The Next Big Running Market: Cross Country

All the reports I've read over the past year show that running is still a growing sport. Not only are road races maintaining growth and popularity, but the actual activity of running grew more than 10% in terms of participation over the past year, which is a big statistic.

In those same reports, trail races were marked as having the most significant rise of race registrants. Trail races grew over 15% on average from '08 to '09, which I can back up with the three trail races I put on, which saw nearly 30% growth in registrants. With road races and trail races at their healthiest levels ever, where is the next area of growth in the sport that race directors can capitalize on?

My answer is cross country. Reading a great piece by Marc Bloom this morning, he discussed adult cross country and the top ten benefits of competing in cross country. My reasoning behind cross country being "the next big thing" is that it is more wide open than trail running (offering more participants and easier flexibility to race), but easier on the legs than road racing and offers up a distinct terrain difference.

As trail running becomes more of the norm, runners will look for the next rush, the next race where they can distinguish themselves from their fellow runners. To me, cross country is that next wave.