Dear Members and friends of Running USA,
There is certainly a lot of uncertainty in the world right now and while it may not be having a direct impact on the running event industry yet, we know it inevitably will. What we don’t know is how. Tariffs on imported goods will affect the costs for many essential running items like medals and t-shirts. Will other costs being passed along to consumers impact their willingness to spend on race registration, new gear or event travel? There is clear cause for concern about the possibility of a recession.
But history tells us that running is uniquely positioned to weather the storm. Race participation actually increased during the 2008 financial crisis, and running activity went up during the pandemic. Running USA wants to lead a conversation about how people and organizations are preparing for what could be a tumultuous time. We will be reconvening our 2025 conference roundtables in May and the economy and industry conditions will be among the many topics discussed.
Running USA was recently listed as the co-author of a study in the Journal of American Medicine. We were honored to provide participation data to Dr. Jonathan Kim of Emory University (and Medical Director of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race) and Dr. Aaron Baggish of the University of Lausanne (and former Medical Director of the Boston Marathon). Their study found that while race participation is on the rise, the number of cardiac events at races are not. More importantly, the number of deaths from cardiac events at races has declined. This is in large part due to the steps event organizers have taken to ensure staff and volunteers are properly trained to administer lifesaving efforts and equipped with access to AEDs. Knowing the importance of this, Running USA has partnered with AED Brands on a program that rents devices to members who might not have the need to purchase. You can find more details below.
I am looking forward to the Boston Marathon on April 21. If you are going to be in town for the race, I hope you will join us and RRCA on Saturday, April 19 from 4-6 p.m. at Clery’s in Back Bay. We will have food, drink and conversation available for members to enjoy. RSVP here.
I’d like to extend a special congratulations to our friends at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon who are celebrating their 25th running next week. While family obligations are keeping me from attending, our Board President Kathleen Titus will be on hand to commemorate the Oklahoma City Bombing, which happened on April 19, 1995, and then run the race that was created to honor the victims.
Happy Running!
Jay