Only 10% of road race participants are under 30, why?

Speedy44

I have organised a number of races over the past few years, and also am familier with the entries for a lot more. How come the majority of people taking part are over 30? Is there anything that can be done to attract younger runners?

dna_leri

you are asking the wrong audience, only a 10th of us are under 30 too.

gerard65

Speedy44 wrote: »

I have organised a number of races over the past few years, and also am familier with the entries for a lot more. How come the majority of people taking part are over 30? Is there anything that can be done to attract younger runners?

I've noticed that in general the age profile of people you see out running tends to be older, and even here the age profile seems to be 30-40. Do younger men prefer footy?

ecoli

Speedy44 wrote: »

I have organised a number of races over the past few years, and also am familier with the entries for a lot more. How come the majority of people taking part are over 30? Is there anything that can be done to attract younger runners?

I think that there are few reasons for this:

1. There is a major drop off in athletics from late teens and early twenties and many of these people seem to re emerge in there thirties (looking around there are many stories on here who can fall into this category)

2. Many of the athletes who do continue own seem to focus more on track and cross country and only decide to do the odd road race rather than focus on this aspect of running

I think that prize funds need to include more categories for people in this demo-graph (u23 or maybe O/28) many people see the prize structure at the older ages (O/35,40,44 etc) as appealing but juniors breaking into senior get disheartened being so far down their category because the numbers compared to track could be a reason for tendency towards track.

Just a few thoughts coming from this age group (personally love the road;))

hurleronditch

I think its straightforward, a lot of people, young males in particular, would see running as something to do to keep fit, when they are too old to play other sports and don't fancy golf. They then take it up at mid thirties when the GAA/Rugby/Soccer is done, and find they quite like it/are good at it and starting doing it competitively.

No science behind it, i just know plenty of people who have gone like that, and i think its pretty common. More 'fun' sports to do when you're younger

Sosa

Speedy44 wrote: »

I have organised a number of races over the past few years, and also am familier with the entries for a lot more. How come the majority of people taking part are over 30? Is there anything that can be done to attract younger runners?

Very easy one to answer speedy...
Most youngsters prefer to play GAA,soccer and other team sports in there early years.
I played basketball for 18 years,retired at 33 after losing the passion i once had...family commitments also played a factor as i was away alot of weekends playing while working and training during the week.
When i finished up i thought i would never play or participate in competitive sports again until i found running.
To me and plenty of people i know that run,they only took up running when they had finsihed with there first love of sport and were looking to do something.
With those team sports there is a huge social scene after matches...with running your more commited to eating the right foods and running early at the weekends...does not really rank high on a 20 somethings plans for the w/e...
Alternatively i know a lot of people who never played sports in there youth but started running well into there 30's because they may have been hell raisers in there younger days and are now settled down with families and have suddenly found running.
you won't get many people in there 30's taking up soccer or GAA....but with running you can start when your 60 if your able and want to....its like golf...age is not a barrier

I dont see any of that changing in the future....

yungwan

ecoli wrote: »

I think that there are few reasons for this:

1. There is a major drop off in athletics from late teens and early twenties and many of these people seem to re emerge in there thirties (looking around there are many stories on here who can fall into this category)

2. Many of the athletes who do continue own seem to focus more on track and cross country and only decide to do the odd road race rather than focus on this aspect of running

I think that prize funds need to include more categories for people in this demo-graph (u23 or maybe O/28) many people see the prize structure at the older ages (O/35,40,44 etc) as appealing but juniors breaking into senior get disheartened being so far down their category because the numbers compared to track could be a reason for tendency towards track.

Just a few thoughts coming from this age group (personally love the road;))

ecoli - i was only going to quote part of your post, but then i realised I couldnt pick which part to delete as all your points are valid!!

Yes, many people fall by the wayside with exercise if they not competing regularly. This generally happens around 14 in girls, 16 in boys. If you dont want to continue athetics you generally stop all exercise. Younger people can generally get away with this until mid to late 20s when metablism slows down and waist bands get bigger!!

And yes, theres an emphasis on older competitors, as you mentioned above, over 35 etc. These people are people wo may be running for a decade or more and so are more likely to be fitter than others (maybe) anywho, im glad people are running more as I am a newby and have been bitten by the bug!!

shels4ever

Speedy44 wrote: »

I have organised a number of races over the past few years, and also am familier with the entries for a lot more. How come the majority of people taking part are over 30? Is there anything that can be done to attract younger runners?

