentum of the common race
distances with at least 10% more finishers and 10% more events from 2005 to 2006.
Estimated Finishers in U.S. Road Running Events
| |
2006 Totals |
% of Tot Fin |
2005-2006 % Change |
| 5 km |
3,260,000 |
38.2% |
5% |
| 10 km |
1,098,000 |
12.9% |
5% |
| 8 km/5mi |
647,000 |
7.6% |
8% |
| Half-Mar |
590,000 |
6.9% |
10% |
| 1 mile |
494,000 |
5.8% |
8% |
| Marathon |
410,000 |
4.8% |
4% |
| 10 mile |
330,000 |
3.9% |
2% |
| 4 mile |
224,000 |
2.6% |
3% |
| 15 km |
220,000 |
2.6% |
2% |
| 20/25/30 km |
130,000 |
1.5% |
7% |
| 12 km |
105,000 |
1.2% |
-2% |
| Others |
1,027,000 |
12.0% |
1% |
| |
8,535,000 |
100.0% |
5% |
Source: Running USA RRIC
The average growth for existing events would have been 6% overall if the largest events (10,000
finishers or more) with entrant limits had not been included. For races under 10,000 finishers, typical growth ranged from
5% for small events (under 500 finishers) to 7% for medium-sized events (in the 1500 to 3999 range).
2006 U.S. Road Running Events by Distance
| Event |
Number |
% of |
| Distance |
of Events |
Total |
| 5 km |
7,500 |
50.4% |
| 10 km |
1,950 |
13.1% |
| 8 km/5mi |
850 |
5.7% |
| Half-Mar |
550 |
3.7% |
| Marathon |
408 |
2.7% |
| Others |
3,620 |
24.3% |
| |
14,878 |
|
Source: Running USA RRIC
For the last decade, the RRIC has estimated that the number of off-track running events was
somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000. Even though we are getting a higher percentage of race results every year it is difficult
to estimate the total organized event universe which includes informal fun runs, untimed charity runs and kids runs. A new
survey by SGMA hints at a very large ‘fun run’ population. Their estimate for ‘fun run’ participants
in 2006 was 7.85 million (compared to 4.058 million in the 5K and 683,000 in the marathon). The marathon numbers are definitely
too high because the RRIC is now able to process most of the country’s marathon results so it is likely that the other
numbers are also somewhat inflated but the size of the fun run population relative to the timed race population may be greater
than the RRIC has previously estimated. The ongoing Running USA/RRCA National Runner Survey should provide a more detailed
view of running and racing habits in the U.S. which will contribute to next year’s report.
USATF Certified Courses in 2005-2006
| |
Number |
% of |
2005-2006 |
| |
of Courses |
2006 Total |
% Change |
| 5 km |
5,642 |
53.7% |
4.7% |
| 10 km |
1,500 |
14.3% |
-1.2% |
| 8 km/5mi |
691 |
6.6% |
-1.6% |
| Half-Mar |
610 |
5.8% |
10.3% |
| 1K/1M/2K/2M |
426 |
4.1% |
4.2% |
| Marathon |
537 |
5.1% |
3.1% |
| 12K/15K/10M |
379 |
3.6% |
2.7% |
| 4 mile |
187 |
1.8% |
-3.1% |
| 20/25/30 km |
129 |
1.2% |
-2.3% |
| Ultras |
83 |
0.8% |
-7.8% |
| Others |
397 |
3.8% |
30.6% |
| |
10,498 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Certified |
% of |
Certified |
| |
in 2006 |
2006 Total |
in 2005 |
| 5 km |
694 |
54.0% |
654 |
| 10 km |
189 |
14.7% |
142 |
| 8 km |
45 |
3.5% |
45 |
| 5 mi |
32 |
2.5% |
30 |
| Half-Mar |
114 |
8.9% |
97 |
| 1M |
27 |
2.1% |
27 |
| Marathon |
78 |
6.1% |
90 |
| 10 mile |
32 |
2.5% |
13 |
| 4 mile |
21 |
1.6% |
18 |
| 15 km |
13 |
1.0% |
16 |
| Others |
39 |
3.0% |
72 |
| |
1,284 |
|
1,204 |
Source: USA Track & Field
Running Event Distance Trends
Not only did the half-marathon distance have the largest increase in number of finishers and
certified courses from 2005 to 2006, it also had a substantial increase in the number of courses certified during the year
– 114 new courses certified compared to 97 in 2005 – an activity increase of 17.5 %. In addition to
an impressive increase of 12% for the same half-marathon results received in 2005 and 2006, there were a number of successful
new events for the distance including NYC presented by Nike, Disneyland, Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose, New Las Vegas,
Shamrock Sportsfest, Denver, Salt Lake City, Columbus, Philadelphia, OBX (Outer Banks, NC) and Post-News Colorado Colfax.
