Saturday, July 23, 2011

Typical U.S. Female Runner

Typical U.S. Female Runner:  
Ever wonder how you compare? I can't say as though I really did but here is how I do.  This is the typical "core" runner.  Core runners are  active adult participants who tend to enter running events, train year-round, and purchase 2-4 running shoes each year.

Demographics:
  • Average Age: 38.5     I'm younger
  • 63.2% Married      Yes
  • 78.2% College educated    Yes
  • 70.3% Earn a household income of $75,000+     Nobody's business!
Running History:
  • Average number of years running: 9.9 years  I have been running for?  At least since high school.
  • Average number of running events participated in during the last 12 months: 7.2 events   I have done 11! 
  • 51.8% have completed 1 marathon or more in their lifetime  Not yet, but I hope to someday!
Running Routine:
  • 70.4% Run/Jog 4+ hours each week  4 to 6 hours a week is probably right
  • 77.7% run 12 months a year  Yes
  • Average number of days run per week: 4.0  Yes
  • Average number of miles run per week: 21.9  20 in the winter closer to 30 in the warmer months
  • 66.1% describe themselves as ‘Frequent/Fitness Runners’ Sure
Running Preferences:
  • Favorite race distance is the Half-Marathon (39.0%)  Hmmm I love 5k's more I think
  • Interested in entering next year: Half-Marathon (77.0%), 5K (57.3%), 10K (56.0%), Marathon (43.3%) Half- yes, 5k- yes, 10k-yes, marathon- yes
Motivation:
  • Primary motivation to start running: For Exercise (25.0%), Weight Concerns (14.5%), Needed a New Challenge (9.3%)  Exercise and I was in cross country so competition
  • Motivation to continue to run: Staying in Shape (76.8%), Staying Healthy (74.2%), Relieving Stress (64.4%) Relieving stress, staying healthy, staying sane, and staying in shape, and I love racing!
Product Preferences:
  • Average number of running shoes purchased in last 12 months: 2.9 pairs  3 pairs a year
  • Last running shoes purchased: ASICS (26.4%), Brooks (16.6%), Saucony (14.2%) 2 Asics, 1 Suacony
  • 65.3% spent $90+ on their running shoes and 47.9% purchased their running shoes at a specialty running store  I buy on ebay, online, in specialty stores and spend more than I should
  • Favorite brands of running apparel: Nike (64.8%), Under Armour (45.7%), Champion (34.3%), adidas (30.7%)  under Armour, Nike, Champion, Lululemon
  • 80.4% spent $100+ on running apparel in the last 12 months and 59.6% purchased running apparel at a specialty running store  I order online, buy in Costco, Target, and in specialty stores
Health:
  • Average Weight: 137.6 lbs      Lighter than this
  • Average Height: 65.01 inches / 5 feet, 5 inches  5'8"
  • Average Body Mass Index (BMI): 22.9  I think I am a 20
  • 40.9% are content with their weight  Oh mostly content, I just like to go by how my clothes fit, and I like so I guess I am good!
  • 42.3% are content with their fitness level  I think I always want to be just a little fitter
I got all this from   http://www.runningusa.org  

What about you?  Are you "typical"?

24 comments:

  1. this is super interesting! thanks for posting! I guess I am mostly typical...but have not been running for too long and am younger than the avg. I do participate in a lot of races though...they keep me motivated!! so awesome that half of women runners have done marathons! wow!!

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  2. Very interesting! BTW I hate 5ks!! LOL I'm shorter and weigh less too.

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  3. I am average in a lot of ways as compared to these stats, except when it comes to the body stats. I am taller, heavier and have a higher BMI.

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  4. I like seeing what the average is for female runners! I think I'm similar to most of these things as well!

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  5. I think I'm pretty typical. I didn't know I could be packaged up so neatly in a survey. :)

    Thanks for sharing!

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  6. I'm pretty typical, too, even down to being 38.5 years old. And I'm happy to say I weigh less than that average, though last year that would have been spot on too (BMI is and would've been lower as I'm 5'7"). What else? Last running shoes were Asics....favorite distance--too hard to choose!....done 3 marathons...four days a week of running is spot on....

    I enjoyed this! Thanks for posting, Christy!

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  7. That's a cool survey - it's funny how "typical" I am as a runner...

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  8. Interesting stats. I guess for the most part I'm pretty typical too, except for the number of years, and 12 months continuous running. I'm still a pretty new runner, and haven't really had a full year of running consecutively under my belt. I'm getting there.

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  9. I'm typical in a lot of ways, but definitely not in terms of weight and sadly not in terms of household income.

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  10. Very interested! Thanks for sharing, and I am pretty not typical. No suprise. he he!

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  11. This was such a fun post! Some of the things I fit with, but others I don't. I am a lot smaller than the typical runner, as well as younger, and my gear was very different, as well as my goals for this year/next, but is because I tri too. A lot of the others I was a good fit, though, like hours and such.

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  12. I'm, of course, not typical :P

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  13. I'm short and petite (with small hands/feet and narrow bone structure), so I am always less than average on those stats of all woman.

    I love that the most popular primary motivation is for exercise and not a weight loss/physical appearance answer. It means a lot of women are running for the "right" reasons.

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  14. This is a very cool survey! I could have my picture next to it...guess I fit right in!

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  15. Great facts! I really enjoyed them and comparing myself to them.

    Thanks for sharing and it looks like you rank right up there :)

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  16. Love the facts. And the color coordinated answers were visually fun!

    Our answers are pretty similar overall. Great idea for a post.

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  17. Interesting! Thanks for sharing!

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  18. Really cool stats! I'm kind of average with it- but really interesting is the average age of 38... Around here in Chicago (at least in races) the largest age group is the 25-29 females- and many are super fast runners.

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  19. Well, that was enlightening. In some ways, I'm average. In some ways, I'm not. I'm fully aware that I need to replace the running shoes I bought before I was pregnant with my daughter, who is almost one... for example...

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  20. I did the same comparisons, but not on a blog when I saw this. You look like you are doing great in comparison to the average.

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  21. how very interesting...i guess i am not so average...

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  22. i love that you pulled this out!! i am going to maybe use it for my 30th birthday and I promise to give you credit!!

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  23. I am not typical and I am ok with that.

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  24. I've had running shoes on my mind today so that part caught my eye. I've bought 3 pairs of Asics shoes this year at $50-70 each: the 2150, 3020 and Kayano at a marathon expo, local running store and Running Warehouse.com.

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