This is an exciting time of year for running and for Running USA. Spring races are on the horizon and we have just launched our annual Global Runner Survey presented by ACTIVE Network.
We have a lofty, but very realistic goal of bringing in 10,000 responses to this year’s survey and ensuring that at least 20% of those are from outside the United States, I believe that with amazing incentives from our partners (a treadmill and four marathon entries!), a longer runway and with distribution help from all of you, we will not only meet, but exceed that goal.
What’s in it for you? We got that question last year when we asked members to push out the survey. And it was a fair question. As a result, we made the results of the Global Runner Survey part of the membership package and available to all members at no additional cost. We also can provide you a custom link to track your audience’s engagement with the survey and deliver those insights to you.
Collectively, what’s in it for the running event industry are the insights it provides and the trends it shows about our customers. It’s the most comprehensive look at participant habits, preferences and spending decisions. In the last year, we invested time sharing, analyzing and expanding on last year’s results with small and large audiences across the country and around the world. That was in part to educate and in part to create awareness for the survey so it will reach a wider audience this year. I can hardly wait for the results of this year’s survey in September so that we, in short order, can identify the standout findings and take a deep dive into them.
As the survey makes its way to runners in all parts of the globe, Running USA is launching its new membership model on April 1. We spent the last year creating the new member tiers by talking to current members, lapsed members and potential new members to understand how we could better serve people and organizations of all sizes and scopes. What we are offering allows us the best opportunity to work toward our mission to educate, engage and elevate the running event industry. Look for the details next week.
I am headed to Los Angeles where I am nervously excited to take part in the Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS on March 16. This race is going to be a great show of strength, resilience and togetherness for a community that has endured so much heartbreak in these past few months. I look forward to the feelings only a marathon can bring. If you will be in LA, let me know. I’d love to say hello!
Happy Running,
Jay