Other distances with strong momentum include the 1 mile (up 18% for the same events), 5 mile
(up 12%), 10 mile (up 13%), 8K (up 7%) and 10K (up 8%). Half of the 10K increase was contributed by the Cooper River Bridge
Run which converted its 4+ mile walk into the full 10K distance. The 10K and 10 mile also enjoyed an increase in certified
course activity. The former had 33% more courses certified in 2006 compared to 2005 and the 10 mile had almost three times
more courses certified in 2006 compared to the previous year.
The Race for the Cure continues to be the largest running event series with a total of 1.43
million participants and 114 U.S. events (5Ks and 1 miles) in 2006. The same Race for the Cure events tracked by the
RRIC grew an average of 2% from 2005 to 2006.
Running USA would like to thank event organizers, timers, Active.com and USA Track & Field
for contributing to the results collection effort. The goal is to get all event courses certified and to get all results uploaded
for use in Runner Rankings as well as the annual trends reports. The search engine for USATF certified courses can be
found on www.usatf.org/events/courses/search. The Runner Rankings can be found on www.runningusa.org or www.active.com/rankings.
Sources for Part IIIa
RRIC = Running USA's Road Running Information Center. 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 Lamppa
[ryan@runningusa.org] or Linda Honikman.
SGMA = Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. Survey referenced is from
new 2007 SGMA Sports & Fitness Participation Report (from partnership with 4 other trade groups – National Golf
Foundation, SnowSports Industry Assoc, US Tennis Assoc and Outdoor Industry Association). For more information, go to SGMA.com.
USATF = USA Track & Field is the governing body for track and field,
race walking and long distance running in the U.S. For information, go to www.usatf.org.
Go to Part IIIa / Go to Part I
2007 State of the Sport Part II: U.S. Runner Demographics
Runner demographics for the last five years can be summed in one word – consistency.
There were no dramatic changes compared to prior years and since the sport and activity of running are growing (see Part I
and upcoming Part III), this is good news for the industry. SGMA’s Insight07 State of the Industry report, however,
cautions that recent declines seen for many other sports might continue and expand due to changes in the population. “The
key market for most sports equipment, athletic footwear and sports apparel is the group aged 5 to 19, and it is growing slowly…
Between 2000 and 2020, the population aged 45 and older will have increased 42%, while the number aged 5 to 19 will be only
8% larger. This should help the fitness industry, but mean slow growth for team sports.” Because of running’s
reach into the competitive, recreational and fitness worlds and renewed calls for a fitter society, an alert running industry
should be able to attract a broad spectrum of customers and participants in the future.
Runner’s World Study Profiles a Very Affluent and Well Educated Group
Runner’s World magazine has surveyed its subscribers and published useful runner demographics
over the last twenty years. Excerpts from the latest RW Subscriber Study are provided below. The RRIC believes that the RW
demographics provide a more realistic view of road runners who also buy running shoes and enter running events compared to
the more general population of runners and joggers described by NSGA and ASD. The surveyed populations of the latter include
many kids who run as part of their PE class.
