🏃😳 The latest sign of a quarter-life crisis

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

🎃 Is it just us, or does it feel like fall in here? OK, it’s definitely just us, but if history is any indication, that won’t stop Dunkin’ from dropping its fall menu (read: pumpkin spice treats) sometime this or next week. So keep your eyes peeled.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Diners are pinching pennies

• More humidity = higher electric bills

• Two rings for Payton

Up first…

CULTURE

What are we all running from?

Is everyone you know either getting engaged or running a marathon? You’re not alone. 

According to this article in The Atlantic, marathon running is “the new quarter life crisis,” with data from some of the country’s largest marathons showing up to a 7% increase in 20-something participants since 2019.

Here’s what to know:

🏃 Gen Z is having a running moment. Just a few years ago, running “wasn't exactly for prom kings and queens or rock stars,” said Dan Fitzgerald, co-founder of Heartbreak Hill Running Co., but now, it’s the new “it” way to exercise. “Everybody wants to be a runner,” these days. No matter where you look, whether it's articles about run clubs (including ours), or endless “runfluencer” content on your FYP, it’s clear that running is having its time in the sun.

😢 And it’s definitely not just about exercise. Between thankless remote jobs, lack of community, and traditional life milestones — like buying a home or starting a family — becoming out of reach, many Gen Z-ers are going through it right now. And marathon running can be a route to finding a similar sense of accomplishment. After finishing a marathon, disappointments about New England native running influencer Lydia Keating’s job, relationship, and living situation "... felt OK because I'm like, well, at least I finished a marathon."

🏅 Keating said marathons can be a way to “manufacture a W in your life.” “If you run a marathon, everybody knows it's a big deal … it's a metaphor for everything hard in your life,” Fitzgerald said. And with its increase in popularity, especially online, more and more people are realizing that they can get in on the feel-good energy that comes with accomplishing a massive goal. 

🙅 But just because you can run a marathon doesn’t mean you should. The idea that “you can do anything with your body if you just put in the time and effort … is problematic” for a few reasons, said Rachel Rodgers, a professor of health sciences at Northeastern:

1. It can make failure feel like a lack of effort, “which I would argue is always untrue,” she said. 

2. It “completely denies” the differences in our bodies and our biology that sometimes limit our capabilities.

3. It can totally commandeer our energy. “The more we're tempted to put time and effort and money into trying to manipulate our bodies to do things,” the less time we have for … anything else!

🪺 So before you put all your eggs in the marathon basket … Consider starting with a smaller goal to get a sense of the commitment: “The marathon isn't the only way to achieve a lot as a runner,” Keating said.

TOGETHER WITH DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE AND THE JIMMY FUND

Batter up, let’s battle cancer together

⚾️ ❤️‍🩹  This is your Babe Ruth “call your shot” moment. Step up to the plate and donate during the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon on Aug. 13 and 14 to help support cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. Broadcasting live from Fenway Park with the Red Sox, WEEI, and NESN, you’ll hear inspiring stories from patients, doctors, and more. Tune in and make a donation today to help strike out cancer once and for all.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🥵 This summer heat has been brutal. So have our electric bills. Our A/C units have been carrying the team on their backs this season, which explains why growing ranks of Greater Boston residents are unplugging appliances, turning off lights, and limiting A/C use when they can to keep electric bills down. And it’s not just the blazing temps putting a strain on your A/C; the real story has been the humidity, with much of the region having one of the stickiest summers on record …

😬 Local diners are pinching pennies. Several local restaurant owners are seeing fewer diners, smaller checks, and not as many nights of ballin' out. When consumers feel strapped (or are worried about the possibility), eating out is one of the first budget line items to go. So some restaurants are rolling out discounts to keep patrons coming back (and hopefully not raise prices again). See: McDonald’s $5 meal deal and more restaurants participating in Dine Out Boston this month. 

🚲 Incoming: More Bluebikes! Mayor Michelle Wu’s admin announced plans to add 100 new Bluebikes stations starting this fall. The plan will roll out in phases, with neighborhoods like Chinatown and Beacon Hill seeing new stations first. Between adding new e-bikes and expanding beyond Boston, Bluebikes have been having a moment. And they should be easier to enjoy as Boston plans to expand its bike lane network so at least half of residents live within a three-minute walk of a bike route by the end of 2025.

😤 Massachusetts > everyone else. At least that’s according to WalletHub, which just named Mass. the best place to live in 2024. And while Dunkin’ and Jayson Tatum were not cited as reasons why, our “strong healthcare system,” “high-quality education,” and having the highest share of residents with health insurance were factors (fair!). The New England supremacy continued with New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont all cracking the top 20. Just don’t pay attention to this report about Mass.’ highest housing costs …

QUICK QUESTION

⚡ Are you feeling the heat (in your electric bills)?

ONE LAST THING

Two rings for Payton

This weekend, Celtics player Payton Pritchard got his second ring this summer: A wedding band.

Over the weekend, Pritchard married Boston influencer Emma MacDonald on the Cape, fully cementing their status as a Mass. power couple. And as expected, the wedding gave us some serious FOMO (just check out these pics), with a star-studded guest list including C’s players like Jaylen Brown, Oshae Brissett, Sam Hauser, and coach Joe Mazzula.

What was a little less expected was the ceremony being officiated by ex-Celtics player Blake Griffin, who has apparently not only been a part of the couple’s relationship since the third date (which he actually went on with them), but also does a killer Pritchard impersonation.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

💍 Thanks for reading! But our favorite part of the wedding might be this picture, which you can’t tell us isn’t just a little funny.

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, for supporting local journalism and fighting the good fight against cancer. 

👙 The results are in: 47% of B-Siders agree that everyone should be allowed to be topless, along with another 30% who added the caveat that tops should only come off at the beach. One reader said: “Boobs aren’t a secret.”

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].