Broad Street Run gets 10K more registrants, but like many national races, still hasn’t recovered from the impact of COVID

More than 36,000 runners have signed up for this year’s Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run, the highest number of participants since the coronavirus struck.

When registration for the April 30 race closed at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, the total registration count marked nearly 10,000 more runners than had signed up for last year’s race, city officials said.

But the number still lags slightly when compared with pre-pandemic years: From 2013 to 2020, when registration occurred before COVID fully took hold in the United States, the annual 10-mile race drew more would-be runners than its capacity limit of 40,000, prompting organizers to use a lottery system to determine who could run.

Broad Street’s steady comeback mirrors national trends: In Philadelphia and beyond, there are still far fewer runners registering for competitive races following the pandemic. In 2022, the 100 largest running races recorded 24% fewer finishers than in 2019, according to RunSignup, which manages registration for about 28,000 endurance events across the country. Only 11 of the top 100 races grew from 2019.

Philadelphia Marathon weekend, the 11th largest race nationally in terms of number of finishers according to RunSignup, and the Broad Street Run, the 14th largest, were not among them.

More than 20,000 people finished the Broad Street Run last year, about 40% fewer than the 34,565 who did so in 2019. (On average, 15% of registrants do not complete the race, according to the city.)

The Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia Half-Marathon, and Rothman Institute 8K, which take place in November, saw nearly 22,000 finishers, just 14% fewer than in 2019, according to RunSignup.

It is hard to pinpoint exactly why fewer people are signing up for races. In its 2022 national industry report, RunSignup identifies several possible reasons, including inflation and increased costs of flights and hotels for out-of-town runners.

Race registration fees were up slightly in 2022, according to RunSignup data, as organizers grappled with the same inflated costs as potential runners.

And they are still feeling the financial strain as they plan for their 2023 events.

The Broad Street Run, a 10-mile race, increased its registration fee this year from $59 to $65, or 10%.

“It is really inflation, and it is still a very, very affordable race compared to other races like it,” said Kathryn Ott Lovell, commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, which organizes the run. “We have just seen so many of our expenses go up significantly.”

The Love Run Philadelphia Half-Marathon increased the cost of late registrations by $10, or about 8%, after seeing operating costs increase — “not even incrementally, just a lot,” said Michele Redrow, co-race director of CGI Racing. Early birds who signed up about the time of last year’s Love Run paid $60. Those signing up now for the March 26 half-marathon, a 13.1-mile race, are paying $126.

“It is hard for races. We want to keep the entry fees as low as possible,” Redrow said. “If you are doing a large city race, it is one of the best experiences you can have. … [But] there are costs associated with it. I’m not sure everybody understands that.”

This year, the bulk price of 12,000 water bottles has increased, she said, as has the cost of the rented portable toilets that are put along the race route. Medical staffing for race day has become pricier over time. It now costs about $22,000, a $20,000 increase from what it was for Philly’s first Love Run, in 2014.

Despite the increased costs, the Love Run — which can accommodate a maximum of 9,500 half-marathoners, plus 2,500 participants in a shorter 7.6K — is 90% sold-out, Redrow said, and she is confident the Love Run will hit capacity by race day. She has noticed more people than usual are signing up closer to the race, in part because they want more assurance that they’ll be able to run it. Participants have to pay an extra $22 if they want the sign-up fee to be refundable.

For many would-be runners, even an extra $10 at sign-up would be unlikely to drive them away, said Johanna Goode, director of marketing at RunSignup. But it may be harder than it was pre-pandemic to justify fitting a race into their budget, as the price of groceries, eating out, rent, utilities, and other expenses has increased.

Race registration fees vary. Last year, according to RunSignup data, they ranged from about $30 for a 5K to between $85 and $100 for longer races, such as marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlons.

One factor that makes selling the value of a race more difficult: Some newer runners took up the habit for the personal physical or mental health benefits during an isolated time, with no intention of ever running competitively, Goode said.

“They started running during the pandemic so all they know of running is ‘This is what I do for my fun daily activity,’” Goode said, “and then because they haven’t been doing these things [pre-pandemic], none of the races have their information” for marketing purposes.

More than 15,000 first-time runners signed up for this year’s Broad Street Run, according to city data; that’s about 4,000 fewer new runners than registered for the race in 2019.

And although some people developed a running routine while stuck at home during COVID’s early months, others stopped running altogether. Ott Lovell said she had heard that many have not been in race condition in recent years.

“Some people who were really big runners kind of got out of it,” said Redrow, noting the retention for the Love Run has been slightly lower than pre-pandemic. “A lot of people lost their jobs or had a COVID situation and they can’t afford” to participate in races as they once did.

Others remained hesitant about crowds, she said, even outdoors, where one is unlikely to catch COVID or other viruses.

“We still haven’t figured out what this new normal is,” Ott Lovell said. “For a good two years after the pandemic, running in a large race with a lot of people sweating and spitting didn’t feel right to people.”