The business of running continues to soar in a struggling economy, according to a June report by Running USA.

“Races all across the country are selling out or have record fields,” said Ryan Lamppa, media director for the organization, which advocates for the growth and success of America’s running industry.

According to that organization, U.S. marathons overcame the “gloom and doom” of the recession by posting a record year in terms of participation. An estimated 467,000 crossed the finish line in those events last year, a 10 percent increase from 2008 and the largest increase in more than 25 years.

There were more than 1.1 million half-marathon finishers in 2009, a hefty 24 percent increase from the prior year, and Running USA estimates that there were about 10 million U.S. road race finishers overall.

Revenues generated from sales of running and jogging shoes were also up in 2009, and companies such as Nike Inc. and the Adidas Group, which includes the Adidas and Reebok brands, posted first-quarter profits.

According to the National Sporting Goods Association, the running and jogging shoe market surpassed $2.36 billion in 2009, a 3 percent increase in total sales from the prior year, though the total number of units sold decreased by 1 percent.

Running USA’s State of the Sport 2010 report said the 3 percent growth in the running and jogging shoes sector wasn’t the largest of the decade – it rose 10.4 percent in 2004 – but total dollar sales are continuing at a brisk pace.

The report predicts that in 2010, the sector will grow an additional 3 percent to more than $2.4 billion.

“Everything has just gone crazy in the past 10 years,” said Steve Bobenhouse, president of Windsor Heights-based Fitness Sports Ltd. and a longtime member and supporter of the local running community.

Bobenhouse, who opened his athletic apparel and footwear shop in 1984, reinforced Running USA’s assertion that the sport is “recession resistant.”

“I hear that the economy is not that great,” he joked. “However, we’ve been very lucky. Our best year ever was last year, and this year looks to be better yet.”

And as the racing season picks up, so do Bobenhouse’s profits.

“It is definitely a big spike when track and field and the racing season starts,” he said. “We tend to go really hard and heavy from March to October.”

Bobenhouse said Greater Des Moines, which has a strong core of professionals in the financial services and educational realms, tends to generate a lot of people who use exercise to relieve stress.

“That particular group of society tends to work out more, period,” he said.

In addition to rising participation in Greater Des Moines’ major running events, such as Dam to Dam, Living History Farms Cross Country Race and the IMT Des Moines Marathon, smaller races are also growing in size and stature.

“A lot of it has to do with charities trying to get into that type of stuff,” Bobenhouse said.

According to the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau (GDMCVB), last year’s IMT Des Moines Marathon and Living History Farms races had a combined economic impact of $650,000. That’s up from a total of $518,000 in 2008. The economic impact of the 2010 Dam to Dam event was $200,000, compared with $130,000 in 2008.

“We calculate economic impact by evaluating the number of room nights and attendance/participation numbers,” the GDMCVB said in an e-mail. “We calculated these numbers using $271 per room night, which is the per diem for Des Moines according to Business Travel News.

“To account for local participants and attendees, we used a very conservative number – $25 per person.”

The number of entrants allowed in both the Dam and Dam and Living History Farms races has been capped in recent years, as the courses are not large enough to accommodate an ever-growing field of participants.

Registration for the 2010 IMT Des Moines Marathon is 40 percent ahead of last year’s registration at this time, according to the GDMCVB.

Running USA said “marathon mania” can be attributed to several factors, including the sheer challenge of running 26.2 miles.

Running “gives you something to control,” said Ryan Lamppa, Running USA’s media director. “You can’t control the stock market or the economy, but you can control your health.”

According to Running USA, many of today’s runners are highly educated, with 79 percent having earned a college diploma. And 73 percent of runners surveyed by the organization reported a household income of more than $75,000.