Filling a niche
Many events seek to be "destinations" for runners who travel to races.
Long distance athletes may build their schedules around popular marathons like Chicago, New York, Boston, Grandma's, or Marine Corps.
Other runners may savor experiences at specific events: Las Vegas Marathon, Bix 7, Indy Mini-Marathon , or one of the many, many events of all distances that have a unique appeal.
Residents of cold weather states may seek venues in warmer climes, like Houston TX, Huntsville AL, or Kiawah Island SC.
Sometimes, though, a race isn't viewed by a runner as the main event, but it still plays a very important role as a part of a training schedule leading up to a marquee race. That role is not a consolation prize - it's a firm place in a runner's plan.
Half-marathons and ten-milers often select dates to coincide with marathon training. 5k races are sometimes planned as marathon recovery runs.
Marathons in crowded markets often attract registrants who miss other deadlines. For example, Detroit, Columbus, Milwaukee, and Fox Cities are just some of the marathons that lure those who either volunteered at Chicago or missed the cutoff for signup.
Understanding the niche you fill provides a key to satisfying runners and enables you to build upon what they really need and want.