RunSignup’s annual RaceTrends report shows per race participation growth of 8.2%

RunSignup, the leading technology solution for US endurance events, releases its Annual RaceTrends Report providing an evaluation of the state of the endurance industry. After years of gradual recovery from the impacts of COVID-19, registration levels in 2024 suggest the endurance industry is thriving.

RunSignup’s RaceTrends report shows that race participation grew an average of 8% over the last year. With 2023 participation levels trailing 2019 by just 1%, this indicates the average race has exceeded their 2019 participation rate. Additionally, just 4% of 2023 races with more than 500 participants did not take place in 2024 – the lowest churn rate RunSignup has reported since it began tracking the stat in 2018.

Additional key takeaways include:

• Large races with more than 5,000 participants grew an average of 5% in 2024 after showing a slower recovery than smaller events
• Just 17% of participants from 2023 repeated the same event in 2024, with half marathons seeing only 12% of participants repeat
• Prices increased across all race distances for the second year, with 10K prices going up 5% and marathon prices increasing 1%
• Young adult runners are returning to racing, with 16% of 2024 participants between 18-29
• 24% of all registrations came on race week, illustrating a very slight shift away from procrastination
• Easy registration remains key, with 61% of all transactions taking place on a mobile device and 35% of registrants opting to pay via a saved credit card or Apple Pay
• The RaceDay CheckIn app continues to increase adoption, with 43% of races using the app to check-in 50% of participants

The report was built by mining RunSignup’s registration and finisher data over a five-year period to generate transparent statistics, identify trends in the industry, and provide recommendations to boost endurance event participation. It is estimated that the data on RunSignup accounts for approximately 45-50% of the US endurance market. The data in RunSignup’s 2024 RaceTrends report includes more than 85,000 race events and 10.8 million registrations.

CEO and Founder Bob Bickel said, “Our 2024 numbers show enthusiasm and momentum in the endurance industry. We encourage race directors and timers to keep the gas on to capitalize on the moment. Continue marketing to potential new participants through referral programs, email marketing, and local running clubs, and incentivize participants to return with loyalty programs and interactive race day experience. We are looking forward to another good year in 2025!”

To see more trends from the last year, sign up for RunSignup’s State of the Industry webinar on February 6, 2025, or read the full report for free at: https://www.runsignup.com/trends