Running Industry Trends: Jay Holder of Running USA on Race Growth, Data Insights & Community Building

In this episode of the Communities in 26.2 podcast on Traxamo, I sit down with Jay Holder, Executive Director of The Running USA. Jay shared how Running USA supports the industry through research, education, and its annual conference, and highlighted new trends like increased engagement from younger runners and the growing importance of race-day experiences. The conversation also covered rising event costs and the industry’s resilience amid economic uncertainty, plus Running USA’s efforts to foster collaboration and best practices among race organizers and vendors. Enjoy the episode! Here are the highlights from our conversation:

1. Running USA’s Mission and Community Impact : Jay Holder describes Running USA as a nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and elevating the running event industry. The organization acts as a facilitator, connecting event organizers, vendors, and industry professionals, and providing resources such as insurance, music licensing, and an annual industry conference to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing

2. Industry Research and Data Trends : Running USA conducts extensive research, including the annual Global Runner Survey and finisher data analysis. Their latest findings highlight a significant post-pandemic running boom, with race participation—especially in marathons—exceeding pre-pandemic numbers. The marathon distance saw a 17% year-over-year increase in finishers, and there’s notable growth in the 18–24 age demographic, which bodes well for the future of the sport.

3. Focus on Economics and Event Costs : A major current focus for Running USA is analyzing the economics of race production. They are surveying race directors to break down costs by event size, from medals and swag to staffing and logistics, aiming to provide actionable insights about how costs scale and how sponsorship values are evolving in the industry.

4. Value of Experience in Modern Races : Jay emphasizes that today’s runners expect more than just a start and finish line. The overall race experience—including swag, entertainment, and social aspects—has become a critical factor in attracting and retaining participants. This shift is driving event organizers to innovate and enhance every aspect of the runner’s journey.

5. Navigating Economic Uncertainty and Industry Resilience : Despite rising costs and economic uncertainty, Jay remains optimistic about the running industry’s resilience. He points to historical trends showing that running remains a cost-effective and accessible form of exercise, even during economic downturns. However, tariffs and increased production costs for race materials and shoes are “wild cards” that the industry continues to monitor closely.

Podcast Outline:

00:00 - Episode Summary

1:35 - Episode Intro

2:45 What is running USA

4:05 Following passion in the intersection of media and running - Jay’s journey

7:15 4 core areas RunningUSA is supporting B2B running community

9:17 Industry research

11:31 Global runner survey

16:00 the industry conference sponsored by Haku

9:05 How does Running USA supports the b2B community

24:05 Trends Jay’s has seen

28:05 How does Tariff’s going to impact running industry?

31:30 Educating best practices in the running industry​

37:05 What’s ahead for Running USA

References-

• Running USA website - https://www.runningusa.org/
• Running USA global Survey  - https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8158751/2025GlobalRunnerSurvey
• The Industry Conference - https://www.runningusa.org/2026-industry-conference/

Episode info:

• Youtube - https://youtu.be/WVaLCzgsHGU
• Apple Podcast link -https://bit.ly/3I1VO1i
• Spotify podcast link - https://bit.ly/4kKTn1z

Transcript and Show notes:- https://www.traxamo.com/communities-in-26-2-jay-holder

Enjoy the episode!