Running USA released its 2026 Global Runner Survey on 14 September, a study drawing on responses from more than 11,700 runners, joggers and walkers collected between March and July. The survey is presented by ACTIVE Network with Wahoo Fitness as a partner, and it is the second generation of research formerly known as the National Runner Survey, which Running USA first launched in 2007.
The scope of the questionnaire is broad. It covers demographics and participation trends, runner and walker profiles, how participants choose events, and how much they spend and travel to race. It also asks about merchandise and swag preferences, communications and social media engagement, charitable fundraising, product and brand preferences, and the technology runners use, alongside questions on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Running USA's Director of Operations, Dr Michael Clemons, said the running community continues to evolve and that the survey gives a clearer picture of who is participating and what they are looking for in their running experience. That framing reflects the audience for the work: race directors, retailers and brands deciding how to price events, design experiences and reach runners.
A note of caution applies to what is publicly known. The release describes the topics covered but not the underlying figures, and the full report is sold at $299 to non-members while remaining free to Running USA members. Headline numbers on participation, spending and technology adoption have therefore not yet been published in detail, and this site will report them as they emerge.
The timing is useful for the sport. Participation questions are live on both sides of the Atlantic, with recent parkrun attendance data showing a dip in UK numbers on a late-summer weekend and race organisers reporting sold-out events elsewhere. A survey of this size, repeated on a regular cycle, is one of the few sources that can tie those threads together, and the industry will be watching for what it says about who is joining running and who is leaving.