What Running USA does

Running USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit industry association founded in 1999 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, dedicated to advancing and growing the U.S. running industry. It serves a horizontal membership comprising race directors and event organizers, running brands and vendors (footwear, apparel, timing, photography, nutrition), running clubs, governing bodies such as USATF and World Athletics, and individual industry professionals. Core products are organized in a platform-plus-modules model: a six-tier subscription membership (Bronze $247 to Legend $10,000 per year) gates access to industry research, the annual Industry Conference, networking, and a partner-served benefit stack; member-only add-ons include the Nicholas Hill Group event insurance program, music licensing via ASCAP/BMI/GMR/AllTrack with discounts up to 50%, HR consultation at $200/hour through Dianna Parkman, and press release creation/distribution by the Running USA team. Supporting products include the Global Runner Survey (7,400+ respondents in 2024) and associated research reports ($99–$499), the LEAD Collective leadership development program presented by Let's Do This, an online race event calendar, and a content hub with webinars and interviews. Revenue is generated primarily through tiered recurring membership fees, transaction-based conference registrations and expo booth sales, sale of research reports, and partner-facilitated benefits rather than direct fees on insurance/music/HR transactions. The organization operates with a 1–10 person team led by Executive Director Jay Holder and Marketing and Communications Director Leah Etling, governed by a Board of Directors, and depends on member dues, conference proceeds, and presenting sponsors such as haku (2026 and 2027 Industry Conferences).

Name

Running USA

Legal name

Running USA

Website

https://runningusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Running USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit industry association founded in 1999 serving the U.S. running industry through tiered membership, the annual Industry Conference, proprietary research such as the Global Runner Survey, and partner-served benefits including event insurance, music licensing, HR consulting, and PR distribution for race directors, brands, and governing bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Road Running Events (Marathons, Half Marathons, 10K/5K) (MPAKAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Trail Running & Ultra-Endurance Events (Trail Races, Ultras) (MPAKAIAD)

Keywords

• Running industry association
• Race event services
• Membership organization
• Event insurance program
• Industry research reports

Headquarters

HQ city

Wichita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from six tiers (Bronze through Legend) ranging from $247 to $10,000 per year. Membership provides access to industry resources, networking, research reports, conference discounts, and member benefits including insurance, HR services, and PR support.
2. Research Reports and Surveys: Sale of industry research reports and the annual Global Runner Survey to members (free for some tiers) and non-members. Reports include Top Races, Shoe Brand Trends, Inclusion insights, and more at price points from $99 to $499.
3. Event Insurance Program: Collective bargaining power provides members with exclusive event liability and accident medical coverage through Nicholas Hill Group. Running USA facilitates insurance purchasing for members, with pricing of $0.15-$0.25 per participant for liability and $0.10 for accident medical.
4. Music Licensing Services: Running USA negotiates discounted music licensing rates with ASCAP, BMI, GMR, and AllTrack for event production members. Members receive discounts of up to 50% on licensing fees.
5. HR and PR Professional Services: Human resources consultation at $200/hour (below market rate) and press release creation/distribution services. Some membership tiers receive complimentary hours and included press releases.
6. Industry Conference Revenue: Registration fees and expo booth sales from the annual Running USA Industry Conference. The 2027 conference will be held in Las Vegas presented by haku.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Running USA is the national nonprofit trade association for the running industry, providing race directors, event organizers, brands, vendors, and clubs with tiered memberships, an annual industry conference, event insurance, music licensing, HR consultation, press release services, and research reports. It serves as the central industry convener and a one-stop source of services and benchmarks for organizations and professionals working in the U.S. running market.

Product overview

Running USA operates as a membership-based platform offering a comprehensive suite of services for the running industry. The core product is the multi-tiered membership program (Bronze through Legend) which provides access to industry research, networking, and cost-saving benefits. This core is supported by specialized add-on modules including Event Insurance (powered by Nicholas Hill Group), Music Licensing Services (through ASCAP, BMI, GMR, AllTrack), HR Consultation, Press Release Services, and the annual Industry Conference. Additional offerings include Research & Reports (Global Runner Survey, Top Races reports, trend analyses), the LEAD Collective leadership program, Race Event Calendar for member events, and the Content Hub featuring articles and webinars. The product architecture functions as a platform-plus-modules model where the membership tiers gate access to varying levels of all services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LEAD Collective: Leadership, Equity, Advocacy, and Development program for rising professionals in the running events industry, formerly the Emerging Leaders Program. Supported by presenting sponsor Let's Do This.