Runner Profile Highlights from 2006 RW Subscriber Study
Gender:
Women 47.4% / Men 52.6%
Median Age: 44.0 years old
College Educated: 93%
Graduated College+: 74%
Married:
74.4%
Number of people in household: 2.9 people
2005 individual employment income before taxes, average:
$74,100 [$63,600 median]
2005 household employment income before taxes, average: $139,000 [$113,000 median]
2005
household net worth, average: $943,000 [$500,000 median]
From 2006 Runner's World Sub Study, Erdos and
Morgan
Gender Distribution in Running Populations: Female/Male
|
1998 |
2002 |
2005 |
2006 |
| Running/Jogging Shoe Users (NSGA-2) |
43/57 |
|
49.2/50.8 |
52.1/47.9 |
| All Running Event Finishers (RRIC) |
39/61 |
49.8/50.2 |
51/49 |
52/48 |
| Timed Road Race Finishers (RRIC) |
36/64 |
45.5/54.5 |
47.6/52.4 |
48.9/51.1 |
| Runners, ran at least once/yr (NSGA) |
45.7/54.3 |
|
44/56 |
47.8/52.2 |
| Runner's World Subscriber Study (RW) |
38.7/61.3 |
53.7/46.3 |
n/a |
47.4/52.6 |
| Trail Runners, ran at least once/year (ASD) |
n/a |
n/a |
40.6/59.4 |
45.1/54.9 |
| Trail Running Shoe Users (NSGA-2) |
n/a |
n/a |
44.1/55.9 |
41.4/58.6 |
In 2006,
the percent of female users of running/jogging shoes tracked by NSGA went over 50% for the first time (52.1%). The female/male
ratio of road running event participants compiled by Running USA’s RRIC continued to hover around 50/50 with 48.9% women
finishing timed road races and an estimated 52% finishing all running events including fun runs and charity events. The lowest
percent of women was found in the trail running figures from both ASD and NSGA which have varied from 41% to 45% in the last
two years.
The female/male ratio of 50/50 in all timed road races as well as 40/60 for marathons and
49/51 for 10Ks have not changed much in the last 5 years, but the gender breakdown for some of the other race distances have.
The ‘decrease’ in 5Ks from 60% women in 2002 to 51.4% women in 2006 is primarily due to the elimination of complete
timed results for charity runs led by the Komen Race for the Cure series. That accounted for more than a million finishers
with a female majority being moved from the timed finisher database to the estimated ‘all runs’ database.
The half-marathon, on the other hand, has seen an increase of its female participation (48.8% women in 2002 compared to 54.5%
women in 2006) which has helped fuel the tremendous growth of the distance. Both the 5K and the half-marathon growth and participation
trends will be examined more thoroughly in upcoming RRIC reports.
Age Group Distribution in Running Populations
As the table below
illustrates, there is very little variation in the average ages of road race finishers compiled by RRIC from 2003 to 2006.
The NSGA and ASD average ages of runners and joggers vary by as much as 5 years during the same time period which may have
more to do with the sample of survey respondents than specific differences in the runner populations from year to year. RRIC
figures show that the typical male road race finisher is about 3.6 years older than his female counterpart.
Average Age (Mean) in Running Populations
|
|
2003 |
2005 |
2006 |
| Timed Road Race Finishers: Average Age (RRIC) |
36.8 yrs |
36.8 yrs |
36.6 yrs |
| Frequent Runners, 100+ days/yr (ASD) |
30.5 yrs |
26.3 yrs |
28.7 yrs |
|
|
|
|
| Female Finishers in Timed Road Races: Average Age (RRIC) |
34.9 yrs |
34.9 yrs |
34.8 yrs |
| Female Frequent Runners/Joggers, 110+days/yr: Average Age (NSGA) |
29.5 yrs |
26.3 yrs |
31.3 yrs |
|
|
|
|
| Male Finishers in Timed Road Races: Average Age (RRIC) |
38.5 yrs |
38.6 yrs |
38.3 yrs |
| Male Frequent Runners/Joggers, 110+days/yr: Average Age (NSGA) |
34.4 yrs |
29.1 yrs |
30.5 yrs |
From 2002 to 2006, there was a small increase in the percent of juniors in timed road
races for both males and females (see table below). Much of that change was in the 5K which had 18.6% juniors in 2006
compared to only 12% in 2000, but note that in 1992 the percent of juniors was 18% (see final table).
