I envy my retired friends. The kids are gone, and career is over. So they have all this extra time to train for track and field. But I’ve always wondered how many masters are retired. Finally, a clue has arrived — in the form of Dr. Eric Zemper’s annual demographic survey of national masters participants. Some folks at the Indy convention thoughtfully requested that Dr. Z send me his report. So here it is — with the answers to many questions. (An unformatted version is below.)

For example, about 45 percent of those responding are retired. And no wonder, since the average age is 59.6 But with a response rate of 8.4 percent at Charlotte (blamed on meet organizers for not including the survey in the athletes’ packets), these figures could be off. (Retired folks might have more time to return surveys.)
In any case, here’s the poop:
USATF MASTERS TRACK AND FIELD DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY
– 2006 SUMMARY –
At the request of the USATF Masters Track and Field Committee, a survey instrument was developed twelve years ago by Exercise Research Associates (ExRA) and was administered at the five USATF National Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships between 1994 and 1998, in 2000, and again in 2002-2006.
Two years ago, at the request of the Masters Track and Field subcommittee appointed to oversee the demographics survey, a new version of the survey instrument was used at the 2004 outdoor championship meet. The first 15 questions of the new survey instrument are essentially the same as on the previous survey, and comparisons of these most recent data can be made with results from previous years for those particular questions.
The remainder of the survey instrument is entirely new, and explores new areas of interest to the committee. The purpose of the survey is to provide demographic data on participants in the Masters national meet to potential championship site bidders, and for use in attracting corporate sponsorship of the Masters track and field program.
The survey form normally is distributed in the athletes’ registration packets, with a request to complete and return it to a drop-off box at the meet venue or by mail after the completion of the meet. A majority of the respondents chose to mail the survey form to ExRA. A total of 114 championship meet participants completed and returned the survey for the 2006 outdoor meet, out of a total of 1359 participants.
This is 8.4% of the total participants, which is less than half of the normal response rate in previous years (most likely because the survey instrument was not put in the participants packets at the meet site as requested).
This year sixty-seven percent of the respondents were male and thirty-three percent were female, which represents a continued shift toward more female respondents than in previous years.
The average age of the respondents is 60 years old, with 84% being married, 7% single and the remaining 9% divorced or widowed. They have an average of 1.9 children, with an average of 0.6 children living at home. Participants over the years in the National Masters Championships definitely tend toward the up-scale, with 92% being college graduates (37% with masters degrees and 17% with doctorates), and over 80% with household yearly incomes of $50,000 or more (38% with $100,000 or more).
The median income is in the range of $75,000 – $99,999. Nearly 45% of this year’s sample are retired. Over eighty percent of those who are not retired are in decision-making positions in their employment, being business owners, managerial/administrative or professional staff. They have participated in track and field for an average of more than 21 years.
They participate for a variety of reasons, most predominantly for the physical fitness aspects (85.6%), for the competition (89.2%), for the fun and enjoyment of participation (86.5%), and for the camaraderie and sociability aspects of participation (68.5%). Most (88%) have Internet access, with cable modem becoming the predominant means of connecting to the Internet.
They use the Internet for a variety of purposes, most frequently for e-mail (98.9%), race and meet registration and shopping. They own an average of 1.9 vehicles, most predominantly 4-door sedans, SUVs and pickups.
With regard to participation in Masters track and field, these athletes attend an average of four out-of-town competitions per year, usually accompanied by one other individual. Ninety-five percent of the athletes stay an average of 3.8 nights at the meet site. These Masters athletes purchased an average of 3.4 pairs of running shoes per year. By far the most predominant brand of shoes and athletic clothing purchased is Nike, followed by ASICS and Adidas.
A large proportion uses energy products (73%) at least 2-4 times per week, usually drinks and energy bars, although gels are becoming more popular. Fifty-six percent use nutritional supplements as well.
Eighty-six percent own a cell phone, most frequently using ATT/Cingular, T-Mobile or Verizon as their service provider. Seventy-five percent also eat at fast food restaurants at least 1-3 times per month, the most popular choices being Subway, McDonald’s and Wendy’s.
Collecting demographic information on participants in the USATF National Masters Championships continues to prove successful, and continues to provide an interesting profile of these athletes. The accompanying data summary provides more details about the exercise practices of these Masters athletes, and other aspects of their lifestyles. The computer software for entering, storing and analyzing the data from the survey instrument will continue to be available for the committee’s use.
This data collection and analysis package is now also being used for collection of demographic data from the Indoor Championships, and this effort may continue for whatever length of time the committee desires.
Eric D. Zemper, Ph.D.
