I ran at the Nike Human Race on Saturday (24 October 2009); Singapore was the only Southeast Asian country to host this event amongst 23 others worldwide. There were about 7,877 participants (of the registered 10,000 for this sold-out event) who ran the 10km route. What was significant about the profile of the group was, there were many women and about 80 percent of the population was Generation Y. Both emcees were MTV hosts and fit the Gen Y profile and preferences.
Generation Y are those who are about 15-30 years old. So, is Generation Y a more sporty generation than Generation X and the Baby Boomer?
In this fast-paced, iPod-connected, rollerblading era I have observed that many sports events sell out fast. There is almost one sporting event every weekend. The combinations of multi-sport events are also getting creative. The recent Quadrathlon, organised by SAFRA was a triathlon that included a rollerblading leg. For those of us rollerblade-challenged athletes, that curbed our interest to participate.
Whether triathlons, marathons, cycling or road-runs the participation numbers and rates are increasing. This contrasts with community-level activities that are highly subsidized and deliberately integrates all social levels and age.
By the way, Generation Y included seasoned and elite runners who did the North Face 100, an ultra-marathon event that routed harsh and hilly terrain. Hey, those over-35-year-olds did very well, and survived a longer and hotter day! More mature athletes seem attracted by the longer formats, instead of the faster-paced, shorter format events. Due to an upcoming A-race, I ran the 10km as a tune-up and, gratefully, earned a personal record (PR) and an overall 97th placing. I can't help being a slow-twitch sort of runner.
So, who do you think is the more sporty generation: X or Y? Let us know your opinion and reason.
2 comments:
Hi Enrico
Congratulations on the Race. Not bad for a Gen Xer. Interesting observation at the Race, in fact I spotted no more than 3 to 4 baby boomers. Here's a thought on the Gens: Gen Xers love a challenge, we call them the "Prove it to Me" generation.. or "Prove it to You". Then there's the generation of "Instant Gratification", Gen Yers just want it now. Agree? Anyway, didn't know you were a magician too.
Thanks for yours J Lee.
There is truth in the 'proving' for Gen X. I have observed that more new triathletes want to earn the Ironman badge, although their base/foundation is scant. Watching NSF boys go hard, hare-like, at long-distance races and then fizzling prematurely, indicates that they have not paid their dues in training. You seem to have captured the essence of both Generations. I wonder if Gen X may be over-proving with their enthusiastic participation in races, with disturbing regularity.
Yes, I am a semi-professional magician specialising in Close-Up - the intimate version of magic.
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