Products and services

• Running USA Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Running race participation recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, with 75% of 7,400+ survey respondents planning to do at least as many or more races in 2025.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• Nicholas Hill GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNicholas Hill Group provides exclusive event liability and accident medical coverage for Running USA members. This partnership is a cornerstone member benefit, offering collective buying power that lowers costs for all members. They also provide event cancellation insurance through the partnership.
• Accredited Surety & Casualty Company, Inc.supportingOthersInsurance carrier providing General Liability Coverage for Running USA member events. Carrier holds A- Excellent AM Best Rating.
• United States Fire Insurance CompanysupportingOthersInsurance carrier providing Participant Accident Medical Coverage for Running USA member events. Carrier holds A Excellent AM Best Rating.
• ASCAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers - one of four music rights organizations in Running USA's collective licensing program. Members receive discounts up to 50% on ASCAP licensing fees.
• BMIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroadcast Music Inc. - one of four music rights organizations in Running USA's collective licensing program. Members receive discounted license fees through collective bargaining.
• GMR (Global Music Rights)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Music Rights - one of four music rights organizations in Running USA's collective licensing program, providing discounted rates for members.
• AllTrackcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAllTrack - one of four music rights organizations in Running USA's collective licensing program, providing discounted rates for members.
• hakuflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Running USA Industry Conference. haku is the presenting sponsor for both the 2026 and 2027 conferences, representing a major GTM partnership for the industry's premier event.
• Let's Do ThiscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Running USA LEAD Collective (formerly Emerging Leaders Program). Let's Do This supports mentorship, education, connection, and visibility for rising professionals in the running events industry.
• Let's Do ThiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLet's Do This and Running USA formed a strategic partnership to manage record-breaking global demand for marathon entries, specifically related to Chicago Marathon events.
• AED BrandssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAED Brands offers AED rentals for Running USA members at member rates, supporting event safety requirements.
• Active NetworksupportingTechnology or IntegrationElite member providing event management and registration technology solutions for running events.
• RaceRoostersupportingTechnology or IntegrationRaceRooster is a valued partner providing registration and event management solutions. Logo featured on Running USA website as a valued partner.
• Dianna ParkmancoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHuman resources consultant serving Running USA members. Previously Director of HR at Chicago Event Management. Provides recruitment, performance evaluations, handbooks, policies, and benefits consultation at member rates.
• RhinoActivesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesign and development partner responsible for the Running USA website design and development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• UK Athletics: National governing body for athletics in the United Kingdom. Functions as a regional analog to Running USA's national industry-association role, including member services, events, and elite-athlete support, but is governed rather than member-funded in the same way.
• Athletics Canada: National governing body for athletics in Canada. Comparable to USATF in scope but at a national-federation level outside Running USA's US market; offers a template for how a country-level industry/governing body supports running and membership services.
• Athletics Australia: National governing body for athletics in Australia. Comparable to Running USA in mission (growing athletics participation and supporting the running community) but with a federation structure and Oceania focus, useful as a peer for benchmarking the running market outside the US.

Broad incumbents

• USA Track & Field (USATF): National governing body for track and field, long-distance running, and race walking in the US. A current Elite member of Running USA, USATF sits one layer above as the official sanctioning body and competition organizer, while Running USA is the broader industry and business association.
• Outdoor Industry Association (OIA): Trade association representing outdoor and active-lifestyle brands, retailers, and suppliers. OIA is a useful peer because it operates a similar member-funded association model with annual conferences, research, and policy work, but at a broader category level (outdoor/active) that includes running.
• IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association): Global trade association for the fitness industry, including club operators and suppliers. IHRSA is a useful analog for Running USA's membership, conference, and research business model, though IHRSA serves the club/facility segment of fitness rather than the running events industry specifically.
• Sport and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA): Trade association for sports, fitness, and active lifestyle product manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers. SFIA overlaps with Running USA on research, market intelligence, and member services for the running brand/vendor ecosystem, but at a much broader sporting-goods industry level.
• World Athletics: International governing body for athletics. Also an Elite member of Running USA, World Athletics operates at the global federation level, while Running USA focuses on the US running industry, making them a parallel but higher-tier incumbent in the same ecosystem.
• National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA): US trade association representing sporting goods retailers, dealers, and team dealers. NSGA's research, networking, and conference activities are a structural analog to Running USA's offering, but its members are retailers rather than race directors and event organizers.

Direct peers

• Road Runners Club of America (RRCA): National nonprofit association serving runners, running clubs, and race directors in the US. Closest direct peer to Running USA: operates a parallel membership model, hosts club/race director education, and convenes the running community, though with greater emphasis on club-level grassroots and less on industry research and brand-side memberships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/runningusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/running-usa
• Instagraminstagram.com/runningusa_org
• Xx.com/runningusa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Running USA