The percent of masters runners (40 years and over) in road races has remained between 40%
and 41% for the last 10 years although an analysis of different distances show more variation. For the last 5 years, almost
1 out of every 2 male road racers were masters whereas only 1 out of every 3 females were in the older age groups. For seniors
(60 years and over), the gender differences are even greater with only 2.7% of the females participating in road races compared
to 5.8% males in that age group.
| Age Group Distribution of Timed Road Race Finishers (RRIC) |
| Junior |
2002 |
2005 |
2006 |
| Females: Juniors 19 & under |
8.6% |
9.2% |
10% |
| Males: Juniors 19 & under |
7.8% |
9.1% |
10% |
| Masters |
|
|
|
| Females: Masters 40 yrs+ |
35.6% |
34.5% |
34.3% |
| Males: Masters 40 yrs+ |
47.3% |
47.8% |
47.0% |
| Seniors |
|
|
|
| Females: Seniors 60 yrs+ |
2.9% |
2.6% |
2.7% |
| Males: Seniors 60 yrs+ |
5.3% |
5.7% |
5.8% |
The final table for Part II provides a breakdown of junior and masters age groups for road
races for the last 15 years and the 4 most popular distances. Other distances and a more complete analysis of the significance
of gender and age group shifts will be provided in future Running USA RRIC reports.
Age Group Distribution in Timed Road Races by Distance
(RRIC) |
|
|
1992 |
2000 |
2002 |
2005 |
2006 |
| 5K |
|
|
|
|
|
| % Masters |
28% |
39% |
41% |
39.7% |
39.4% |
| % Juniors (<20) |
18% |
12% |
14.1% |
17.6% |
18.6% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 10K |
|
|
|
|
|
| % Masters |
34% |
43% |
40% |
41.4% |
41.1% |
| % Juniors (<20) |
6% |
6% |
8.5% |
7.3% |
8.6% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Half-Marathon |
|
|
|
|
|
| % Masters |
n/a |
43% |
40% |
41.7% |
41.0% |
| % Juniors (<20) |
n/a |
2% |
2.3% |
2.6% |
3.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Marathon |
|
|
|
|
|
| % Masters |
41% |
44% |
43% |
44.4% |
45.5% |
| % Juniors (<20) |
1% |
2% |
2.1% |
1.9% |
1.8% |
Look for Part IIIa: Growth Trends in Road Races and IIIb: Largest Races in upcoming wires.
Sources
for Part II
ASD = American Sports Data Inc. 2003, 2005 and 2006 Superstudy of Sports Participation,
Volumes I and III. To obtain information on sports demographic products and services offered, contact Harvey Lauer at American
Sports Data, Inc., 15 Kent Dr, Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567 or go to AmericanSportsData.com.
NSGA = National Sporting Goods Association. NSGA Sports Participation in 2003, 2005
and 2006, Series I. (2) = NSGA Sporting Goods Market in 1998, 2005 and 2007. To obtain information on any of the NSGA products
and services email info@nsga.org, phone (847) 296-6742 or go to NSGA.org.
RRIC = Running USA’s Road Running Information Center. State of the Sport reports,
many types of running data and lists of the Largest Races from past years can be found at RunningUSA.org in the 'Statistics' section. For other questions about running trends and demographics, contact Ryan Lamppa
[ryan@runningusa.org] or Linda Honikman [rric@runningusa.org].
