My, How We've Grown! Examining The Growth of Global Running and Ultrarunning Participation

There are two dates in the journey of life that one can’t predict. The day we come in, and the day we check out. In between, we explore life’s precious time with only one guarantee – it will constantly change, and change us, in unpredictable ways. If you live long enough, that change compounds to a future beyond imagination.

I often wonder if that’s why the sport of ultrarunning has seen such steady growth over the last decade. An ultramarathon, like other endurance events, is a “controlled adventure” that celebrates time intensely for a day, while simultaneously releasing us from the cacophonic universe of change that we can’t control. A synchronized embrace and release, fortifying both body and soul.

One thing for sure – the growth of running and ultrarunning is a global phenomenon. I’m going to dig into this a bit below as me and my synchroblog pals explore “Then and Now: What’s Changed in Ultrarunning in the 10 Years Since the First Synchroblog”. Be sure to check out what the others are writing as well:

• Andy Jones Wilkins takes a look at handheld bottles vs hydropaks 
• Craig Thornley reviews the changes in medical protocols for races 
• Sean Meissner ponders the use of GPS 
• And Wyatt Hornsby joins us to talk about how the Leadville 100m has changed

Global Growth in Running 

The sport of running remains the largest participatory sport in the world. By my estimate, there are ~413 million athletes on the globe that consider themselves runners. The sport has seen a steady growth since the jogging boom of the 70’s, growing 5-8% annually. If you count all the new derivations of running (obstacle races, color runs, etc.), the pace has continued, even though traditional road races have flattened out their growth the last three years. That means it is not out of the question that we could have 1 billion runners on the planet by 2030.

What is driving that growth? Well, if the US market is any indication (the largest in the world, with ~18 million road runners/9 million trail runners), the two main factors are (1) greater participation by women, and (2) an increased desire of younger generations to purchase experience over products, which is driving innovation in different types of runs (obstacle, non-timed, etc). I think a third underlying factor that is likely involved is the growth of social media, which allows race experiences, fundraisers, and new race announcements to be easily shared. The growth of women participating is definitely the biggest factor, and in fact, women are now 57% of all road race finishes. This is largely driven by increased participation in social and charity groups, targeting the 10k and half marathon distances.

(Chinese marathon mania, photo by Visual China)

Global growth in running is due to similar factors in countries where running is already popular, as well as the recent explosive growth of running in China. For those who haven’t been watching fitness in China, it is truly something to behold. Thanks to government interest (and investment), Chinese interest in running and fitness has seen growth that is mind boggling. Just look at marathon participation – in 2012, there were only 22 marathons in China, and less than 10,000 participants. Last year, there were over 1,000 marathons, growing 335% from the previous year, and pushing the runner community from 1.3 million to 2.7 million. Even more amazing, it is expected the number of Chinese marathon runners will grow to 10 million by 2020. For comparison, the US had ~540,000 marathon finishers last year. This big red explosion is not being missed by the juggernaut athletic brands - Chinese sports apparel brand Anta Sports just bought Amer Sports (who owns Salomon, Arc’Teryx, Suunto, and other brands) for $5.2 billion to give Nike and adidas a run at the biggest game in town.

Global Growth in Ultrarunning 

So what does this mean for growth in ultrarunning? Although less than 1% of runners will ever try an ultramarathon, we can expect that ultrarunning will continue to grow. The US market has been growing steadily (thank you Ultrarunning Magazine for tracking!), and we are seeing greater participation from women. Interest from younger generations can be seen through increased usage of hashtags and social media for ultra events.

(Growth in North American ultra finishes, courtesy of UR Mag)

Another indicator of global growth is watching the growth of other endurance sports, such as Ironman. Ironman now hosts 250+ events in 53 countries, and parent company Dalian Wanda has recently begun purchased the Tarawera 100k/100m and Rock n’ Roll Marathon Series in preparation for an initial public offering (IPO). This likely means more to come, and most certainly in China.

I’m personally excited for future growth in our sport, no matter how it arrives. I think the world is a better place with a million ultrarunners, and bringing their collective power and interest to the needs of nature. It will be fascinating to see what the next decade brings!

A Decade Later - How Western States Changed Everything For Me

Ten years ago, I was obsessed with the Western States 100m Endurance Run. Not curious, or "highly focused", but flat out obsessed. I can admit that now, particularly after reading my old blog posts. As I approached my first attempt at this historic race in 2009, I devoured any and all information I could find, sharing with like-minded runners in endless online rants and discussions. Yes, it was overkill, but it also fueled a deep spiritual fire that continues to this day.

The epitome of this obsession was the "synchroblog", a genius idea cooked up by now-WS100-Race-Director Craig Thornley in an attempt to organize our shared passion. Five bloggers would coordinate articles on the same States-related subject, and publish on the same day. We had a full range of experience with this great race, from newbies (that's me!), to recently experienced and coming back for race #2 (Sean Meissner and iRunFar's Bryon Powell who would be crewing for AJW), to the experts (Craig Thornley and then-six-time-top-10-finisher Andy Jones Wilkins, aka, AJW). Each shared perspectives and tips, as well as deeper thoughts on the history and culture of the race. In honor of that project, four of us are synchroblogging again today to share our current thoughts on Western States. Read up!