Races are at the weekend when most the 18-30's are hung over in bed.

ecoli

shels4ever wrote: »

Races are at the weekend when most the 18-30's are hung over in bed.

Shhh you giving away our secret here was me trying to glorify the life of us young adults as being above the drunken haze we are so often associated with:p

shels4ever

ecoli wrote: »

Shhh you giving away our secret here was me trying to glorify the life of us young adults as being above the drunken haze we are so often associated with:p

It's ok to talk i've lived through it(just about)

kit3

Maybe in the case of women a lot of them spend their late twenties/thirties having babies and can only find the time/energy to get back into exercise when the kids get a bit older. This of course refers to the more casual runners and not to the serious ones who probably run throughout their pregnancies

plodder

hurleronditch wrote: »

I think its straightforward, a lot of people, young males in particular, would see running as something to do to keep fit, when they are too old to play other sports and don't fancy golf. They then take it up at mid thirties when the GAA/Rugby/Soccer is done, and find they quite like it/are good at it and starting doing it competitively.

No science behind it, i just know plenty of people who have gone like that, and i think its pretty common. More 'fun' sports to do when you're younger

I think that's true for sports that depend on sprinting/raw speed, such as GAA/rugby/soccer, and indeed athletics. Younger people excel at those sports without a doubt. But, ability at longer distance running is something that doesn't fall away so quickly with age.

rainbow kirby

Sosa wrote: »

To me and plenty of people i know that run,they only took up running when they had finsihed with there first love of sport and were looking to do something.

This was pretty much me. I started running as an attempt to lose some of the weight that I piled on in the 2 years after I stopped training in martial arts, which I'd been involved in from the age of 10 to 22 (just got sick of the constant injuries). It totally reawakened my interest in being fit and I got a bit hooked then!

I *am* one of these mysterious under-30s though

the drifter

im 26...ill be another one of them weird under 30's i fail to see how some people exist without some sort of sport in there life!

i have been told im wasting my 20's by not spending them in a pub drinking...

ocnoc

21... I'll challenge anyone over any distance in the mountains

BeepBeep67

Speedy44 wrote: »

Is there anything that can be done to attract younger runners?

With the head shops closing you might be able to find an angle there?
€25 for a legal high!

thirtyfoot

Also another reason could be that when people get older they get more mature and think for themselves and do things (and sports) that they wouldn't try when younger as they wouldn't have fitted in with the pals who played GAA, soccer etc despite them possibly not liking it or more than likely not been good at it. So its like a 2nd childhood or a mid life crisis even where they finally have the courage of their convictions to take on a sport that you liked but required standing out from the crowd and having even a small element of discipline and perserverence. It takes a lot of courage to start pounding the roads when you are in your late 30s, overweight and having done no exercise for 20 years. Many will probably regret they didn't do it all their life.

.

Speedy44

Phew, what have I started.

Its funny though, I remember this very same topic raising its ugly head waaayyyy back in the 80's when I too was approaching my 20's. I also remember thinking that I would not be the one to fall by the wayside ( I still have training diaries from 1979 to validate this!). Sure enough, after running only 2:04 for 800m and finishing 5th in my club at 18, I found comfort in the demon drink, for 25yrs !!

I think most of the responses to this have been accurate, although sad. Most folks seem to 'play' team sports (tag rugby, I don't get it!), in their 20's, and then move onto no contact sports.

After all this, not sure if there is much that can be done to attract people. In saying this, I wish that I had kept it up in my 20's. mainly because I would have be kicking ass in a lot of races

To sum up, and to answer my own question, I think anyone that was 'really' interested in the sport probably got burned out (I ran 80+ mls/wk at 17, my bro ran more!), its not really a sport that you go into casually as a teenager and then decide to continue in your 20's.

Maybe if we can do what they do in the states and add more keg parties at the end of the races it will attract that demographic :rolleyes:

RayCun

Team sports require a lot more organisation of a larger group of people - you need to have a stable group the size of the team, practice together regularly, keep the same time free every week for games, etc. For a lot of 18-30 people this is a plus point, they like the camaraderie, and the permanence at a time when they're out of school, looking for/changing jobs, etc, etc.

