Posted: March 2, 2005

Athletics: USATF News & Notes, Volume 6, Number 16

Goucher joins USA men's 8 km Championships Field

On the comeback trail after an injury-marred 2004 season, former collegiate star and 2000 Olympic finalist Adam Goucher has entered the USA Men's 8 km Championships hosted by New York Road Runners on Saturday, March 26.

The championships feature a $20,000 prize purse and will start and finish in the new Ichan Track and Field Stadium on Manhattan's Randall's Island. Goucher joins Tim Broe, the 2002 champion and 2004 Olympic finalist, whose entry was announced in February. New York Road Runners will also host the 2005 USA Women's 8 km Championships on Randall's Island that day.

Goucher opened his 2005 season with a runner-up result (11:39.1, behind Broe) at the USA 4 km Cross Country Championships last month, earning a spot on the U.S. team for the World Cross Country Championships March 19-20 in St. Galmier, France.

A four-time NCAA champion in cross country, indoor and outdoor track at the University of Colorado, Goucher won the 2000 USA 12 km and 4 km Cross Country national titles, becoming the only man ever to win both events in the same year.

Running shoes spur athletic footwear sales

Running shoe sales helped drive consumer spending for athletic footwear up by 3.1% in 2004 to over $16.4 billion dollars. A study by the NPD Group for SGMA International indicates that running remained the most popular shoe category, accounting for 28.9% of all spending ($4.74 billion), an increase of 4.9%. Basketball sales accounted for 22.2% of all sales. Cross training/fitness/walking shoes accounted for another 12.6% of sales. The overall research findings confirm that consumer interest continues to grow in higher-priced performance footwear, particularly in the running and basketball categories. The NPD Group study is based on actual sales reported to NPD by department stores, national chains, athletic specialty chains, and sporting goods stores.