• Craig Thornley talks about his journey to becoming the WS100 Race Director, and a remaining goal to complete his tenth finish
• Andy Jones-Wilkins muses on the fire within, and why he has returned every year
• Sean Meissner reminds us of the stellar performances by top racers at States in the last decade

Now before you psh-aw the idea of a synchroblog, let me remind you of what technology was like waaaay back in the two thousand 'oughts. There was no Instagram (my God, how did we live?!?), no running podcasts, Facebook was only for college students, Twitter had just barely invented the hashtag, the book Born to Run hadn't been published, Billy Yang/JB Benna/Jam-Jam/Salomon TV hadn't begun releasing epic feature films every month, and most mobile phones were of the flip variety (Sean still has his if you need a reference photo). There were about 50 good trail running bloggers, and for those needing a daily fix in between the monthly issues of UltraRunning and Trail Runner magazines, it was a godsend.

The godsend could also be a curse, if misused. In retrospect, I digested far too much information in preparation for my first WS100. I assembled every trick in the book thanks to all that info - compression socks, feet so taped and powdered that a geisha would be jealous, chia seeds, supplements of every conceivable (legal) kind, four kinds of lotion, three kinds of sunscreen, highly detailed A/B/C goals, and every other shortcut the Internet could fabricate. I mean, just look at me:

(Adding 10 minutes to my 2009 finish sorting through my bag of tricks)

And guess what happened? I completely blew up. I went out too fast, failed my weigh ins, vomited gallons of optimally-mixed-whatever, and staggered like a zombie through the night and morning until I crossed the finish line 10 hours after my goal time. But you know what? In the deepest of holes, dancing with my physical and mental limits, I felt universally connected to nature in a way that I had never experienced before. The face of God even appeared in the night sky, by far my most candid (unaided) hallucination. The mantra that got me through it, and one that I still think of nearly every day, was the following:

At your darkest moment, you shouldn’t fear the void 

See it for what it truly is 

An infinite pool of will and courage, as clear as spring water 

Stare into it and see the reflection of your soul looking back 

For many, this is the face of God 

Look into her eyes 

It’s full of stars 

My God, it’s full of stars

I have been forever grateful for that day (and night, and day). It grounded me spiritually, right to the bedrock of my soul. It's why I encourage every trail runner to try at least one 100-miler...what awaits you beyond the finish is nothing short of enlightenment. You spend your remaining days hoping the shit hits the fan at Mach 2 in any part of your life, just so you can dig deep and release the phoenix again and again.

Now, flash forward seven years later at my second attempt at Western States in 2016. I have a hundred more ultras and marathons under my belt, and the Zen-like calm in my preparation shows it. There's no crazy gear, no special snacks, no supplements...I toe the line dressed as the stereotypical minimalist American ultrarunner, in short shorts, even shorter socks, and a few bandanas for ice. I beam with pride and adoration, not for my personal journey, but for those around me willing to let this race take everything they have and more. We are warriors of the soul!

My mind and heart are ready for the epic day, my crew experienced, and my A, B, and C goal are one and the same...sub-24 for the silver buckle, no other heroics needed. I am at a peace from start to finish, and every moment is a shared miracle. My goal comes together (23:40 for silver!) with a round of smiles from the family and crew that saw me through it. Their names are inscribed on the back of that buckle, and with it, a lifetime right to wear it themselves upon request. I have no doubt they will carry it with the respect and pride deserved...they were there for every step.

(Got it!)

In between those two races, I found there are lots of ways to tap into the fountain of passion for States. I've crewed, volunteered, filmed, joined trail maintenance crews, paced teammates to Top 10 finishes, and even dressed up like a devil at the bottom of the dreaded Devil's Thumb climb to coax runners to the creek with ice cold beers (no takers so far, ha, ha).

(Right this way...)

As archaic as blogging is these days, it does provide a great way to reflect and appreciate the journey. Western States is now as popular as ever, and I'll continue to put my name in the hat every year until I can't, with full knowledge it could be 5-7 years before the next opportunity to toe the line (M70-74 age group record, I'm coming for you!!!). I think of that group of young, eager runners that started the first synchroblog, and where they took those passions. Craig Thornley is now the WS100 Race Director, and has implemented tons of improvements, as well as helped launch the Ultra Trail World Tour. Bryon Powell's iRunFar is the de facto informational source for our sport across the globe (in all verses of social media), and well beyond anything us bloggers could have imagined. He's also provided a home for AJW's excellent insights and commentary, which he has shared in his dream of completing enough races for a 10-time Finisher Buckle. Sean Meissner has clocked 100+ more ultras, becoming one of the great stage racing champions along the way, and still shares his knowledge through coaching, and getting many more runners to their first WS100.

Thanks to States, I have a foundational love for our sport that makes it easy to be passionate year after year. No matter where I am on the planet, I subconsciously find our community of mountain people and align our passions with seductive stories of States. This year I'll be headed to Iceland, the Eiger in Switzerland, down the face of Mt. Hood, and if I'm lucky, a new trail adventure somewhere between Squaw Valley and Auburn in late June. I know many of you share this same unquenchable and unquestioned passion for the mountains, and I hope to see you out there to share a few vistas, steps, and stories.

And if this doesn't feel familiar to you, may I suggest perusing this list of WS qualifying races and starting a journey of your own... ;-)

See ya on the trails...

Scott