Older people might not feel the same need for team identification, have demands on their free time, and as injuries and unfitness builds up, group members will drop out, leaving too few to sustain the team.

OI

I'm in the 30 - 40 age bracket, :eek:

gerard65

OI wrote: »

I'm in the 30 - 40 age bracket, :eek:

I'm in the 40 - 50 age bracket, :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Condo131

gerard65 wrote: »

I'm in the 40 - 50 age bracket, :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

...and I'm in the 50 -60 bracket! :D:D:D:D:D:D!!

smunchkins

I went "back" to running at 28, determined to do that old chestnut of a marathon before I hit 30. (check)
Having known only one other runner at that time, it now seems to be growing in popularity amongst my friends , even amongst my more girlie/non-sporty friends (blame boot camp for that!).
I agree that its something to do with drop off from other sports. I have been attending one college martial arts club on and off for 12 years, and its really starting to show with regards the age difference. Nearly everyone I started with has dropped out, and, you guessed it, some have gone off to run!
Everyone can put on a pair of trainers and step outside, but its extremely hard to be a "beginner" at other sports after 30.(or to go back to something you used to be good at for that matter)
The vital social aspect of participating in a club is no longer so important, and fitness can be pared down to the most basic measurement and its purest form; just you using your body to get from a to b.

Legs are built in, natural skill with a ball, a bat or a raquet are not required thank goodness!

Speedy44

Condo131 wrote: »

...and I'm in the 50 -60 bracket! :D:D:D:D:D:D!!

well, I'm in the 40-50 bracket, but some days I feel like I'm in the 50-60-70 bracket :rolleyes:

rainbow kirby

smunchkins wrote: »

I have been attending one college martial arts club on and off for 12 years, and its really starting to show with regards the age difference. Nearly everyone I started with has dropped out, and, you guessed it, some have gone off to run!

Do I know you? :eek:

robinph

OI wrote: »

I'm in the 30 - 40 age bracket, :eek:

gerard65 wrote: »

I'm in the 40 - 50 age bracket, :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Condo131 wrote: »

...and I'm in the 50 -60 bracket! :D:D:D:D:D:D!!

What distance are we discussing again?

smunchkins

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Do I know you? :eek:

Don't think so! You ever do Lau Gar??

rainbow kirby

smunchkins wrote: »

Don't think so! You ever do Lau Gar??

Nope, but I'm guessing by the mention of Lau Gar that you went to UCD? (I did TKD for 6 years there)

Bloody Nipples

hmm i'm 21 and in college and I haven't really heard of anyone my age involved in running at all. Personally I like it that way, it's something a little different among people my age (I've done 3 marathons).

copacetic

Speedy44 wrote: »

I have organised a number of races over the past few years, and also am familier with the entries for a lot more. How come the majority of people taking part are over 30? Is there anything that can be done to attract younger runners?

I ran when I was a kid, up until 15 or 16. Then only did various competitive team sports from then until around 30 and got back into the running to stay reasonably fit when I didn't have time for scheduled training 2 or 3 times a week and matches taking up most of one day at the weekend. I also started golf from around then to replace the 'skill' element of the other sports.

I think a lot of people have similar historys.

RacoonQueen

I think most of the reasons are probably already outlined. A lot of it is the discovery of alcohol, studying, getting a foothold on careers etc one thing I think that contributes to it though is that you're pretty much self-sufficient. Even if you're in a club it's still up to you to get the training done, some clubs only meet twice a week and you require a lot more training than that to continue racing at a decent level and a lot of younger people just wouldn't be able to give that commitment without the structure of training sessions.

robinph

RacoonQueen wrote: »

... and a lot of younger people just wouldn't be able to give that commitment without the structure of training sessions.

How much training outside of the actual weekly match that people doing team sports in their youth get up to? Very little to none I suspect.

The team sports is just about the socialising, not that there isn't any socialising with athletics/ running events, just that it really helps your participation in the event if you've trained for it. Once you've a basic level of fitness you can turn up and kick a ball around once a week without needing to do much else other than drink the rest of the time.

