Title says it. At what mpw or PR does your persona as a “runner” start to dominate your personality?
For example: you have a job and stuff, but your primary interest is running and reading about running. You hang out with mostly runners. You like to talk about running and watch races etc.
Also, is it taking it too far at some points? Is it OK to be the guy running 19 min 5k’s who reads running articles and loves to talk about running?
Discus.
Personality=Running wrote:
Title says it. At what mpw or PR does your persona as a “runner” start to dominate your personality?
For example: you have a job and stuff, but your primary interest is running and reading about running. You hang out with mostly runners. You like to talk about running and watch races etc.
Also, is it taking it too far at some points? Is it OK to be the guy running 19 min 5k’s who reads running articles and loves to talk about running?
Discus.
19:xx for 5K is probably still way above average for the general population. I was a 3:57 guy for 1500M and I love running. If love for the sport is proportional to one's elitism - though I'm unsure it is - then the elites must be truly in love with running.
I have a brother who loves NASCAR. Almost every conversation I have with him involves his telling me some of the minutiae of some race I would probably rather not have to endure hearing, but I'm glad he has a passion. He would probably be better off socially if he recognized more often when he is boring people, but it's great he finds delight in something that is not, at least driving him into the gutter.
That is pathetic. If you are only running 19:XX and you are a under 40, running shouldn't be a "major part" of your life. At that point you are probably running about 35-40 mpw. Thats like 6 hours a week!
People spend plenty of time doing other things that don't become a big part of their personality. I spend at least 6 hours a week cooking. I don't spend my free time reading about cooking or refer to myself as a "cook".
I think once you start putting in upwards of 70 mpw, it is ok for running to become a decent sized chunk of your life.
Maybe its really hard wrote:
I think once you start putting in upwards of 70 mpw, it is ok for running to become a decent sized chunk of your life.
That's actually pretty accurate in my case. I didn't really start becoming obsessed with running until my mileage got around 70 miles a week -- and at that point, I just loved it so much.
People now think that running is all I talk about.
Maybe they're right :-)
I feel personally attacked
Maybe its really hard wrote:I think once you start putting in upwards of 70 mpw, it is ok for running to become a decent sized chunk of your life.
70mpw is a hobby jogger mileage. Any serious runner runs at least 100mpw.
The Way We Were wrote:
Maybe its really hard wrote:I think once you start putting in upwards of 70 mpw, it is ok for running to become a decent sized chunk of your life.
70mpw is a hobby jogger mileage. Any serious runner runs at least 100mpw.
100 MPW? pathetic
try 200
Hopefully never because people who are obsessed with running and it's all they talk about are friggen' losers. It always seems to be the really slow people too.
I don't think it's ever a good idea to be known exclusively as "that guy".
Have a balanced life. I run 80 mpw but do a bunch of community volunteering, I work full time and read non-running stuff.
I only talk about running to people who ask me about running but I can hold a conversation about just about anything else.
You'll probably realize sooner or later that if you let something like a sport dominate your personality and all you can talk about is that sport, your social life will suck. It's too niche for the vast majority of people to care
That's life man - there's more to it than just a singular hobby.
I have several hobbies, but running is my favorite. It is my favorite to read about, and discuss. That being said, I only discuss running with those who are my running buddies, or those who ask about it. When others discuss their hobbies, I try to be attentive and learn. But the bottom line is I am a decent local masters runner, nothing special, but I do think that running is a pretty big part of my personality - and I prefer it to be that way over some other 'less productive' activity to identify with.
I do not think it has anything to do with MPW or PRs. I ran in HS and got to college but chose to drink and misbehave. A grad student that I knew and worked with was a runner and convinced to start running again. I started choosing running over drinking at least a few times and looked forward to the runs.
I would caution someone to still maintain friendships outside of running and talk or read about other important aspects of life. Be open to socializing with non-runners or maybe less dedicated runners.
I don’t allow any obsession become part of my personality...
Seriously mate? wrote:
Hopefully never because people who are obsessed with running and it's all they talk about are friggen' losers. It always seems to be the really slow people too.
Good, we got the obligatory douche response out of the way.