Running across Europe The Rise and Size of one of the Largest Sport Markets

Over the past forty years, running has developed into one of the most popular physical leisure activities in Europe. An estimated 50 million Europeans are engaged in running as a way to stay healthy and/or to challenge themselves and there has been a marked surge in running events all over Europe with more people running marathons than ever before. Analysing in-depth data from over 11 European countries – including Belgium, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain – this collection explores this phenomenon and addresses issues of participation, governance, cost, health and the history of running. Drawing on this unique material, the volume sets out policy challenges and marketing possibilities for maximising the current opportunities provided by the running market.

Jeroen Scheerder is Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Head of the Policy in Sports and Physical Activity Research Group at the University of Leuven, Belgium. He is also President of the European Association for Sociology of Sport.

Koen Breedveld is Professor in the Department of Sociology at the Radboud University, The Netherlands, and Managing Director of the Mulier Institute, the Netherlands. He is also Vice-Coordinator in the European Sociological Association's research network for sports.

1. Who is Doing a Run with the Running Boom? The Growth and Governance of one of Europe's most Popular Sport Activities; Jeroen Scheerder, Koen Breedveld and Julie Borgers

2. Belgium (Flanders): Trends and Governance in Running; Julie Borgers, Steven Vos and Jeroen Scheerder

3. Denmark: Running for the sake of Running? A Profile and Segmentation of Runners; Peter Forsberg

4. England: the Governance and History of Running, the Decision to Run, and Trends in Running Participation; Andrew Spiers, Spencer Harris, Angela Charlton and Peter Smale

5. Finland: from Elite Running to Mass Running Events; Hanna Vehmas and Jukka Lahti

6. Germany: Running Participation, Motivation and Images; Kirstin Hallmann, Christoph Breuer and Sören Dallmeyer

7. Greece: Mass Running, a New Trend from Ancient Times?; Leonidas Petridis

8. Hungary: the Popularisation and Expansion of Amateur Running Culture; Szilvia Perényi

9. The Netherlands: Rising Participation Rates, Shifting Segments; Paul Hover, Harold van der Werff and Koen Breedveld

10. Slovenia: the Case of Ljubljana Marathon Participants; Mojca Doupona Topic and Samo Rauter

11. Spain: a Sociological Analysis of the Evolution and Characteristics of Running; Ramon Llopig-Goig and Anna Vilanova

12. Running across Europe: the Way Forward; Koen Breedveld, Jeroen Scheerder and Julie Borgers