Survival of the Fittest Rules New Events

By Greg Mellen

While Americans continue to seek new ways to stay fit, they have increasingly turned to programs that offer a variety of creative options to help promote a healthy lifestyle. This, in turn, is leading to a boom in organizations such as CrossFit, which is con-tinuing to launch events nationwide and around the globe where fitness trumps athleticism.

Taking a cue from the CrossFit explosion, outfits such as Life Time Fitness, another national gym chain, also stage events in the name of keeping people fit, though the majority tend to be standard triathlons, bike and running races. Likewise, brands such as NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” are branching into the events world with a run/walk series and obstacle races that feature participants from the show who mingle with racers.

Though specialized disciplines like running, biking and weightlifting remain popular, the growth of cross-fitness and cross-training has opened the door for several new events, especially those affiliated with gyms and fitness-based television shows. There are a number of gyms around the nation that have moved into the sports event-planning world, not only to promote their brands but to offer additional experiences for their members as well

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