For sports that include high dues for the club fees, equipment, travel, etc, I get it.
For distance running all you need is a pair of shoes.
Look at the crop of young American distance talent from our high schools and universities. The majority seem to come from fairly affluent, suburban backgrounds.
Obviously there are exceptions, but compare the talent base to the sprints and you have starkly different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Look at how Ivies are able to build distance teams even without athletic admittance or scholarships. Those kids are not coming from hardship, as we all know.
So what gives? Why are so many affluent kids attracted to the sport of distance running?