Runner's World: First Marathons and Extramarital Affairs

[Susie]

I thought this was really interesting.  A little true for me, too, I think -- a few years ago I was definitely a 29 year old first time triathlete!  I'm still a few years away from 39 to see what that will hold.

--

www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/first-marathons-and-extramarital-affairs?adbid=10152425565916987&adbpl=fb&adbpr=9815486986&cid=socHE_20141119_35865217

First Marathons and Extramarital Affairs
The year before starting a new age decade prompts unexpected searches for meaning.

By Alex Hutchinson
Published November 18, 2014
<img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://www.runnersworld.com/sites/default/files/93050-500.jpg" alt=""><br>I turn 39 later this month. I mention this not to solicit gifts (not that I'm refusing them either), but because it probably has something to do with why a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences caught my attention. It's called "People Search for Meaning When They Approach a New Decade in Chronological Age," by Adam Alter of NYU and Hal Hershfield of UCLA. And its basic finding is that when people are in the ninth year of a decade – 29, 39, 49, 59, etc. – they do all sorts of crazy things.

For example, in keeping with the theme of this blog, people are more likely to run their first marathon during a "9-ending" year. Here's data from a set of 500 first-time marathoners randomly selected from the Athlinks database, between the ages of 25 and 64:

<img src="http://www.runnersworld.com/sites/default/files/year_nine_2.jpg" style="max-width:100%;" alt=""><br><br>Overall, 9-enders are overrepresented by 48%, dramatically more than any other digit. Similarly, another analysis showed that runners who ran multiple marathons at different ages ran 2.30% faster in the 9-ending year than in the two years before and after, suggesting that people who already run tend to train harder in the 9-ending year.<br><br>What's going on here? The paper actually links together six different sub-studies with the general theme that the approach of a new decade triggers a search for meaning and an evaluation of where you are in life. The first study crunched data from 42,063 participants in something called the World Values Study, in which respondents answered questions about (among other things) how often they thought about the meaning of life. Sure enough, 9-enders reported thinking about or questioning the meaning of life more frequently than those with ages ending in any other digit.<br><br>So what do you do if you're questioning the meaning of life and your place in it? The researchers suggest there are two basic ways of responding: adaptively (taking action to increase the likelihood of finding meaning), or maladaptively (diminishing your chances of finding meaning). Deciding to run or train harder for a marathon is an example of the former. The latter, at the extreme, could be committing suicide – and sure enough, once again, CDC data on suicide rates in the U.S. show that 9-enders are more likely to commit suicide than any other group. Or... you could have an affair.<br><br>Here's data from more than 8 million male users of "a dating website that caters to people who are seeking extramarital affairs":



Once again, those crazy 9-enders come out on top. On one level, this doesn't seem surprising – of course new decades cause us to reevaluate things. But I would have expected actually turning 30 or 40 or 50 would prompt that reevaluation. Apparently people anticipate things more than I realized.

So what does this mean for me? Will I be hammering out a fast marathon next year, or rethinking the very meaning of life? I have no idea – I'm only 38 and thus never think about these things.

***

[spunkypenguin]

It was definitely my goal to do a marathon before 30, which I did in this - my 29th - year

[mrshandy]

Yep, I ran my first marathon when I was 29, but I didn't have a "marathon before I was 30" goal. It was just a coincindence.

[shauni27]

funny, at this point it is too late for me to do 29, but if I actually do one next year like I am searching for one now, I will be 30.

[sassystace]

LOL. I'm 39 and ran my first marathon this year at least in part for that very reason. It was a prove-it-to-yourself now or new reasoning. Turning 40 seems daunting to me!

[Wines Not Whines]

Interesting. I got into running when I was 29, ran my first race at 30 and first marathon at 31.

[jamalynn]

I ran my first marathon 2 weeks before I turned 35, aging up in racing.

[wanderlustmom]

True for me, I ran my first marathon at 39 and it was a contemplative year for me--also a bit restless. So far 40 has been all about acceptance and loving sitting on the couch with my husband and kids. I have had more nights this year in my pajamas at 5 and totally content. I also feel the need to deepen existing friendships versus make new ones. So far I love this decade. I also haven't been as hard on myself about my weight.

[tuggyruns]

True for me! I ran my first marathon at 29. Like PP have said, it wasn't a questioning life thing (I had attempted the marathon for 2 years preceding but ended up injured) Interesting nonetheless..

[emilyinchile]

I'm 29 and am really focusing on CF right now with the goal of just getting as good as I can, but that's a function of my job (working less, flexible schedule, pretty sure life will not always be like this) rather than feeling like I want to accomplish something before I'm 30. Or at least, I think that's what it is - maybe I'm subconsciously freaking out about my next birthday!