Running USA Annual Report

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – (March 13, 2013) – Is the bloom gone from the marathon? A question asked after modest U.S. marathon finisher growth in 2011 compared to previous years. For the first time since 2001, according to Running USA, the estimated number of U.S. marathon finishers declined from a record 518,000 in 2011 to 487,000 in 2012 (a 6% decrease), but like 2001, most of the decline can be attributed to a unique situation; in 2001, it was post-9/11 travel impacting fall marathons, and in 2012, the cancellation of the ING New York City Marathon, the world’s largest marathon with more than 47,000 finishers or 9% of the 2011 overall finisher total.

If the sold-out NYC Marathon had been held, there is no doubt that the 2012 overall marathon finisher total would have exceeded the 2011 record of 518,000. In addition, overall, there was a 1.6% increase in finishers from the same 388 U.S. marathons for 2011 and 2012 (464,122 vs. 471,595); a slight percent increase (1%) from the same 367 marathons in 2010 and 2011 (495,135 vs. 500,206).

Over the past 15 years, U.S. marathons collectively have averaged just under 2.5% finisher growth per year so although 2012’s growth rate of 1.6% for the same marathons for both years was below the annual average, it was not a significant decline. In short, it is premature, at this time, to say that U.S. marathon growth has lost its bloom, and also, some of the marathon’s smaller overall finisher percent growth over the past two years can be attributed to the popularity of the half-marathon, the fastest growing road race distance in America since 2003 (and 2012 was another record finisher year for the 13.1 mile).

The following tables and lists represent a summary of the demographics and stats and trends for U.S. marathons and worldwide rankings. Per the tables below, U.S. marathon demographics – gender, age group, median age and median time – have remained essentially the same in recent years.

Year Estimated U.S. Marathon Finisher Total

National Runner Survey

In 2012, Running USA surveyed more than 30,000 core runners nationwide, and those respondents who had completed a marathon in the last two years ran approximately 4.3 days per week for an average of 28.3 miles. They also purchased approximately 3.5 pairs of running shoes and 77.5% had spent $100 or more on running apparel in the last 12 months.

U.S. marathons with more than 1,000 finishers and number of U.S. marathons set new records

Last year, there were a record 95 U.S. marathons reporting greater than 1,000 finishers, compared with 94 in 2011, the previous record. Since 1999, the number of U.S. marathons with more than 1,000 finishers in a single year has increased 111% (45 in 1999 vs. 95 in 2012).

For the first time since 1996, there was no inaugural U.S. marathon with more than 1,000 finishers, and overall, there were at least 20 debut marathons in this country and most of them were small (less than 300 finishers).

In 2012, there were an estimated 850 U.S. marathons, a record high, compared to approximately 300 marathons in 2000.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon largest in 2012; record 29 marathons had more than 10,000 finishers in 2012

With 37,475 finishers, an event record, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon was the largest 26.2 mile road race in the world last year, and it was only the second marathon ever with more than 37,000 finishers (New York City Marathon, the other, 6 times). For the first time, 29 marathons worldwide had more than 10,000 finishers. In addition, the U.S. and Japan each had 5 of the 15 largest marathons in the world. See 2012 top rankings below.

2012

World’s Largest Marathons (finishers):

U.S. Largest Marathons (finishers):

SOURCE: Running USA with Athlinks (2009-12) and Active.com (2005-08)