RW = Runner profile highlights from 2006 Runner’s World Subscriber Study, Erdos
and Morgan. Subscribers were contacted via mail and were selected on a random (nth name) basis from the entire RW subscriber
gallery. Response rate for the study was 52.6%. Female/Male ratio for 1998 was from Runner’s World Subscriber
Study, 1998 Willard and Shullman. The next Runner’s World subscriber study is scheduled for 2008. For information or
questions, contact John Byrne, Runner’s World Research Director.
SGMA = Sporting Goods Manufacturers
Association’s Insight07 State of the Industry which uses ASD participation data among other sources. For more information,
go to SGMA.com.
State of the Sport Part IIIa / State of the Sport Part II / Return to main page
2007 State of the Sport Part I: the Running Industry
According to the U.S. Census Bureau and reported in the July 18 NSGA Sporting Goods Alert,
2006 was a strong year for the American sporting goods industry with a total of $35.24 billion in retail sales (up 13% over
2005). That growth was the result of 4 years of positive momentum with increases of 3.1% in 2003, 6.2% in 2004 and 8.1% in
2005. Preliminary figures from the Monthly Retail Trade Survey for the first 5 months of 2007 indicate a continuation of this
trend with 6.9% growth compared to the same period in 2006.
The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA-2) reports a 5.8% increase in the industry
for 2006 as defined by manufacturers’ sales in the U.S. ($65.3 billion). This percentage growth compares favorably to
the gross domestic product of 3.6%.
Apparel
SGMA attributes much of the overall growth to apparel. “The sports apparel category,
which grew by 8.2% in 2006 to $28.8 billion and has increased by 20% over the past two years, is reaping the benefits of technological
advances. Consumers have increasingly responded to performance fabrics that provide compression, moisture management and temperature
control. Stylish designs have also helped make sports apparel fashionable for everyday wear” – SGMA (2).
The Sporting Goods Market in 2007 (NSGA-1) which is based on retail sales in the U.S. projected
from consumer interviews, estimates that sports clothing purchases totaled $10.699 billion in 2006, a decline of 2% compared
to 2005. Running clothing purchases during the same time period fared much better with an increase of 11% to $726.7 million
in 2006.
Footware
According to SGMA (2), “The athletic footwear segment posted an increase in wholesale
shipments of 3% to $12.3 billion, but this represented a considerable slowdown from the 19% gain it experienced in 2005.”
The largest footwear category – running shoes – experienced a decline from $3.150 billion in 2005 to $3.054 billion
in 2006 (SGMA-3).
The NSGA (1) estimate for retail sales of running and jogging shoes is $2.259 billion for
2006, an increase of 5% over 2005. The corresponding total for all athletic footwear is $16.9 billion, an increase of 8%.
Threats and Opportunities for the Running Industry
“The underlying challenge facing the sporting goods industry is that participation
in almost all forms of sports and outdoor activities is stagnant and, in many cases, declining“ – SGMA (2).
As long as the running industry pays attention to threats and opportunities, it should be
able to avoid the stagnation and decline experienced by other mainstay sports. In 2006, and to date in 2007, running has had
excellent growth in areas of running participation (see figures below), running events (to be detailed in Parts II and III
of this series) and running media. The latter is illustrated by MPA statistics showing total ad revenue for Runner’s
World of $66.57 million for 2006, an increase of 14.8% over the previous year.
Running has several advantages including the ability to morph into a competitive sport, recreational
sport or healthy activity for any demographic. Intriguing technological products and services such as GPS and Google Earth,
Nike+ iPod system, transponder timing systems, Adidas I computer technology for footwear, “performance” fabrics
and recycled materials for clothing and shoes have allowed running to stay interesting and up-to-date in recent years. Running
can also be front and center in the widespread movement to connect effective and affordable fitness activities to people of
all types to improve the nation’s health. And with the backdrop of 2004 Olympic Marathon medals by Americans Meb Keflezighi
and Deena Kastor, the competitive side of the sport will become more prominent beginning with the Olympic Trials for the Marathon
in New York this November (men) and next April in Boston (women).