Once you start to get a few more grey hairs, or just lack of hair, then your regular drinking ability starts to fade and people either give up on sports totally, or switch to something like running to try and fix the issues that the years of drinking did to them.

copacetic

robinph wrote: »

How much training outside of the actual weekly match that people doing team sports in their youth get up to? Very little to none I suspect.
The team sports is just about the socialising, not that there isn't any socialising with athletics/ running events, just that it really helps your participation in the event if you've trained for it. Once you've a basic level of fitness you can turn up and kick a ball around once a week without needing to do much else other than drink the rest of the time.

Once you start to get a few more grey hairs, or just lack of hair, then your regular drinking ability starts to fade and people either give up on sports totally, or switch to something like running to try and fix the issues that the years of drinking did to them.

This is totally wrong in my experience.
Anybody doing any kind of semi-serious sport will be training with the team at least twice a week for prob an hour and a half each session and will be assigned another couple of fitness sessions to do on their own. If you miss a few of these sessions, you are dropped.

A lot of people play a couple of sports also.

robinph

Totally, but when someone comes on and says the line about being relatively fit having played <ball sport> regularly for years, but now they want to improve their fitness/ loose the belly/ run a marathon ... how much were they really doing. Are all these people really playing in organised teams/ leagues where there will be someone deciding who gets to play each week based on who is the best players they have to choose from, or are they just going for a kick about each week with whoever it is that happens to turn up?

In the same way that most people who you see out running the streets are not members of an actual running club, I'd also expect that most people who claim to play <ball sport> are not actually a member of any official team and it's just a bunch of mates who get together relatively regularly.

copacetic

robinph wrote: »

Totally, but when someone comes on and says the line about being relatively fit having played <ball sport> regularly for years, but now they want to improve their fitness/ loose the belly/ run a marathon ... how much were they really doing. Are all these people really playing in organised teams/ leagues where there will be someone deciding who gets to play each week based on who is the best players they have to choose from, or are they just going for a kick about each week with whoever it is that happens to turn up?

In the same way that most people who you see out running the streets are not members of an actual running club, I'd also expect that most people who claim to play <ball sport> are not actually a member of any official team and it's just a bunch of mates who get together relatively regularly.

I guess, but there are massive numbers playing GAA, Soccer and Rugby each week at the organised level. So I'd say the % who do that much training is pretty high. Possibly these aren't the people who come online to ask how to improve their fitness though, since they've probably spent 10 years or more getting in shape after every summer of excess...

DaveR1

I'm 21,

Reasons;

1. Mid-life crisis for the older people.

2. Alcohol for the younger

3. Entry fees at races. The older u are the more money u have.

4. As I was told 2years ago. Don't run any long distance as it willl destroy your speed.

MarieC

Im another in the 20-30 age bracket. Took up running when I was 22.

It would be interesting to assess the age profile of us here......in 5yr age brackets, and male/female......

Mullaghteelin

DaveR1 wrote: »

4. As I was told 2years ago. Don't run any long distance as it willl destroy your speed.

This attitude is what ultimately led me to quit running for a number of years.
I was fairly good at longer distance running when aged around 17-18, but it was was pretty much discouraged by the club I was in.
5km was generally the longest race distance we were allowed do, while I would have been perfectly happy racing 10km and upwards.

After a few years of a rebellious chain-smoking, binge-drinking phase, I got back running again.
Been running again 5 years now, Im 28, and lately I seem to be smashing pb times every other week.

token56

I'm 22 and still running, well trying to anyway, but alot of the reasons people stop have already been covered. I've seen alot of guys in my club a year or two younger or older than me who had great potential that I would kill for, ran some great races etc give it up once they hit about 18 or so and its such a pity. Some of the reasons were activity in other sports, GAA and soccer mainly. An increasingly active social life and drink. When people go to college, they also tend meet new people, some tend to do other things that would be most popular in the group etc. But athletics/running is a solo sport, and it really requires a unique sense of enjoyment if people around my age are going to keep it up. Its not like other sports where you are part of team and are much more integrated with the sport as a result. Running is a much more personal thing in my opinion, and really unless someone has that desire I think its rare that they will keep it up. People who have run and given it up at some point for whatever reason are then much more likely to pick it back up than someone who hasn't I imagine, thats not to say there aren't plenty who just start when they are in their 30's and later.

