Half Marathons in USA Reach 2000 + Milestone

Written by Nicole Blomgren, August 2012

The year 2012 has been a year of tremendous growth for half marathons and marks a new milestone of surpassing over 2000 half marathons across the United States.  Half Marathons are being formed as fast as we can add them to the online calendar directories.  Halfmarathonsearch.com analyzed, searched, and compared the top half marathon directory listings across the United States and came to a total of 2,005 half marathons for all US States totaled, reported on August 26, 2012.  California leads the way with the top number of half marathons, surpassing the 250 mark this year and new half marathons being added almost weekly, with Florida following as second with a total of 105 half marathons reached in 2012.  Not too far behind Florida follows Utah, Texas, and the state of Washington for most half marathons in the United States.  Both Florida and Texas hit their 100 half marathons milestone this year in 2012.

Half marathons appear to be one of the fastest growing running events in the United States, with a noticeable growth trend in the rise of trail half marathons as well, most significantly in Utah and Colorado.  Additionally, many new series are being created, from the creative 5 halfs in 5 days in 5 states, to multi-state events launching 5 to 10 events in the same year, to some that are launched specifically in one state, and they are adding to the speedy growth of this ever so popular 13.1 mile event.

As events grow, the importance for Race Directors and Event Management companies to understand their audience, not only from a race day perspective, but also an online perspective in presenting the event website is critical.  A past article Event Websites in our Changing World of Technology, Social Media, and Accommodating the Traveling Athlete written by Nicole Blomgren, Founder and President of Fifty States HALF Marathon Club and Halfmarathonsearch.com, provides good insight into what events should be cognizant of in presenting their information for runners, to make finding an event so much easier.

The rate of half marathon additions does not seem to be slowing as we approach this last quarter of 2012, predicting half marathon totals to likely grow to between 2300 to 2500 by the end of 2013.  Half Marathon clubs have also seen growth in 2012, most notably Fifty States HALF Marathon Club has more than doubled over the past year.  Fifty States HALF Marathon Club provides 3 challenges for runners to choose from, most known for their 2 challenges of finishing an event in all 50 states, but becoming very popular as well for their 100 HALF Anywhere Challenge and their now new 250 Gold Member Challenge and 500 half marathon Platinum Member Challenge.  Furthermore, the half marathon 13.1 mile distance event is a nice event to travel on the weekends to. Runners can typically experience a quick recovery after finishing a half marathon, one may not encounter when participating in a full marathon, presenting the half marathon experience to be very enjoyable running distance event for runners.

 ~ Copyright 2012 - Nicole Blomgren