Hobby jogger?

Hobby joggers unite! wrote:

So I’m new here and I keep seeing the term “hobby jogger”. Wtf is a “hobby jogger”? Is it pace, miles per week, or something else?

Truth I: A Hobby Jogger is anyone who isn't a professional runner.

Truth II: Anyone who runs for fitness rather than being competitive. However, competitive is open to interpretation. If you actually race races, whether it's to finish ahead of as many people as possible or to get a PR, then you're competitive. If you're only running them to get a participation medal, likes on social media, or something equally banal, then you're a Hobby Jogger.

Truth III: Anyone slower than me.

Truth IV: Anyone slower than you.

Truth V: It's a loose insult that is tossed about around here whenever someone doesn't measure up to the standards of someone else.

Zev wrote:

Hobby joggers unite! wrote:

So I’m new here and I keep seeing the term “hobby jogger”. Wtf is a “hobby jogger”? Is it pace, miles per week, or something else?

Truth I: A Hobby Jogger is anyone who isn't a professional runner.

Truth II: Anyone who runs for fitness rather than being competitive. However, competitive is open to interpretation. If you actually race races, whether it's to finish ahead of as many people as possible or to get a PR, then you're competitive. If you're only running them to get a participation medal, likes on social media, or something equally banal, then you're a Hobby Jogger.

Truth III: Anyone slower than me.

Truth IV: Anyone slower than you.

Truth V: It's a loose insult that is tossed about around here whenever someone doesn't measure up to the standards of someone else.

If a person runs one race a year (e.g. one marathon) but approaches the race with the full intent of running as fast as possible, placing in age-group, etc. - would they be considered a "competitive runner?" ?

Here is a small snapshot of my mental checklist:

- people that pay money to go on group runs around the city

- people who run every day aimlessly at a nonsense pace (you will think to yourself "how do they find the time to do such a boring run at such a slow pace every day". you need to know the person for this point to hold)

- anybody who actively trains for a Spartan race (entering on a whim between seasons and trouncing the competition doesn't count)

- anybody that wears shorts over their running tights (some counterpoints exists. ie high school runners not knowing any better)

- people who are taking pictures of 'nature' on a completely average day (you know it is average because you've been crushing that loop for years)

- people that have seen you training for years around the area, come up to you and talk about how THEY are trying to BQ (note: even if they BQ... they are still a hobby jogger)

I've been honing my hawk-like hobby jogger eye for a long time. The first reply was the truth.

Don't get me wrong. I like hobby joggers. They clap for me when I'm collecting that hardware.

TarahumaraLight wrote:

- anybody that wears shorts over their running tights (some counterpoints exists. ie high school runners not knowing any better)

Hey...just a darn minute here! I have to wear shorts over my tights because of a male issue that causes great embarrassment...if you know what I mean. ?

Woodie wrote:

TarahumaraLight wrote:

- anybody that wears shorts over their running tights (some counterpoints exists. ie high school runners not knowing any better)

Hey...just a darn minute here! I have to wear shorts over my tights because of a male issue that causes great embarrassment...if you know what I mean. ?

Yeah. Run more mileage and get rid of that fat butt.

I would like to thank all the people who contacted me and many of your stories just highlighted the need for GASP. Great stories about the experiences of slower runners. As I told many of you who emailed, I only give my name if you are sincerely interested in joining GASP. For some reason the last time I posted my name on a running site and explained about my organization I received some really intrusive communications to my place of employment. That was not cool.

i don't think hobby jogger is a terribly useful term.

In a previous sport i used to do, they had three categories: recreational, fitness, and speed.

I think using categories like that are more useful. Perhaps running has similar categories along the lines of recreational/fitness, competitive, and elite.

kuzmina wrote:

Woodie wrote:

Hey...just a darn minute here! I have to wear shorts over my tights because of a male issue that causes great embarrassment...if you know what I mean. ?

Yeah. Run more mileage and get rid of that fat butt.

Wrong side! ?

It's like calling someone an amateur. Taken literally, I would say "duh!" but it's meant to be demeaning.

A hobby jogger is someone who runs as a hobby, as opposed to a professional runner. This has nothing to do with mileage or PB.

For instance, Yuki Kawauchi is the king of hobby joggers.

LordHobbyJogger wrote:

A hobby jogger is someone who runs as a hobby, as opposed to a professional runner. This has nothing to do with mileage or PB.

For instance, Yuki Kawauchi is the king of hobby joggers.

Then that would mean most post-collegiate runners are hobby joggers since they run as a hobby but don't make money from running anymore.

That's why LetsRun posters don't use the term "hobby jogger" literally to refer to amateur runners, i.e. people who run as a hobby. It's used to refer to casual joggers who have a non-competitive mindset.

So Yuki Kawauchi is no hobby jogger.

Yuki Kawauchi is not your typical overweight jogger with headphones and a fannypack in your local park trying to lose weight.

Jeff Galloway is more like the king of hobby joggers.