Puck

Moobs.

poppy08

While I can only speak for the relatively small number of under 30 people I know. I do think there are alot of under 30 runners out there that just don't know/embrace their running as a sport.

I have friends who run occasionally and love it (most are much better than myself) but they would never dream of entering a race :rolleyes:. They just run to keep kinda fit and substitute the sports they played in school. They don't care bout injury prevention, stretching, diet and all the other quirks involved in running.

Like I said they run whenever they feel the urge but just can't quite commit to the sport or to a race.

How Strange

Pretty much a combination of everything posted already.
For men, expanding waistlines in their late 20's due to bad diet, lack of exercise and too much alcohol.
For women the same but women tend to see the expanding waistline a little earlier. I think our alcohol fuelled social lives are to blame for most of our inactivity in our 20's. It's hard to get up in the morning and be active if you've got a hangover.

The men may have played football when they were younger and dropped out due to injury, work, lack of interest. A lot of women tend to start from scratch after years of believing they 'can't run'. Slight generalisation perhaps but from speaking to women in my running club that's what they usually say, myself included.

On top of that from 28 onwards peoples lifestyles start to change with, mortgages, friends not going out so much, settling down in general. The ever expanding waistline and the changed lifestyle means running as an activity starts to look appealing as you get nearer to/around 30.

I recognise so many people in their late 20's/early 30's at races.

bluestone

DaveR1 wrote: »

I'm 21,

Reasons;

1. Mid-life crisis for the older people.

2. Alcohol for the younger

3. Entry fees at races. The older u are the more money u have.

4. As I was told 2years ago. Don't run any long distance as it willl destroy your speed.

29 and i wish i could use no.4 as my reason!:D

pitkan

A Primary School in my area recently held a `We are walking to School Today` day and proudly festooned the school entrance with a banner proclaiming the same. The day after it was business as usual with the road clogged with cars dropping the kids off. OK so it`s not safe to let your kid walk to school alone anymore, so walk with the kid, you`ll be healthier and so will the kid and be able to participate in sports.This could be one reason why the younger people are not out running and another may be soccer/gaelic football.

smunchkins

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Nope, but I'm guessing by the mention of Lau Gar that you went to UCD? (I did TKD for 6 years there)

Yeah, it does kinda narrow it down!

A Primary School in my area recently held a `We are walking to School Today` day and proudly festooned the school entrance with a banner proclaiming the same. The day after it was business as usual with the road clogged with cars dropping the kids off. OK so it`s not safe to let your kid walk to school alone anymore, so walk with the kid, you`ll be healthier and so will the kid and be able to participate in sports.This could be one reason why the younger people are not out running and another may be soccer/gaelic football.

I only discovered running after an enthusiastic headmaster dragged the whole school out to run a lap of the town one afternoon. (before that we weren't exactly athletics based, think there was only one girl who walked the 5,000 metres on sports day!)
That lasted for about 2 weeks and then he left. After that I had to do it solo (boarding school, so had to get permission to leave the grounds). I can only assume that most schools are not that enthusiastic to have hoards of children/teenagers crowding the roads round them, and, lets face it, the track can be a bit uninspiring if you are on it for a long time.

Nem_e

Interesting question and my answer probably falls into the mid life crisis category.
I started running last year at the age of 33.

As a teenager I played rugby at a high level and have 3 Leinster schools medals (Training everyday with 2 training sessions on 2 days in the week), I continued rugby in college but also took up other sports and activities, Swimming, Kayaking, climbing- I spent 6 years as a serious kayaker spending every weekend on the rivers and making a few trips to the French alps, Scotland, England and US. as the Kayaking fell off due to dwindling numbers, I start 5 a-side soccer which I played nearly every evening for about 4 years.

Then I bought a house and got married and free time disappeared and the most sport I got to play was the occasional bit of golf maybe 5 times a year and an occasional friendly five a-side friendly.

During my twenties I considered myself fit I occasionally did some running (usually after a heavy weekend on the beer with plenty of takeaway dinners and late night kebabs) to top up my fitness. I never considered entering a race as it was something I felt I’d have no trouble doing and I had other things to do.

Last year during a drinking session in the pub with friends (watching the Heineken Cup)I realized I wasn't sure if I’d be able to run 10Km anymore and with that running became a challenge and a sport I decided to fit into my life.