In 2009, 478,590 men finished half-marathons— a 53 percent increase since 2004.

More than 275,000 men ran full marathons, a 26 percent increase over 9 years.

In 2000, 29,373 runners finished the NYC Marathon (the world’s largest). In 2010, 45,103 finished.

More than thirty new marathons were introduced in 2009 alone.

In six years, the number of USA Triathlon-sanctioned events has more than doubled— from 1,541 to 3,500.

(via Esquire, hence all the men-speak)

There’s a health consciousness arising in our culture in a very significant and fast way. When I was a kid, eating whole food was something 100 hippies were doing in California. Now it’s a full-fledged movement, ideology, with an entirely new industry to sustain it. The same thing is happening with exercise. Companies like Rapha, lululemon, and a few others are making this stuff cool. Makes me very happy.

(Source: jayparkinsonmd)