Anecdotally speaking... I have never seen more people out on bikes or running and walking than the past couple of weeks. Also doing so responsibly from a COVID-19 perspective.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Same in Gainesville

It’s probable for running based on the past. Running is the great stress reliever. Running is also the easiest form of fitness there is. To start all you need is a pair of shorts and a pair of shoes. They don’t even have to be the latest shoes, just an old pair of running shoes you have (virtually everyone has a pair of running shoes). Just watch your local streets. You’ll see more and more people going out for a “run” in the coming weeks. Encourage it.

Triathlon if anything will feed off a running “boom” in the future. Few if anybody goes from couch to triathlon. Where it also might get hurt is the cycling portion of triathlon is if it’s even possible getting more expensive. Bike + Smart Trainer + Monthly Zwift or other fee. If you have that set up you understand how fun it can be. If you are simply stressed and need to start a fitness program it looks really expensive.

Even if you try running and like it, a pair of running shoes is still within the budget.

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Dave Jewell
Free Run Speed

My prediction is the opposite. For the majority of participants triathlon is a challenge. I'm thinking most people will feel challenged enough surviving this world crisis and won't need to "prove" themselves by completing an endurance event.

other running and endurance sport booms have happened in times of global crisis such as cold war in the 60s. Wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of people take up running in the coming year and then when life eventually returns to normal continue up with it. Tri is a bit different as the cost will be a big deterrent for people especially give the increase in layoffs that have and will continue to happen

No, when I think of a ''running boom'', I think of the big events and I don't think they are coming back. People aren't going to forget what we are going through right now and things are going to change. I don't see hundreds or thousands of people all lined up, sweating and snorting, at any time in the near future. I'm still running and cycling but both pools that I use are closed. I'll get back to swimming when the pools open, but I'll be surprised if the races come back.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

i have a route that i run down to the beach and back, its 5 miles round trip, i never see anyone on it, this past week i've seen a dozen or so more folks to where i had to go a new route to stay away from folks

It's nice to see families and people out riding bikes and running however, I wish they would have more trail etiquette. Out here in the Sacramento suburbs, walkers and runners are required to be on the left side of the trail and cyclists on the right...similar to road rules however here's what I'm seeing:

• Kids riding zigzag on the trail and parents completely clueless about this
• Easy to spot a new rider because they aren't wearing helmets
• No verbal warnings (bike back, passing left, etc.)
• People distracted by talking on their phones and wandering all across the path
• Walkers walking side by side 3-4 across not leaving any room to pass on either a bike or running
• Cyclists riding too fast (on this particular trail, it's more of a running/family trail whereas the American River Trail is better for riding fast)

I do think there will be an explosion in the 5k market and perhaps there will be a few "Covid 19k" races this fall :-)

Too early to tell. If the lockdown ends in a month, I think most people will very happily return to their pre-lockdown routines.

Are most of the new runners we are seeing young, especially young men? Those are the runners we need staying with it after the crisis ends to create a new running/triathlon boom.

And if yes....could this eventually carry over to increased Triathlon participation eventually?
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Sadly, I think this whole thing could hurt the triathlon community a lot more than it'll help the running community. By the time we get out of this, the 2020 season will likely be over. Or, at the very least, near it's end. Based on the cost and time commitment for no return on your investment, motivation (especially for the newcomers) in tri will likely drop. With all the pools closed, it only increases the likelihood that late season races will be impacted. The established athletes probably won't be negatively impacted. Worse, the smaller independent races are going to struggle to recover their losses from a missed season. It'll be a year or two before triathlon reaps the benefits of a new found running boom.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

It's possible. Here's how I see it.

Do you reasonably see a return to profitability for many movie theaters, health clubs, amusement parks, cruise lines, etc? Some restaurants will do ok, maybe, but we're massively overbuilt in that regard, for what I see as a possible picture of the post-virus world.


This leaves tens of millions structurally unemployed. Thousands of stores, restaurants, nail salons, hotels, and other service sector businesses have closed down for good, whether they realize it or not. Now, the good thing is that unemployed won't starve and they will receive a guaranteed basic income for life - meaning that we as a nation will have permanently high unemployment, like Spain or Greece.


This will leave people with a lot more time on their hands - ie it is quite likely that they will channel their energy and time into low cost athletic pursuits like running or cycling or soccer.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

My escape from crowds is trail running and riding on a gravel path. Historically the places I go to have very little traffic. They've been busy past two weeks. Entire families are hiking and riding bikes. Little boys are the worst. They will lock eyes with me and ride straight into me while making engine sounds.

But didn't we see the past running and triathlon boom after the great recession?

Been there once and will happily social distance myself from Gainesville for eternity.

Go Vols.

If pools don't open in April - I agree.

If they do reopen and the economy starts to heal, triathlon "could" see a small spike. Guessing running will see a spike no matter when things "return". Possibly even duathon could get a boost. Lots of triathletes could switch this year.

Anecdotally speaking... I have never seen more people out on bikes or running and walking than the past couple of weeks. Also doing so responsibly from a COVID-19 perspective.


I know on the events side of the business for running, cycling and triathlon, there has been discussion that when we get back to normal, their may be an up-tick in participation rates - particularly with running, if the economy stays bad for an extended period of time. Running tends to do "well" in times like this. You need very little equipment, no gym membership etc . .

My feeling is less so this way for cycling and triathlon, due to the extra costs involved. But it always helps to have more people out on bikes, no matter how that is.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

It would be great to see an uptick in running events. For the past few years running in events has dipped quite a bit. I was speaking to a former executive of one the the largest running event organizations. He said in general less than 50% of their entrants at the time were returning entrants. They had to go out and find and then entice new entrants. The hardest group to find and entice were 25-35 year old men.

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Dave Jewell
Free Run Speed

Will Thanksgiving be the day that U.S. runners turn out in record numbers at races to celebrate the holiday and a return to normalcy or will the harm done by the pandemic be such that participant numbers will be lower than recent years?

I'll tell you in a few months as I'm tracking this data (in Australia).

People are truly delusional at the moment. They've been at home for 2 weeks and are in a full on panic. First it began with raiding stores and hoarding goods. Now people have out of nowhere decided to eff up outdoor spaces and ruin it for everyone. We're having local parks shut down as a result. It's not a long term thing at all but sheer panic and lunacy. I'm pretty concerned for our spaces long term. This congregating is not positive. People are using parks to circumvent social distancing rules. It's just another form of selfishness. Do the New Year's Resolution folks stick around?

0% chance of the COVID situation in the US looking substantially better in 4 weeks.

It's way more likely they'll channel their energy into honing that butt-groove on the couch and online gaming.

I think you're overestimating your fellow citizens.

Gonna be some strong bike-runners out of the gate if we ever get to race again.

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We will all sink before we get a chance to climb on the bike.