Running USA’s 2011 State of the Sport – Part I: New “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 in this summary. Pre-order a complete
report at www.runningusa.org/node/57812.

For the rest of Part I with gender breakdowns and more, CLICK here.