1/29/2023
A few items of interest came across our desk of late that our race directors might want to take a look at. First is a link to a Guide to Non-Binary Inclusion in Running put out by the RRCA that will answer the questions that many in the industry have. Even the smallest races need to start thinking about it. At the very least all races should make sure their registration system asks for more than just "Male" or "Female" as answers to the gender question.
How are you Gen-Z numbers doing? (For those of you, like me, are sometimes challenged when it comes to figuring out who Gen-Z applies to, think people born roughly between 1995 and 2015.) In RunSignup’s latest RaceTrends report, registration data showed that less than 13% of race participants in 2021 races fell within the 18-30 age group - a number that used to be almost 18% as recently as 2017, and keeps on falling. So why is it that races fail to attract younger audiences? A podcast linked here might give you some answers on how to up the participation rates of this cohort at your event.
And speaking of that RaceTrends report, here's a few takeaways for those who don't want to read the entire thing: