It seems to me participation is down at local road races. I'm talking manly about the local turkey trot variety.
It seems to me participation is down at local road races. I'm talking manly about the local turkey trot variety.
It's Covid. You cancel an annual event for a year or two, and people get out of the habit. Numbers were sliding before Covid, and it's going to take a while before we get another running boomlet.
A few of my favorite road races look like they're not coming back :(
Major races that had excess demand in advance of the pandemic are still filling up (although who’s to say that they’re turning away as many runners as they were pre-pandemic), but most non-sellout races are down 25-33% or so. And, yes, some aren’t coming back.
I’ve noticed that runners who attend the races don’t seem as “ happy”? as before…
The atmosphere is more subdued. My fellow racers don’t seem to laugh, talk and look at each other anymore.
I am serious about that observation and know how that sounds.