Exercise Research Associates
P.O. Box 130537
Ann Arbor, MI 48113
734-996-8334 e-mail: zemp@exra.org
November 26, 2006

USATF MASTERS TRACK & FIELD
DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY
2006 NATIONAL OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
_____________
RESULTS
_____________
Combined
2006 (N=114) 2004-2006 (N=455)
Gender: Male 67.5% 69.2%
Female 32.5% 30.8%
Age: Average = 59.6 59.2
Marital Status: Married 84.1% 77.7%
Single 7.1% 10.9%
Divorced 5.3% 7.3%
Widowed 3.5% 4.0%
Education: High School 0.9% 3.1%
College (non-grad.) 7.0% 8.1%
College graduate 30.7% 31.1%
Graduate work (non-degree) 7.9% 6.8%
Masters Degree 36.8% 32.8%
Doctoral Degree 16.7% 18.1%
Employment Full-time 44.7% 49.0%
Status: Part-time 7.9% 10.2%
Retired 44.7% 37.3%
At-home 2.6% 2.9%
Not employed 0.0% 0.7%
Employment Clerical/Secretarial 0.0% 0.0%
Type: Managerial/Administrative 7.2% 9.0%
Non-Managerial Employee 7.2% 3.6%
Owner 5.4% 7.0%
Professional 32.4% 33.5%
Sales 0.9% 4.3%
Retired 45.9% 38.2%
Other 0.9% 4.3%
2006 USATF Masters Demographic Survey
Page 2 Combined
2006 (N=114) 2004-2006 (N=455)
Income: <$20,000 1.9% 2.6% $20,000 - $29,999 2.9% 2.6% $30,000 - $39,999 4.9% 8.7% $40,000 - $49,999 9.7% 8.4% $50,000 - $59,999 7.8% 9.6% $60,000 - $74,999 10.7% 10.1% $75,000 - $99,999 24.3% 18.0% >$100,000 37.9% 40.0%
Number of Children: Average = 1.9 2.2
Number of Children at Home: Average = 0.6 0.5
Number in Household: Average = 2.3 2.4
Number accompanied to meet: Average = 0.7 0.8
Number of out-of-town competitions per year: 3.7 3.9
Travel Plans: Competition only 50.4% 40.5%
Competition & local 23.0% 31.6%
vacation activities
Competition & regional 21.2% 24.7%
vacation activities
Other 5.3% 3.1%
Plan to stay overnight? Yes 94.7% 93.8%
No 2.7% 2.7%
Live in area 2.7% 3.6%
Number of nights staying: Average = 3.8 nights 4.9 nights
Years running/participating in T&F: Average = 21.5 years 20.8 years
Number of training/exercise sessions per week: 1-2 3.6% 4.9%
3-5 50.5% 56.4%
6-7 45.9% 38.7%
Estimated average number of sessions per week: 5.1 4.8
Miles run/walked per week: 0-10 26.4% 31.8%
10-19 20.7% 22.1%
20-29 21.8% 17.9%
30-39 8.0% 10.4%
40-49 14.9% 10.4%
50-74 6.9% 6.2%
75 + 1.1% 1.3%
Estimated average miles run/walked per week: 24.2 mi. 22.2 mi.
2006 USATF Masters Demographic Survey
Page 3 Combined
2006 (N=114) 2004-2006 (N=455)
Reasons for participating in T&F: Physical fitness 85.6% 88.2%
Set personal records 67.6% 61.4%
Stress reduction 41.4% 42.1%
Looking good 36.9% 35.0%
Camaraderie/social 68.5% 65.4%
Lose/maintain weight 51.4% 41.5%
Competition 89.2% 87.6%
Improve self-esteem 37.8% 39.0%
Fun/enjoyment 86.5% 85.1%
Other 7.2% 5.3%
Types of events: Track 72.1% 72.4%
Field 41.4% 48.4%
Road Racing 40.5% 33.8%
Cross Country 26.1% 17.6%
Race Walking 10.8% 8.4%
Cross-training – days per week: None 15.7% 14.9%
54.6% 52.3%
27.8% 30.0%
1.9% 2.8%
Estimated average number of cross-training sessions per week: 4.1 2.5
Cross-training activities: Swimming 17.0% 22.5%
Yoga 17.0% 16.8%
Cycling 39.4% 32.1%
Weight training 84.0% 86.6%
Rowing 4.3% 4.3%
Cardio machines 26.6% 26.5%
Aerobics 7.4% 7.2%
Spinning 5.3% 5.9%
Other 19.1% 11.0%
Other sports participated in during last year:
Golf 23.4% 23.0%
