The shift in participation at events has been to walkers and slow runners, and those who run a little and walk a little. The Portland Marathon has seen the average finish time for runners increase by almost an hour in the past 10 years, and adding in the 1/3 of the participants who are primarily walking, the average finish time in Portland is now 5 hours and 3 minutes.
"If you want a big race, it will be a slow race," said Jack Scaff, M.D. of the Honolulu Sports Foundation. He sees a gentrification of running. "It is the middle of the pack and the back of the pack where the money is." The slower the runner (or walker), the more merchandise they buy at the event expo. The marathon is to walking and running as climbing Mt. Everest is to climbing - it is the ultimate achievement.
Younger women are being brought into the sport by the charity marathon programs and social marathon programs - the Leukemia Society Team in Training, the Connecting the Connectors program. In these programs, 75% or more are women. Marathons today are now half men, half women, trending to under 40 years old, with over $80,000 household income.
Some charity marathon programs have folded, such as the Diabetes Foundation marathon program, but others are going strong. With these programs, running/walking events have become number one for events generating charity money in the US.
Half-Marathons - Huge Popularity
Bart Yasso of Runner's World Magazine said that the half-marathon was the most popular distance in 2002 for numbers of finishers. "It is now cool to travel to a half-marathon." John Bingham, the Penguin, sees this trend developing because those who have done a marathon now may not have the time or want to put forth the effort, but they still want to participate in the event weekend, so they choose the half-marathon. "My half-marathon time is a good marathon time anyway!"The Portland Marathon has resisted adding a half-marathon distance. Director Les Smith believes the half-marathoners want to do the marathon, and the event's job is to provide training clinics and support as the vehicle to get them there.
Runner's World magazine is having its best year ever, despite a down economy that is killing advertising revenue in many other publications.
But Do They Really Understand Walkers?
Tawni Gomes of Connecting Connectors provided the view from a large contingent of slow runners and walkers. The people at the tail end of the event want to be treated as full participants. They want the finish line still open, and still stocked with shirts and medals and food and drink when they finish. These groups communicate year-round, and word of an event that treats them well, as well as events that don't, spreads quickly.Wendy Bumgardner of the Discovery Walk Festival challenged the event directors panel as they dismissed complaints about not enough porta-johns as simple whining. Walkers and slow runners are on the course much longer and drinking more water. Long lines or lack of porta-johns means they won't return to your event. With walkers attending events such as the Avon Breast Cancer Walks where banks of porta-johns and tables of food are provided, a new standard has been set. In response, Les Smith immediately ordered 10 more porta-johns for Mile 4 on the Portland Marathon the next day.
Most marathons and half-marathons were developed by runners for runners, they need walkers on their committees to provide the perspective and needs of the back of the pack.
