013. MAKE ADULTS COMPETITIVE AGAIN - by Jay Drain Jr.

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On an autumn morning in lower Manhattan, I look up from my phone as a group of late twenty-somethings crowd near the entrance of the coffee shop I’m sitting outside of. Most are dressed head to toe in matching running gear, all the latest, sleekest, premium stuff – Tracksmith, District Vision, Bandit, Soar, Nike Running, Oakley glasses, etc. Top to bottom, some of the ensembles probably amount to half a month’s rent in Fort Greene. Most have hardly broken a sweat. When the group walks in my direction, I can damn near feel their post-run endorphins as they log their runs onto Strava. They compare stats and ensure everyone is tagged in the run together. One member of the group talks about how ready he feels for his upcoming race, another Google Maps their route to brunch, another corrals a subset of the group for a selfie. I’m forced to look away and can’t help but think that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong with sports in America. The collective obsession with community-build

013. MAKE ADULTS COMPETITIVE AGAIN or “MAKE ATHLETICS GREAT AGAIN” Jay Drain Jr. Oct 10, 2024 25 13 4 Share On an autumn morning in lower Manhattan, I look up from my phone as a group of late twenty-somethings crowd near the entrance of the coffee shop I’m sitting outside of. Most are dressed head to toe in matching running gear, all the latest, sleekest, premium stuff – Tracksmith, District Vision, Bandit, Soar, Nike Running, Oakley glasses, etc. Top to bottom, some of the ensembles probably amount to half a month’s rent in Fort Greene. Most have hardly broken a sweat. When the group walks in

013. MAKE ADULTS COMPETITIVE AGAIN - by Jay Drain Jr.

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