COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - (June 19, 2011) - The 2011 National Runner Survey is a comprehensive study conducted every two years by Running USA. The National Runner Survey assesses the demographics, lifestyle, attitudes, habits and product preferences of the running population nationwide. Results
Running USA’s State of the Sport 2011 – Part I: „Core Runner“ Profiles – National Running Survey shows educated, affluent, motivated, half-marathon loving population
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – (June 19, 2011) – The 2011 National Runner Survey is a comprehensive study conducted every two years by Running USA. 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.
Today's core runners are highly educated with 77.2% having earned a college diploma (national percent = 29.5%) and affluent with 72.9% reporting a household income of more than $75,000 (national average = 32.4%). Core runners are active participants who train year-round and report running/jogging an average of 213 days and logging nearly 1,269 miles per year. These runners are motivated to run in order to stay in shape (80.7%), stay healthy (77.4%), have fun (66.1%) and relieve stress (64.3%).
The National Runner Survey is distributed electronically to running event participants, running club members, specialty running shoe store visitors, subscribers to running publications and those who frequent the online running community.
Running USA worked closely with more than 60 organizations to help distribute the online survey to various constituency groups between the months of January through May of 2011. A total of 11,893 runners nationwide (53.8% female, 46.2% male) responded to the survey with an 86% rate of completion. Select results from the 2011 study are presented below.
You can pre-order a complete report at https://www.runningusa.org/node/57812.
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: 38.5
- 63.2% Married
- 78.2% College educated
- 70.3% Earn a household income of $75,000+
Running History:
- Average number of years running: 9.9 years
- Average number of running events participated in during the last 12 months: 7.2 events
- 51.8% have completed 1 marathon or more in their lifetime
Running Routine:
- 70.4% Run/Jog 4+ hours each week
- 77.7% run 12 months a year
- Average number of days run per week: 4.0
- Average number of miles run per week: 21.9
- 66.1% describe themselves as ‘Frequent/Fitness Runners'
Running Preferences:
- Favorite race distance is the Half-Marathon (39.0%)
- Interested in entering next year: Half-Marathon (77.0%), 5K (57.3%), 10K (56.0%), Marathon (43.3%)
Motivation:
- Primary motivation to start running: For Exercise (25.0%), Weight Concerns (14.5%), Needed a New Challenge (9.3%)
- Motivation to continue to run: Staying in Shape (76.8%), Staying Healthy (74.2%), Relieving Stress (64.4%)
Product Preferences:
- Average number of running shoes purchased in last 12 months: 2.9 pairs
- Last running shoes purchased: ASICS (26.4%), Brooks (16.6%), Saucony (14.2%)
- 65.3% spent $90+ on their running shoes and 47.9% purchased their running shoes at a specialty running store
- Favorite brands of running apparel: Nike (64.8%), Under Armour (45.7%), Champion (34.3%), adidas (30.7%)
- 80.4% spent $100+ on running apparel in the last 12 months and 59.6% purchased running apparel at a specialty running store
Health:
- Average Weight: 137.6 lbs
- Average Height: 65.01 inches / 5 feet, 5 inches
- Average Body Mass Index (BMI): 22.9
- 40.9% are content with their weight
- 42.3% are content with their fitness level
Typical U.S. Male Runner
Demographics:
- Average Age: 43.6
- 71.0% Married
- 76.2% College educated
- 76.0% Earn a household income of $75,000+
Running History:
- Average number of years running: 14.2 years
- Average number of running events participated in during the last 12 months: 8.7 events
- 66.5% have completed 1 marathon or more in their lifetime
Running Routine:
- 75.1% Run/Jog 4+ hours each week
- 80.9% run 12 months a year
- Average number of days run per week: 4.3
- Average number of miles run per week: 27.2
- 58.9% describe themselves as ‘Frequent/Fitness Runners' and 30.8% as ‘Serious Competitive Runners'
Running Preferences:
- Favorite race distance is the Half-Marathon (35.2%)
- Interested in entering next year: Half-Marathon (70.4%), 5K (57.1%), 10K (55.0%), Marathon (53.2%)
Motivation:
- Primary motivation to start running: For Exercise (22.4%), Weight Concerns (13.6%), Competed in School and Never Stopped (11.3%)
- Motivation to continue to run: Staying in Shape (75.2%), Staying Healthy (71.1%), Having Fun (62.0%)
Product Preferences:
- Average number of running shoes purchased in last 12 months: 3.2 pairs
- Last running shoes purchased: ASICS (25.1%), Brooks (15.8%), Nike (14.0%)
- 58.6% spent $90+ on their running shoes and 40.5% purchased their running shoes at a specialty running store
- Favorite brands of running apparel: Nike (57.3%), Under Armour (40.4%), ASICS (32.2%), adidas (31.2%)
- 77.0% spent $100+ on running apparel in the last 12 months and 63.0% purchased running apparel at a specialty running store
Health:
- Average Weight: 172.9 lbs
- Average Height: 70.46 inches / 5 feet, 10 ½ inches
- Average Body Mass Index (BMI): 24.4
- 45.2% are content with their weight
- 44.3% are content with their fitness level
Rodale Inc. also conducts a study on the running consumer and publishes a Subscriber Study for Runner's World and Running Times magazine subscribers. Below is a comparison of how the runner profiles from that study compare to the National Runner Survey conducted by Running USA.
Table 1: National Runner Survey and Rodale Subscriber Study (Runner's World & Running Times) | |||
National Runner Survey | Runner's World | Running Times | |
Demographics | |||
Age | 40.8 | 42.0 | 42.6 |
Male | 46.2% | 49.8% | 56.5% |
Female | 53.8% | 50.2% | 43.5% |
Caucasian | 90.1% | 88.4% | 91.9% |
Household Income $100,000+ | 53.8% | 56.4% | 60.8% |
Running History/Routine | |||
Run 12 months a year | 78.6% | 73.8% | 81.4% |
Days run/week | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.4 |
Miles run/week | 24.4 | 20.3 | 26.4 |
Total years running | 11.9 | 11.4 | 12.2 |
Run/walk events finished* | 7.8 | 7.6 | 9.7 |
Events Plan to Enter (next 12 months) | |||
Half-Marathon | 73.8% | 47.0% | 62.9% |
5K | 57.1% | 52.7% | 61.3% |
10K | 55.4% | 40.2% | 49.3% |
Marathon | 47.7% | 32.6% | 40.0% |
Running Shoes/Apparel | |||
Pairs of running shoes purchased* | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.3 |
Spent $90+ on running shoes* | 62.3% | 66.9% | 64.4% |
Spent $100+ on running apparel* | 78.9% | 80.4% | 80.3% |
*in last 12 months
NOTE: The National Runner Survey data also includes survey responses from a select group of Runner's World subscribers.
Sources for Part I:
National Runner Survey (Running USA, 2011) – based on a nationwide sample of 11,893 runners. See www.runningusa.org for more information or contact tracy@runningusa.org.
A full report is available for pre-purchase (to be released July 2011) with a Running USA member discount at this link: https://www.runningusa.org/node/57812. Custom reports may be available upon request.
Runner's World Subscriber Study (Rodale, 2010) – based on a sample of n=423 Runner's World ad n=376 Running Times subscribers. Study commissioned by Erdos & Morgan. Contact Paul Baumeister, Research Manager with Runner's World and Running Times magazines at Paul.Baumeister@Rodale.com
U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2011 (130th Edition) Washington, DC, 2010; https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
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