I've been doing a lot more races recently, meeting people at my club etc. and I'm finding that everyone has a professional job and has quite a bit of money.
I don't. I come from a working class family and my parents have had to earn every last penny.
I feel out of place. In terms of running performance I am up there but I feel like an outsider, like I have done my whole life.
I think endurance sports attract a people all across the financial spectrum, but it does seem that people with more disposable income are into the racing scene. Part of it is money and part of it is time. I know when I was less well off, I didn't have time to devote to training and racing. That time on Saturday morning was better spent making extra income. Now that I am more financially secure, I can afford the race fees and the time to race instead of work.
I think endurance sports attract a people all across the financial spectrum, but it does seem that people with more disposable income are into the racing scene. Part of it is money and part of it is time. I know when I was less well off, I didn't have time to devote to training and racing. That time on Saturday morning was better spent making extra income. Now that I am more financially secure, I can afford the race fees and the time to race instead of work.
Thanks for the reply. It's not specifically the racing scene, at my club there are a few doctors, software engineers, structural engineer, a teacher. There are relatively few who work low paid jobs like admin.
I think endurance sports attract a people all across the financial spectrum, but it does seem that people with more disposable income are into the racing scene. Part of it is money and part of it is time. I know when I was less well off, I didn't have time to devote to training and racing. That time on Saturday morning was better spent making extra income. Now that I am more financially secure, I can afford the race fees and the time to race instead of work.
Thanks for the reply. It's not specifically the racing scene, at my club there are a few doctors, software engineers, structural engineer, a teacher. There are relatively few who work low paid jobs like admin.
Not sure what I got downvoted for.
Probably you got downvoted for being honest, which in a way makes you vulnerable, especially over here. I gave you +1. Don't worry. All these big guys who might excel in their professions, they are going to be quite insecure around a good runner. You got something they can't buy. Funny thing, the issue you talk about is way more pronounced in cycling and triathlon communities.
I've been doing a lot more races recently, meeting people at my club etc. and I'm finding that everyone has a professional job and has quite a bit of money.
I don't. I come from a working class family and my parents have had to earn every last penny.
I feel out of place. In terms of running performance I am up there but I feel like an outsider, like I have done my whole life.
The people who downvoted you are wearing Tracksmith and shouting about how their running club is "for the community" and "for all walks of life,"" meanwhile every member of the club works in tech in or finance.
Serious answer, yes. Any sport beyond school typically requires free time and a little extra money. The road and club racing scene, especially in big cities, is not just for running. It's a social circle. Just like playing golf, most aren't out there only because they love the sport, they wanna hang with their buddies. Go look at NYAC's running program. It's a running club with relatively high barriers to entry. I've met guys who dreamt of joining just so they could make business connections there.
I've been doing a lot more races recently, meeting people at my club etc. and I'm finding that everyone has a professional job and has quite a bit of money.
I don't. I come from a working class family and my parents have had to earn every last penny.
I feel out of place. In terms of running performance I am up there but I feel like an outsider, like I have done my whole life.
Ever wonder how people spend time? This data visualization shows favorite American past-times like playing baseball or watching TV by using income brackets.
Usually the sport attracts well off liberal people, but letsrun is more of the exception. Letsrun‘s base has a mix of these well off liberals and much more of the conservatives/libertarian usually disgruntled young bums without a lot of money telling us not to get vaccinated
I've been doing a lot more races recently, meeting people at my club etc. and I'm finding that everyone has a professional job and has quite a bit of money.
I don't. I come from a working class family and my parents have had to earn every last penny.
I feel out of place. In terms of running performance I am up there but I feel like an outsider, like I have done my whole life.
Its not a wealthy sport. I have passed up pretty much all of the running hero's of my day in the persepctive of financial gain.
Educated people realize that it’s good to have hobbies that benefit your health. Running, swimming, biking, and some lifting. Educated people are more likely to be in the top 10% of earners.
Yes, the higher income group is more likely to travel across the country for a marathon. I’m traveling about 1200 miles away for my next race, and it’s no big destination, but it’s to BQ. I’ve BQ’d many, many times, but I took many years off racing.
I’ll likely do some more obscure destination races after one more Boston.
It might also be that some of the qualities that lead to professional jobs are things like self-discipline, persistence, and focus on goals that also lead people to enjoy running. (I'm not saying that the only people who have those qualities are those with professional jobs, but I expect that a disproportionate percentage of professionals have them.)
wealthy people tend to be (slightly) older and have the disposable income and time to spend on training and racing. for wealthy elites, if they have the discipline to become wealthy and have a modicum of talent, they can use that discipline to run pretty fast (say <31 5k).
not true. I make a decently high income (350 but in a VHCOL city) and I'm not vaccinated. It's my personal choice and I decided that the risks from getting covid were so minimal that I didn't take the vaccine
Have you seen poor people and how inflammed they look? Most couldn't run a step without their ankles giving out. Society should be doing a much better job to make sure everyone regardless of ability/disability has opportunities to meet basic needs so that everyone can have time to care for their health