There will continue to be pressures affecting the smaller retailers and vendors. The proliferation
of takeovers and mergers are making the big companies stronger. Internet sales are also increasing substantially, although
that sales channel has been embraced successfully by some smaller retailers. If the trend towards fewer and bigger stores
means fewer running related items carried in the sports store universe or fewer independent specialty retailers who serve
as a gateway and community base for runners, then the running industry could suffer.
In spite of concerns such as the above, SGMA predicts healthy growth for the 2007 sporting
goods industry at around 6%. Running USA’s Road Running Information Center also sees the positive momentum noted in
2006 U.S. running events to continue in 2007.
New Studies Offer More Answers to ‘How Many Runners Are There?’
| |
|
2006 |
+ / - 2005 % |
| New SGMA (1) Total Runners* |
Run/Jog at least once |
37,922,000 |
up 9.4% |
| New SGMA (1) Core Participants |
Run/Jog 50 days/yr |
22,120,000 |
|
| New SGMA (1) Frequent Runners |
Run/Jog 100+ days/yr |
15,176,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
| New OIF (1) All Runners* |
Run/Jog at least once |
38,525,000 |
up 8% |
| New OIF (1) Road Runners |
Run/Jog at least once |
37,922,000 |
|
| New OIF (1) Trail Runners |
Run/Jog at least once |
4,436,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
| ASD (1) All Runners |
Run/Jog at least once |
40,464,000 |
up 7% |
| ASD (1) Frequent Runners |
Run/Jog 100+ days/yr |
12,401,000 |
up 7/1% |
| ASD (1) Trail Runners |
Run/Jog at least once |
5,911,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
| NSGA (2) All Runners |
Run/Jog 6 days/yr |
28,787,000 |
down 1.6 % |
| NSGA (2) Frequent Runners |
Run/Jog 110+ days/yr |
7,064,000 |
up 2% |
|
|
|
|
| * The new SGMA and Outdoor Industry numbers come
from the same data source (see details below) |
For the last 20 years the RRIC has relied on American Sports Data (ASD) and National Sporting
Goods Association (NSGA) to give running numbers a context for comparison. This year we have many more choices (see chart
above) which include analysis and data based on a new online sports participation survey completed by 60,169 Americans in
the winter of 2007. The survey was commissioned by a partnership of 5 trade groups including SGMA and the Outdoor Industry
Foundation (OIF). Both organizations have massaged the data in slightly different ways to give us a more complete picture
of the running population.
Which sports participation studies are more accurate or useful?
It will take a few years of working with the results of the new participation survey to be
able to evaluate it. The ASD and NSGA studies will continue to be important for historical context as a minimum. In any given
year there may be some inconsistency that suggests inaccurate results so it’s useful to have several perspectives.
Since this is early days for the survey partnership there will likely be some adjustments
as surveyors attempt to get panels that match the bigger and/or most relevant population. For example, the OIF reports that
future participation studies ‘will strive for a greater youth sample’. Unless one is in the trail running PR business,
runner insiders will probably prefer the new OIF report to the previous one that estimated a trail runner population of 40
million.
Generally this proliferation of runner data is very helpful and gives the running industry
a deeper and broader view of the sport from the participation perspective. The online accessibility of much of this data will
ensure its usefulness for many purposes. The running industry will also appreciate seeing the Running/Jogging category at
the top of several Outdoor Industry lists published recently in “Next Generation of Outdoor Participants – 2007”
(OIF).
| Profile of American Outdoor Participants, from OIF (1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Favorite Outdoor Activities of All Americans by Number of Outings in
2006 |
|
|
|
total |
per participant |
| 1 |
|
Running/Jogging/Trail Running |
3.65 billion outings |
95 per runner |
| 2 |
|
Bicycling (any type) |
2.82 billion outings |
66 per cyclist |
| 3 |
|
Fishing (any type) |
1.17 billion outings |
23 per angler |
| 4 |
|
Skateboarding |
712 million outings |
64 per skateboarder |
|
|
|