Backpacking/hiking 30.6% 26.3%
Canoeing/kayaking 18.9% 18.8%
Basketball 18.9% 12.2%
Tennis 9.0% 10.6%
Skating/rollerblading 3.6% 3.1%
Soccer 2.7% 2.4%
Softball/baseball 6.3% 7.5%
Other 20.7% 20.8%
Internet access: Yes 88.1% 88.1%
Type of internet access: Dial-up 21.8% 37.3%
DSL 28.7% 26.5%
Cable modem 49.4% 36.2%
2006 USATF Masters Demographic Survey
Page 4 Combined
2006 (N=114) 2004-2006 (N=455)
Activities on the Internet: E-mail 98.9% 96.9%
Shopping – research 72.6% 66.4%
Shopping – purchase 62.1% 56.2%
Work/school related 51.6% 49.2%
News/information 68.4% 61.8%
Stocks/mutual funds 35.8% 31.8%
Race/meet registr. 87.4% 84.4%
Other 10.5% 7.9%
Types of magazines subscribed to: Running 62.2% 53.5%
General sports 16.2% 18.6%
Fashion/style 1.8% 5.8%
Current news 31.5% 31.9%
Home/garden/cooking 17.1% 15.5%
Entertainment 3.6% 6.0%
Prof./job-related 32.4% 28.8%
Other 24.3% 18.8%
Pairs of running/T&F shoes
purchased in last year: Average = 3.4 3.0
Brands of T&F shoes/apparel
purchased in last year: Adidas 36.0% 33.3%
ASICS 40.4% 35.6%
Avia 0.9% 0.7%
B.O.A. 0.0% 0.9%
Brooks 14.9% 11.6%
Fila 1.8% 0.9%
Mizuno 9.6% 10.7%
New Balance 33.3% 28.5%
Nike 58.8% 61.9%
Puma 5.3% 4.8%
Reebok 8.8% 9.8%
Ryka 1.8% 1.1%
Saucony 13.2% 10.7%
SportHill 7.9% 7.8%
Other 15.8% 11.2%
Use energy products?: Yes 72.8% 73.2%
How often?: 1/week 26.5% 27.1%
2-4/week 39.7% 42.5%
5-7/week 27.9% 23.3%
More than 1/day 5.9% 7.2%
Estimated average number of uses per week: 4.0 3.9
2006 USATF Masters Demographic Survey
Page 5 Combined
2006 (N=114) 2004-2006 (N=455)
Types of energy products used: Bars 56.6% 60.3%
Drinks 81.9% 83.9%
Protein shakes 10.8% 25.6%
Gel 25.3% 19.9%
Other 12.0% 7.9%
Use nutritional supplements?: Yes 56.4% 61.4%
Use orthotics during exercise?: Yes 35.7% 31.3%
Source of orthotics: Running store 12.5% 16.1%
Drug store 5.0% 8.8%
Doctor 60.0% 59.9%
Other 22.5% 15.3%
Drink beer?: Yes 41.4% 42.7%
Type of beer preferred: Light/Low Carb 28.9% 41.2%
Regular 22.2% 17.6%
Microbrew 37.8% 34.8%
Other 11.1% 6.4%
Own cell phone?: Yes 86.0% 83.1%
Cell phone service provider: ATT/Cingular 31.5% 31.1%
Nextel 2.2% 5.3%
Sprint 14.1% 13.2%
T-Mobile 26.1% 14.5%
Verizon 25.0% 28.9%
Other 20.7% 14.9%
Eat at fast-food restaurant: 1-3 times/month 44.6% 44.1%
Once/week 15.2% 16.3%
More than 1/week 15.2% 14.5%
Never 25.0% 25.2%
Fast-food restaurant used most often: Arby’s 13.1% 11.6%
(up to three choices) Burger King 13.1% 17.6%
KFC 9.5% 10.4%
McDonald’s 35.7% 30.1%
Subway 42.9% 53.3%
Taco Bell 28.6% 17.9%
Wendy’s 31.0% 28.9%
Other 27.4% 20.5%
2006 USATF Masters Demographic Survey
Page 6 Combined
2006 (N=114) 2004-2006 (N=455)
Type of vehicles owned: 2-door sedan 6.5% 5.3%
(% of total number of vehicles) 4-door sedan 40.3% 42.1%
SUV 16.2% 16.4%
Pickup 11.1% 11.9%
Station wagon 3.7% 4.0%
Sports car 6.5% 7.9%
Van 2.3% 3.1%
Mini-van 7.9% 5.7%
Other 5.6% 3.7%
Average number of vehicles per respondent = 1.9 1.8
Me again:
On Dec. 11, Dr. Z got back to me with this:
“The estimated (margin of) error for the 2006 data is about =/- 9%; it’s pretty high because we had so few respondents this year. For the 2004-2006 combined data, it would be about +/- 4.7%.”
So take the above results with a grain of salt. Next year: Better data!