How Millennials Ended the Running Boom

[turd ferguson]

Even if you don't agree that millennials are wrecking everything we built, the stats are interesting.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-millenn ... 1462473195

[ian]

My first reading of the title ended with "Room", which would have been an intriguing article.

For the first few paragraphs, I was skeptical that one data point was enough to signal the end of an era, but later on my main hypothesis was addressed: races are friggin' expensive and it stands to reason that young'uns are going to be most sensitive to these hyperinflationary increases.

[Annelizabeth]

For the first few paragraphs, I was skeptical that one data point was enough to signal the end of an era, but later on my main hypothesis was addressed: races are friggin' expensive and it stands to reason that young'uns are going to be most sensitive to these hyperinflationary increases.

However if you look at the cost of running events ie. tough mudder, colour run I find them priced out of reach.

[La]

For the first few paragraphs, I was skeptical that one data point was enough to signal the end of an era, but later on my main hypothesis was addressed: races are friggin' expensive and it stands to reason that young'uns are going to be most sensitive to these hyperinflationary increases.

However if you look at the cost of running events ie. tough mudder, colour run I find them priced out of reach.

I think events like that would provide greater value for money, though. Why run a regular 5K when all you get is a t-shirt and a medal (maybe), when you can be blasted with dye, jump over obstacles, or run through mud or foam?

[Annelizabeth]

Perhaps I am too old- ie. not a millennial but a Gen xer but I see no appeal to those events at all.

[Spirit Unleashed]

Ha! The 1%-ers, (55-64) are hanging in there. Solid IMO.
The 65+ went up!

[Dstew]

My first reading of the title ended with "Room", which would have been an intriguing article.

For the first few paragraphs, I was skeptical that one data point was enough to signal the end of an era, but later on my main hypothesis was addressed: races are friggin' expensive and it stands to reason that young'uns are going to be most sensitive to these hyperinflationary increases.

The same sort of stats are reflected in golf.

Price is one issue but go to a golf course and you see the 40 and 50 year old walking and the 20 somethings in a cart that adds to the price. So my guess is a factor but not a key or driving force.

Golf is "hard" and in a different way, so is running a race.

Golf requires a lot of range time and running requires time on your feet.

But the biggest thing may be time. Golf and the average marathon are in the 4 - 4.5 hour range. Plus warm up time and post round/ race time. On the other hand, you can go to a "studio" and sweat buckets for 30 - 45 minutes a couple of times a week. And for those who are competitive, I had someone tell me about a "spin class" where there is a monitor/ screen at the front of the class. Calories, speed, distance of all of the attendees are shown and they can be age and gender adjusted.

Add in the need for instant gratification and go to studio or class and feel like you are doing great after just a few weeks. To run a marathon or to have a decent golf handicap requires years of effort and months of training.

On a somewhat related note, I read that many diets now need to show almost instant results. The old and conventional wisdom was slow and steady. A study I read suggested that one needs to see significant weight loss within days or weeks, otherwise people will quickly abandon that diet. In the old days, you were out of the office, you might have a phone message or two. Someone might just write a letter and send it by post. Now, text messages, emails are to be answered during breaks in the meeting and people are offended if they are not.

Older individuals appreciate the reward of getting a "result" over a longer and maybe even tough process.