Endurance events are booming, but why?

Running tough trails, cycling rough roads and paddling wild waterways.

After a stint of 2am training sessions (so she could get home to her kids before breakfast) Krys Connolly crossed the Coast to Coast finish line.

This was back in 2006.

Two decades later, she is off to the start line as support crew for her son, who will be competing in the race for the second time, while her husband has completed the race plenty of times.

"I could do the support drive with my eyes closed," she jokes.

Connolly says participation has “absolutely” increased in the two decades she has been involved in the endurance event, and she reckons it's mostly more women getting on board.

“Oh my God, the increase in women doing it has just been amazing - young, middle-aged and older, but especially women in their 20s,” she says.

Connolly's not sure what's driving females to compete, but believes wider participation has grown due to the increased accessibility to sponsors and "high status" events.

"I think young people are now looking to achieve something incredible with a high status."

The Coast to Coast is just one example of a New Zealand endurance event where participation numbers have grown exponentially.

Participation across the country’s major endurance events has typically increased between 40 to 50 percent over the last decade, with some seeing far sharper growth.

Demand to participate in the Coast to Coast, Old Ghost Ultra and Crater Rim Ultra – 53km events exceeds Department of Conservation’s set capacity.

According to the Old Ghost Ultra website on 16 January, there were still 97 people on the waitlist for the 2026 race on 21 February. Meanwhile the Coast to Coast was forced to introduce a ballot system in 2023 to manage demand.

It's not just outdoors events, either. Hyrox’s participation numbers have nearly doubled year-on-year. In 2025 the Auckland event had just over 6000 registered athletes, this year it clocked just under 11,000.

Data also supports Connolly’s observation that female participation has picked up.

In 2017 (when first established), 27 percent of IRONMAN 70.3 participants were women. In the upcoming 2026 race, 42 percent of the field are female.

The Queenstown Marathon has 58 to 60 percent female competitors. The Auckland Marathon saw a 20 percent rise in female participation and a 50 percent pick up in male participation between 2017 and 2025 (the earliest gender-based data available).

A combination of Covid, social media and the nature of the events have contributed to the growth, says Chris Chen, associate professor of management, marketing and tourism at the University of Canterbury.

He says the pandemic gave people the opportunity to try outdoors sports like running, cycling and swimming.

Meanwhile, social media has extended the life cycle of events - they remain relevant for longer. People post themselves doing physical exercise on social media and “people engage, whether they exercise or not”, he explains.

The community and nature of these events is what brings people back, Chen says.

“Once they start and have paid and have a lot of fun, they keep doing it. It’s not just about the physical benefits; they also have a lot of fun. The benefits then outweigh the costs.

“It’s always bigger than just an event, it’s about the nature of the events and how the event becomes a unique experience."

Crater Rim Ultra race director Chris Pike says the boom hit post pandemic.

“Once the confidence was rebuilt in the endurance events after numerous events had to be cancelled, all event directors I've spoken to have reported a major increase in participation numbers.

“People had time to go out and try a new sport... and I feel the increase in social media content based around fitness has broken down some barriers and promoted healthier living."