The results of the NORSAriffic survey are in! To define what it means to be a NORSA member, what standards are expected of NORSA events, and what you can do to be more NORSAriffic in your everyday life, we issued a survey to gauge public perception on a NORSAriffic scale.
Respondents were asked to rate a number of events on their degree of NORSArifficness. Below are the results. Averages reported (N=11).
EXTREMELY NORSAriffic!
9.78 Everglades Challenge (500 mile sailing race).
9.67 Cross-country bicycle trip.
9.67 Ironman triathlon (miles: 2.4 swim, 112 bike, 26.2 run).
9.00 Climbing trip.
9.00 Adventure race (biking, trail running, canoeing).
VERY NORSAriffic
8.89 Boston Marathon (26.2 mile run).
8.67 Half-Ironman triathlon (miles: 1.2 swim, 56 bike, 13.2 run).
8.67 Multi-night backpacking trip (winter).
8.44 Olympic-distance triathlon (km: 1.5 swim, 40 bike, 10 run).
8.33 Whitewater Kayaking trip.
8.33 Century bicycle ride.
8.22 Marathon (other than Boston) (26.2 mile run).
8.22 Sailing trip.
8.00 Half-Marathon (13.1 mile run).
Really NORSAriffic
7.89 Sprint triathlon (km: .75 swim, 20 bike, 5 run).
7.89 Whitewater Canoeing trip.
7.67 Multi-night backpacking trip (summer).
7.67 Hash run.
7.44 Duathlon (5 mile run, 31 mile bike, 5 mile run).
7.22 10 miler.
7.22 10 km run.
7.11 8 km run.
Pretty NORSAriffic
6.78 One night backpacking trip (summer).
6.67 5 km run.
6.67 Flatwater Kayaking/Canoeing trip.
6.56 One night backpacking trip (winter).
6.44 Car camping trip (summer).
6.22 Shooting trip.
Moderately NORSAriffic
5.56 Car camping trip (winter).
5.56 General road trip.
How NORSAriffic are you? Use the numbers above to calculate your own personal NORSAriffic rating.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
define: NORSAriffic
5 comments:
i think im like 100% norsarific...although that may be a little off since a single night winter camping trip is somehow not as norsarific as a single night summer camping trip. taking this inaccuracy into account, im probably like 110% norsarific.
The results of the survey are almost diametrically opposed to what they ought to be. NORSAriffic seems to be confused with "extreme." I thought it was all about taking it easy and enjoying the outdoors and less about punishing your body in tests of endurance. That said, Julie is totally right - how the hell is a balls-cold winter trip one-nighter only "Pretty NORSAriffic" when a summer overnight is more NORSAriffic. I demand a recount, I didn't vote for Pat Buchanan.
Unfortunately, our analysis is difficult given the small, non-random sample. The results tell more about the preferences of the 11 anonymous respondents (who themselves are self-selected by being TeamNORSA readers) than the goals of NORSA itself.
Also, the survey itself is biased because it compared 30 activities which are arguably all NORSAriffic to some degree or another. Ideally, the survey should also have included activities such as "taking the elevator at work," "playing 'Apples to Apples,'" and "spending a sunny afternoon watching 'Gilmore Girls.'"
Finally, there's nothing wrong with being labeled "Pretty NORSAriffic." In fact, it's quite an honor. A 5K run scored in this range, however, statistics from the USATF Road Running Information Center shows that only 1.1% of the United States population completed one last year.
So, essentially, just being "Pretty NORSAriffic" places you ahead of 98.9% of the population of the US? Sweet deal.
I still think hardcore winter extreme camping is SupercallafragiNORSAlistic.
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