Is the running boom over?

You're failing to realize that many, many races are not put on by people who are getting rich, but by people who are trying to raise money for a cause. That money isn't going towards some race director's Tesla Model X, but to cancer research or local kids or saving the whales or whatever charity to which the race contributes.

Do some research and see where the money is going. Your money would definitely be better used by a good charity than the debacle that is the current higher education system in the US.

formerbosox9yo wrote:

What is the next boom in recreation/fitness? I wan't to get in on it early. Cyclocross? Orienteering? Mountain running? Lumberjack games?

I think we're gonna go more macho. Why? Because our culture is becoming more PC and feminized but there is an undercurrent of idealized masculinity. I predict more guns, hunting, fighting, etc.

formerbosox9yo wrote:

What is the next boom in recreation/fitness? I wan't to get in on it early. Cyclocross? Orienteering? Mountain running? Lumberjack games?

The next fitness boom is not going to be competitive.

I've noticed growth in jogging groups that are all about community and socializing and often meet at breweries.

The only thing competitive that I see growing is online racing. I know Strava is almost 10 years old, but more people have GPS watches now than back then. It seems like there is growth in segments and all the local road race courses are on there.

I took a break from running from 2007 to 2012 and when I started to run again the second running boom was in full swing. Previously I had never seen a single runner if I went out for a run early on a Sunday morning, but suddenly I could meet half a dozen people running (I live in a small town).

Now lonely days are here again. I see less runners, participation in races are dropping, while new gyms constantly are popping up.

In my country there is no such thing as "charity", but the entrance fees are still ridiculous.

formerbosox9yo wrote:

The only thing competitive that I see growing is online racing. I know Strava is almost 10 years old, but more people have GPS watches now than back then. It seems like there is growth in segments and all the local road race courses are on there.

I agree with this. Virtual races, KOM on Strava bragging rights, Peloton, etc. Devices are taking things online. There will always be major running events, but more like how it used to be. It was out of hand for a few years and I welcome the culling of the herd. There is an exclusivity to running that I personally enjoy.

Next Boom: virtual reality racing/fitness. See movie "Ready Player One". Like zwift on a bike, but even more "realistic"

Where I'm from, there has never been a running boom. Anyone that runs is looked upon suspiciously, even distastefully.

Welcome to redstate USA. (To be fair, there are some backwater hickvilles that do lionize sissy sport like cross country, but they're the exception.)

I should probably move, but everything's so cheap around here. I'm somewhat of an outsider, but they're nice enough and I only have to talk to one of 'em when I go grocery shopping. Keep it short, maintain eye contact, smile, and move along like you're in a hurry (even if it is to just get home so you can sh!tpost about them).

Bad Wigins wrote:

Philip Exeter CC wrote:

What did that look like? How does it compare to today?

Everyone was fast! Your local cheap road race was 5 bucks and everyone in it was no slower than sub 20.

Also in those days men wore shorts, not pirate pantaloons like nowadays.

Agree..when I started racing in high school in 1987 ,seemed like there were way more 5 and 10ks with a lot of fast people to run with...now the running scene has been really diluted with charity runs, trail races, marathons and spartan races.. the Millennials have many more sports choices than we did growing up...resulting in fewer of the solid age groupers along with the boomers retiring from running and lastly us gen x runners getting older and more selective with racing=end of 2nd running boom

jesseriley wrote:

Running boomed originally during the fun run era (free, unauthorized runs downtown after hours). Biggest trend now is loop courses (ugly & boring, but cheap & easy). We’ve got to avoid the influence of money & elitism to re-create the boom.

Good point. I used to do more races. A lot of them they streamlined to save money and avoid closing streets. Even big city ones. Ruined the courses, attendance went down.

Simple.

