The Human Potential Running Series Podcast · John Lacroix

HPRS Podcast - Episode 57: 2025 State of Ultra

·1 hr 24 min·5 clips

253 North American 100-mile races produced only 12,400 finishes in 2024.

1. HPRS Podcast Episode 57 is John LaCroix’s 2025 “State of Ultra” on ultramarathon running in North America. 2. John LaCroix is the host, HPRS owner, and race director, and he says he has given a yearly “State of Our Sport” address for 13, 14, or 15 years. 3. The episode asks whether 2024’s record race counts mean genuine health for ultrarunning or a business-driven expansion. 4. LaCroix says he spoke with race directors in the Pacific Northwest, California, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, the Southeast, the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic, Chicagoland, and the Upper Midwest. 5. Those conversations convinced him that many race directors are worried about “the trajectory of the sport,” “who’s really in charge,” and “who controls the narrative.” 6. He says last year’s address was the last one because he thought nobody cared what he said, then he got many emails calling him “the voice of the voiceless.” 7. He argues that his comments reflect the thoughts and feelings of thousands of ultramarathon runners, not just his own opinion. 8. LaCroix says he cannot say everything he wants to say because of “the reverb,” meaning the fallout for his business, community, and sport. 9. He describes a phone call from a drunk iWatch challenge entrant who felt sad that ultramarathon running is “not at all what it used to be.” 10. That caller remembered running with John DeWalt, whom LaCroix calls a “living legend” from 15 or 20 years ago. 11. He says 2024 set all-time records for events, races, unique finishers, and first-timers in North America. 12. LaCroix distinguishes an “event” like the Stories Trail Runs from the distances inside it, such as the 10K, half marathon, 6-hour, 15-hour, and 30-hour races. 13. He says the number of races inside events is growing faster than the number of events because race directors add distances to raise revenue and profit margins. 14. His example is a 100-mile race that becomes a 100K, then a 50-mile and 50K, so one event becomes four races. 15. He says the 100-mile market is crowded, with 253 North American 100-mile races in 2024 and 12,400 total finishes. 16. He notes that Leadville has more than 400 100-mile finishes, Brazos Bend has more than 300, and Rocky Raccoon has more than 100. 17. LaCroix says nearly 98,000 people finished at least one ultra in 2024, but 40,450 of them were first-time finishers. 18. He says the percentage of first-timers among unique finishers has declined for at least 10 years, even as total unique finishers keep rising. 19. The tone is conversational, blunt, and data-heavy, with repeated references to charts on the HPRS website and a mix of analysis and personal history. 20. People who follow ultrarunning economics, race-director strategy, and participation trends will get the most out of it.

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