Running and Law School...?

With the caveat that I graduated from law school in 1981, I ran a bit during first year but it was tough to find the time. Much more time second and third years and that's when I started racing again.

Good luck with it.

So to be fair, I didn't really run during my first year of law school but that's because I decided I didn't want to run, not because I didn't have the time. I don't think the first year of law school takes as much time or effort as everyone acts like it does. But people peer pressure you into feeling bad for doing anything outside of school that isn't bar review. To put the advice in perspective, I go to a T-14 school and I did well enough to already have a job offer for next year. I'm not in the top 10 in my class but maybe top 10-15%. I had a job (10ish hours a week), babysat (4 hours a week) and volunteered 5 hours a week and did yoga (maybe 6 hours a week?). I think if you add that all up, that's enough time to train seriously. Find someone else in law school that's all about running...there's gotta be someone. I always have a hard time being dedicated about running on my own, and without a race. Anyway, if you want to run, you have the time. If it's not that important to you and you will feel guilty about not studying or outlining or working with your study group, then don't. Just figure out where it is in your priorities. I don't think your grades will suffer for it.

I was in a relatively similar position. I had trained about 70mpw going into law school and was hoping to maintain about that level. While there is always time to run, it is not always convenient.

My feeling, from my own experience and from observing others, is that law school (and probably most graduate programs) provide you with enough time to do one additional activity seriously. For many this is socializing/drinking. For others it is a relationship. For others still it may be exercising. I feel it becomes very difficult, however, to engage in additional activities in any serious manner. If running is your one serious activity then you should not have too much difficulty continuing to run. Otherwise you might want to consider cutting back during your first year.

Other things to consider:

The first year of law school is by far the most important year of law school. The grades you receive first year will set you up for jobs/clerkships/law review. So make sure your first year counts.

Maintaining perspective in law school can be difficult just as maintaining perspective while training seriously can be difficult. If running helps you maintain perspective then make sure you keep running.

Know what you want out of law school and remember it. Do not get trapped into wanting what other students want just because they want it and it is the path of least resistance.

Make time for it. I was only doing about 30 mpw and I stopped during first year. I really wish I did because it might have helped me deal with the stress better.

I guess one advantage I have in this situation is that I'm attending a school at which the first semester is Credit/No Credit, which is a big help; that said, the small size of the school makes it such that the intellectual demands are about the same, I would say, as any other school--just without the stress of grades. It's good to hear that you guys fit running into your lives; I like running a lot generally, although I have periods in which I hate it, haha--that said, it's usually a staple in my life in some form.

I don't think I was thinking that I would quit running altogether, but maybe just that doing 70 mpw instead of, say, 40-50 might be an unreasonable goal for me (I did and do 70-80 now, as I said). I'm an at-times obsessive, yet mediocre/casual runner who never ran for a team or anything--I qualified for Boston a while back and was thinking about doing that in the spring (and not particularly caring about my time in it), but we'll see where that goes, I guess.

If you are a casual runner why even ask this question?

Unless you are going to law school just for fun, your only goal right now is to get the best first year grades possible. Very little else matters in terms of getting a job with a big firm. We can debate whether BigLaw is worthwhile blah blah blah, but the pay is great, and I assume you are doing this degree so as to get a job one day.

As I said, since you are a casual runner, make school number one and then fit everything else in as you have time and feel like it.

That being said, law school isn't that hard. I found it pretty easy to compete XC and track without any noticeable effect on my marks.

70 miles a week is less than 2 hrs a day. Burn your TV, get 8 hours of sleep a night, keep up in class, and you will have lots of time to run your miles if you want to.

If you stick to a pretty strict schedule and don't dick around a lot then its definitely possible to make it work.

I'm running 100+ miles a week right now and did so for much of my 1L year as well. There will certainly be times when you have to cut back your mileage (finals, when your brief is due, etc), but it is still possible to do all of your work, run high mileage and be successful.

You will probably have to do a lot more work on the weekends than your law school friends though, so make sure to take that into account.

Good luck.

All of you are tools.

Hi Hader wrote:

All of you are tools.

Agreed.

Tuffy wrote:

Hi Hader wrote:

All of you are tools.

Agreed.

Why?

Hope you can find the right balance. Just watch out for the loon on the other thread who wants to fight people in law school.

Tuffy wrote:

Hi Hader wrote:

All of you are tools.

Agreed.

__________________________

I agree with the agreeer and the Tuffy. And, with anyone else who says we are all tools. And those that just nod their heads in agreement. And, maybe even the people you see reading this and shake their head saying " what a toool..." while they read it. Oh, and my mom. She said I am a tool 3x this week.

The winning video in a "What inspired me to go to law school" contest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6cLkxQuH1Q

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2009/09/01/what-inspired-me-to-go-to-law-school-the-video-series/

FINDING an honest lawyer is like trying to find a Jewish person who is a ditch digger .

I agree with the agreeer and the Tuffy. And, with anyone else who says we are all tools. And those that just nod their heads in agreement. And, maybe even the people you see reading this and shake their head saying " what a toool..." while they read it. Oh, and my mom. She said I am a tool 3x this week.[/quote]

You're an idiot.

Hi Hader wrote:

All of you are tools.

I'm sorry that you not only have a 19:30 5k PR, but you are too dumb to do anything more than work at the local grocery store as a stock boy. Maybe your parents will let you stay in their basement a little while longer.

CLS 2L wrote:

Maintaining perspective in law school can be difficult just as maintaining perspective while training seriously can be difficult. If running helps you maintain perspective then make sure you keep running.

truer words have not been spoken (I'm a grad student, but you're right in that it's pretty much the same deal with my program)

Being a lawyer is a bad career choice. There are 1,143,358 lawyers at the end of 2007 which is way too many. Law school is very expensive and you will probably be saddled with lots of debt at the end. How will you pay it if you are only an average student and therefore not employed by a major slave factory (er, I mean law firm)? We have too many in the service professions and not enough people who actually produce a product. Running is always secondary to making a living.

I just started law school & took some classes over the summer to lighten my load a bit. I did alright and ended up in the top half of my class while managing to run 85 to 115 miles a week. I think you can do it. However, I'm honestly not that concerned about getting amazing grades in law school as I did in my undergrad. I have some good connections and have a job lined up if necessary post law school that will pay the bills. A lot of people say it's a huge deal to get great grades in law school, make law review- but I'm okay with being average & happy. I only put in about 50-70 hours of work a week and seem to enjoy the process & what I am learning more than most others around me.

My running has been okay, but nothing spectacular. I am currently running on the team since I got my undergrad & it's been quite a bit of fun. It's a total social thing & gets me away from some dbags in the law school that are incredibly full of themselves. I'm still relatively competitive & can kind of contribute to the team. (although my 5k PR isn't 13:30 like most letsrunners)

I don't really party too hard on the weekends although, a beer or two here and there isn't a big deal. I have a girlfriend, but it's not serious. I just think if you manage your time well & be mentally tough. You can run and be successful in law school. It's tough, but it's totally manageable. Most people I know that are successful in my class work out everyday or are alcoholics. You need a stress relief. It might be hard to do workouts, but if you get out the door for just a bit you will feel much better.

Good luck OP & yes, you if go to law school, chances are you are probably a tool or some sort of an asshole. I can admit it.

Also, yes, becoming a lawyer is a terrible occupational choice, but just because you go to law school doesn't mean you have to become a lawyer... A law degree opens up a lot of windows professionally.