The US economy and population are stagnating = The US running boom is stagnating

The Asian economy and population are growing very fast = The Asian running boom is growing very fast

South Carolina Runner wrote:

I agree with this. Virtual races, KOM on Strava bragging rights, Peloton, etc. Devices are taking things online. There will always be major running events, but more like how it used to be. It was out of hand for a few years and I welcome the culling of the herd. There is an exclusivity to running that I personally enjoy.

Disagree. Strava's gone facebook pandering to investors. A lot of serious runners are quitting it. When your mom and your friend's mother joins Strava, it ain't cool anymore.

KOM? Who cares? Means nothing.

Thai runs wrote:

Simple.

The US economy and population are stagnating = The US running boom is stagnating

The Asian economy and population are growing very fast = The Asian running boom is growing very fast

But in Japan their population is imploding yet they have great 10k & half marathon races.

The running boom was over a long time ago. Jogging is now the big sport.

Joggers took over Runner's World. I never saw that coming.

No

Subway Surfers wrote:

Thai runs wrote:

Simple.

The US economy and population are stagnating = The US running boom is stagnating

The Asian economy and population are growing very fast = The Asian running boom is growing very fast

But in Japan their population is imploding yet they have great 10k & half marathon races.

No, in Japan the running boom is going steady and not declining, but not growing exponentially fast like it is in the other Asian countries.

Rises and declines in running participation negatively correlates to the economy. The running booms have been during economic recessions and times of higher unemployment. The slowing and declines in participation have been during periods of economic growth and prosperity. Which is interesting since the largest demographic of runners are upper middle class. They turn to running as a cheaper alternative to pursue health, fitness, and adventure. But when times are good again and their worries go away, they move on to other pursuits. Not an attack on them, but an honest observation of the running industry.

Man, way to be a cheap @ss... so a group gets together, lays out a course, gets it certified, has port o johns, has traffic control, prints posters, has chipped timing, gets people to volunteer to on the course, has a water stop or two on the course, gets food and snacks donated for the finish area..... And you think all that shouldn't cost at least $25???

If a guy like you isn't showing up to a race, good riddance.

Running Economics 101 wrote:

Rises and declines in running participation negatively correlates to the economy. The running booms have been during economic recessions and times of higher unemployment. The slowing and declines in participation have been during periods of economic growth and prosperity. Which is interesting since the largest demographic of runners are upper middle class. They turn to running as a cheaper alternative to pursue health, fitness, and adventure. But when times are good again and their worries go away, they move on to other pursuits. Not an attack on them, but an honest observation of the running industry.

Nah. It's not economics, it's generational. A "time of life" moment if you will.

I started running during the First Running Boom in the late 70's. If you look at many of the iconic road races began at this time, it's when RW took off, it's when Nike started to really get big, marathon numbers began to swell... Back then it was still very much a niche, that attacked formed track & XC athletes and former HS and college athletes from other sports. These Baby Boomers were in their 30's and getting fat, the hang over from the 60's and excess of the 70s were catching up to them so they started running. (The race scene was so prolific it even touched my little crappy town where I was persuaded to run a 5k.)

The run scene kinda died down in the later 80's and into the 90's, but it came back BIG by the late 90's. This is when we start to see the focus on just finishing over racing, we get the Finishers Medal, and Finishers Photos, etc.. race numbers swell even though a large part of the pack wasn't "racing" at all. It was the Oprahization of Marathoning (no need to actually train, just finishing is a prize unto itself- right?).

At 51 I've seen plenty of "tourist" come and go in and out of the sport. Now with social media they're very easy to spot, and I have noticed that many have moved on to one of three things, yoga (woman only) CrossFit, or Ultra events. It will be interesting to see how the trail/ultras deal with the big numbers. I know they want to limit fields, but turning down free money isn't an easy thing to do when you have a successful event/product. Even more interesting will be what comes after the Ultra craze is over and people leave that scene.

Finally, running will be fine. The Millennials will discover running once they're fat and punchey and there will be a new batch of folks hitting the trails, roads, and tracks.