Competitive running has recently "become a massive practice not only in the U.S., but also in Mexico," according to Roberta Rodríguez of LA AFICION. Race organizer Sport Promotion Dir Marco Liceaga "has seen a unique opportunity: a platform to invest and also reduce sedentarism." Liceaga said that the running industry in Mexico has grown 40% in the last two years. He said, "There is a running boom, it is a practice that is in fashion. To have a healthy lifestyle and work or train as a group has been a key factor to motivate people to exercise." Sport Promotion said that there are currently 2.5 million runners in Mexico, around 2% of the population. One thing "that stands out is the increase in participation by women." Liceaga: "Before it was 75-25 [men-women] and then it was 70-30. Now, with the exception of marathons, the ratio in races is 50-50." In Mexico City alone there are 200 races a year, "and nearly 1,000 across the country." In Mexico there are around 60 companies that organize races, and Sport Promotion calculated that in '14, running generated an economic impact of just more than 20 billion pesos, 25% more than in '13. Liceaga, who is also president of Run México, said, "This is generated by the runners who buy equipment, registrations and travel, and it even impacts restaurants, as they all fill up after races" (LA AFICION, 1/30).
