Fitness

Running has become the exercise of choice among women these days. Research shows that in 1989, 908,000 women finished a race. In 2009, that number topped more than 5 million. It's a brisk fall night, perfect for a run. And, the sport is growing. Last year, more than 10 million people finished a race, a record high, according to Running USA. The research group also determined in a bad economy, running is a good value. People get back a sense of control. It's inexpensive and comes with a solid return, improved health. Jim Newsom of Fort Worth Running Co says "when the economy's bad like this, you see more people going to running. It's something they can do on their own, doesn't require a lot of money, and they can finish it and do it and it makes them feel good the rest of the day." Women, especially, are picking up the pace. Running USA reports 908,000 women finished a race in 1989. In 2000, the number topped more than 5 million. Belia Mathis is a newcomer. She started running back in the summer, and listen to her goal now. Belia Mathis says "it was to run a half-marathon and now it's to run the full marathon." Kim Jenkins has a similar story. Her new lifestyle started after she joined a group at the Fort Worth Running Company called "Couch to 5k." Kim says "I'm happy to say i'm running 3 miles straight and i wasn't even able to run a full mile without being winded." We asked this group of women runners how they compare to a snapshot of the typical female runner. Deborah says "nearly 80% have a college degree. Who fits in that category? Wow, quite a few of you. The typical female runner is married. The typical female has a household income of $75,000. The typical female runner is in her mid 30s." And, there's the social aspect. Women like tackling goals with girlfriends. Runner Hillary Mancuso says "there's about 10 of us that will travel somewhere in the us. We'll say, 'this is where we're gonna go,' and we all pitch in and we get hotel rooms for all of us." Runner Emily Hueske says "I really enjoy running. It's a hard thing to do on your own. Last time I did the half marathon, I had a friend who trained with me so it's a social thing." Women on the run and improving their bottom line. The typical female runner also runs or jogs about four hours a week. She prefers the half-marathon and mainly runs for exercise, and she likely bought three pairs of running shoes over the last 12 months.