What's the point?

What’s the point? 

Cheetahs run faster than humans, so why do we race each other. Why are there thousands of 5K races across the USA — and even more globally — every weekend?

It’s a question I’ve thought about quite a bit. It makes me think of one of my favorite stories about the fisherman and investment banker — a story about the kind of meaning that we actually want from our lives.

Many animals run faster than us, yet we still care about how our race results compare to others who share our age and gender.

Which brings me to a question everyone’s asking: if AI replaces jobs, what will humans actually do?

Some people think it’s to be lazy and do drugs — summarized as the “Cheetos and meth” future.

I’m more optimistic.

I think that if AI solves everything that needs to get done, humans will continue coming together and pushing our bodies. It’s natural for humans to connect with others and push ourselves — to want to be part of events that are larger than any individual. Plus, we’re already doing that at 5K races every weekend.

Even as AI becomes more intelligent, humans will still want to race each other.

That’s one of the ways that we get meaning as we navigate the human drama.

— Ian

Resources for Race Organizers

• Run The Day vs. software that coordinates community activities

• Why do free race registration platforms exist?

• Custom Websites for 5K Races in the Age of AI