In an effort to better define who we are as a running club, I sent out a survey to the UVRC membership asking six questions that will help to characterize the typical UVRC member. With in-person club activities and events coming back to life as COVID, hopefully, continues to recede and people get back to more normal routines, how have we changed? The results of the survey with 88 responders follows and afterward I offer some conclusions and the profile of the “typical” UVRC member. 

Question 1. What is your gender age group? 

(Responses are listed in order from most to least.)

13 – M40s

11 – M30s

11 – W40s

9 – W30s

9 – M60s

8 – M50s

8 – W60s

6 – W50s

5 – W<30

3 – M<30

3 – M70s

2 – W70s

0 – W80s

0 – M80s

0 – M90+

0 – W90+

Question 2. How long have you lived in the Upper Valley?

29 – more than 20 years

14 – 4 to 6 years

13 – 1 to 3 years

13 – 16 to 20 years

8 – 11 to 15 years

7 – 7 to 10 years

3 – less than 1 year

Question 3. How did you end up in the Upper Valley?

34 – Got a job here

19 – Came with or joined a friend or partner here

11 – Attended college or graduate school here and stayed or came back

7 – Born here

7 - Other

4 – Looking for a rural environment with four-season activities

3 – My parents moved here

1 – Looking for friends who likewise enjoy the great outdoors

0 – In search of hilly forestland and meadows, including clean air and water

0 – Looking for a place where things are less crowded and more quiet

Question 4. What is your favorite type of outdoor activity?

44 – Trail running with friends, dogs or alone

26 – Cross country skiing with friends, dogs or alone

18 – Mountain climbing with friends, dogs or alone

17 – Road biking with friends or alone

17 – Completing a new running challenge

16 – Other

15 – Saturday Group Runs followed by refreshments with friends at Lucky’s Garage Café

15 – Swimming with friends or alone

14 – Training/Tuesday Night Track (TNT) 

13 – Backpacking with friends, dogs or alone

11 – NH Grand Prix Series racing

10 – Mountain biking with friends or alone 

9 – Snowshoeing with friends, dogs or alone

2 – Rock climbing with friends or alone

Question 5 - Most importantly, I run to...

46 – improve my physical and mental health and wellness

18 – Improve my overall fitness and quality of life

5 – challenge myself

5 – to relieve stress

4 – live longer and better

3 – lose/maintain body weight

2 – commune with nature

1 – socialize with like-minded runners

1 – explore nature

1 – set new personal records (PRs)

1 – take control of my life

1 – other

Question 6.  How would you describe your eating habits?

47 – Omnivore

14 – Vegetarian

8 – Other

7 – Flexitarian

5 – Avoid simple carbs like refine sugars and junk food

3 – Meat lover

2 – Low-carb, low saturated fat

1 – Whole food plant based

1 – Vegan

CONCLUSIONS: You may interpret them differently.

Question 1. In terms of age groups for both women and men, UVRC runners tend to cluster around the 30-something and 40-something age groups.

Question 2. How long ago did we arrive in the UV? 37 of the 88 respondents arrived within the past 10 years and 50 others more than 10 years ago. 29 (1/3rd) of us have lived in the UV for more than 20 years.

Question 3. Why did we come to the UV? A little more than 1/3rd of us (34 of 88) came to the UV for a job. About 22% came with a friend and 1/8th came for college or came back after college. 7 were born in the UV and stayed or came back.

Question 4. The top three favorite activities are trail running (50%), cross country skiing (30%) and mountain climbing (20%).

Question 5. As to why we run 73% run for physical and mental health and wellness of to improve overall fitness.

Question 6. What do we eat? More than 50% of us are omnivores and 16% are vegetarians.  

So, The typical UVRC runner is now 40+/- years old, having come to the UV for a job more than 20 years ago, likes to run trails with friends and eat a variety of good foods in order to improve their overall fitness and physical and mental health and wellness. Sounds good to me. GO UVRC!!!