>>>Unlike the OP, you have no future in literary circles.<<
Never my intention.
>>>Unlike the OP, you have no future in literary circles.<<
Never my intention.
bump
Private Joker wrote:
Washed up has been wrote:ah, I remember my last race like it was yesterday. I did some local 10K road race in the San Diego area because there was $500 bucks for the winner. It was in the boonies and I figured I could win because who's going to show up for this crappy race and I'm halfway a decent runner at the moment (30:30 10k shape with less mileage and no speedwork since I'm post college and in the real world now) despite being no where near my peak shape (29:04 10K shape 2 years earlier in college). I showed up checked in and as I walk back to my car to get my flats I notice a guy, didn't get a good look at his face, in USA team national warm up gear and I'm figuring this guy bought some knock off version. He notices me and immediately recognizes me and yells over to me. Once I hear him I get a good look at his face and I recognize him, I realize that the team USA warm ups are the real deal since he was on the US national team for world cross a few months back in 05 and also he's a long way from the PDX area where he's from. We get talking and caught up, and I realize I'm probably not going to win this race since I'm not in peak shape and the other guy is legit. We warm up before the race together and he explains what he's doing at this race, 1000 miles from where he lives. So the race starts and I take the pace out a bit and Me, the USA team national guy and one other guy who's pretty good as well immediately drop everyone else on the hilly dirt road coarse. We get through 2 miles in just under ten minutes and I have an epiphany, I ask myself why I'm running so hard in a race I cannot win. At that point I decided I was done and this was the moment I was going to retire for good, I wished my buddy luck and immediately dropped the pace to a jog. I jogged the rest of the race enjoying the fact I was done, I still finished 3rd since everyone else sucked, the two guys who beat me wanted to do a cool down run with me and I turned them down. I was done. I haven't run a step since in 2 1/2 years. I have no regrets that I don't run any more. I spend my days now working a ton, drinking probably more then I should, and talking about how good I used to be, just like most of the message board posters on this board. ah memories!
Interesting story.
All I can say is, I'm sorry to hear how U felt about this, your last race. More so to hear U are polishing off more bruskies tan miles a day. Hope this doesn't last for you too long...I waas never actually THAT good, 32:44 for 10 km, 2:37 for marathon, 1:13:? for 1/2 marathon.
The REAL reason I hung up racing, even though I do plan to show up & run (emphasis on run rather than race) a city 10 km in April. Injuries, more so than plain lousy races. Though I understand that the OP hre was probably, like me, plagued with injuries & like me paid a goddamn fukkin' fortune to physios, chiros., etc. hoping to get better!!!!
Sorry I may sound bitter & hateful at times...because I am, and save for one close female friend, I have no one to talk to about this! Thank God for her!!
The club I used to run for here in Victoria were generally never willing to be of any support not that I expected them to be!!!
I do still get out there on the roads for some running. maybe Y can too?
Don't think of yourself as a washed up has been, none of us ever are.
I can say I don't see my self as a washed up has been, I just think it's an funny/appropriate screen name. I was very lucky, in the 10 years I seriously ran, I had one serious injury, which in the long run was a huge blessing. I trained my ass off to get where I did, and I also gave up a lot of things in life, i.e. friends, a girlfriend (we'll say this is the reason I didn't have one for the longest time), what it's like to not be sore for a day, and simple stuff like getting my fat ass of the couch to do stuff, which as a runner is where I spent any free time since it involved little energy expenditure to do. I will say I was unhappy with where my running went after college due to having to work a 40hr week, which is probably a big reason why I stopped the way I did. Part of my big epiphany was the realization that I gave up so much of my life for running, and I'm at a point where if I give up running I can start to have a life. Which I did. I enjoy my life as it is now, with no running what so ever anymore. I will admit I miss the racing. Can't say I miss doing a 15 miler in 40 degree rain, but hey I didn't really enjoy that too much in the first place. I have good memories of my career, which if given the choice I would do again, but I reached a point where I felt I took it as far as I could and I needed to go in a new direction in my life.
Private Joker wrote:
Washed up has been wrote:ah, I remember my last race like it was yesterday. I did some local 10K road race in the San Diego area because there was $500 bucks for the winner. It was in the boonies and I figured I could win because who's going to show up for this crappy race and I'm halfway a decent runner at the moment (30:30 10k shape with less mileage and no speedwork since I'm post college and in the real world now) despite being no where near my peak shape (29:04 10K shape 2 years earlier in college). I showed up checked in and as I walk back to my car to get my flats I notice a guy, didn't get a good look at his face, in USA team national warm up gear and I'm figuring this guy bought some knock off version. He notices me and immediately recognizes me and yells over to me. Once I hear him I get a good look at his face and I recognize him, I realize that the team USA warm ups are the real deal since he was on the US national team for world cross a few months back in 05 and also he's a long way from the PDX area where he's from. We get talking and caught up, and I realize I'm probably not going to win this race since I'm not in peak shape and the other guy is legit. We warm up before the race together and he explains what he's doing at this race, 1000 miles from where he lives. So the race starts and I take the pace out a bit and Me, the USA team national guy and one other guy who's pretty good as well immediately drop everyone else on the hilly dirt road coarse. We get through 2 miles in just under ten minutes and I have an epiphany, I ask myself why I'm running so hard in a race I cannot win. At that point I decided I was done and this was the moment I was going to retire for good, I wished my buddy luck and immediately dropped the pace to a jog. I jogged the rest of the race enjoying the fact I was done, I still finished 3rd since everyone else sucked, the two guys who beat me wanted to do a cool down run with me and I turned them down. I was done. I haven't run a step since in 2 1/2 years. I have no regrets that I don't run any more. I spend my days now working a ton, drinking probably more then I should, and talking about how good I used to be, just like most of the message board posters on this board. ah memories!
Interesting story.
All I can say is, I'm sorry to hear how U felt about this, your last race. More so to hear U are polishing off more bruskies tan miles a day. Hope this doesn't last for you too long...I waas never actually THAT good, 32:44 for 10 km, 2:37 for marathon, 1:13:? for 1/2 marathon.
The REAL reason I hung up racing, even though I do plan to show up & run (emphasis on run rather than race) a city 10 km in April. Injuries, more so than plain lousy races. Though I understand that the OP hre was probably, like me, plagued with injuries & like me paid a goddamn fukkin' fortune to physios, chiros., etc. hoping to get better!!!!
Sorry I may sound bitter & hateful at times...because I am, and save for one close female friend, I have no one to talk to about this! Thank God for her!!
The club I used to run for here in Victoria were generally never willing to be of any support not that I expected them to be!!!
I do still get out there on the roads for some running. maybe Y can too?
Don't think of yourself as a washed up has been, none of us ever are.
I can say I don't see my self as a washed up has been, I just think it's an funny/appropriate screen name. I was very lucky, in the 10 years I seriously ran, I had one serious injury, which in the long run was a huge blessing. I trained my ass off to get where I did, and I also gave up a lot of things in life, i.e. friends, a girlfriend (we'll say this is the reason I didn't have one for the longest time), what it's like to not be sore for a day, and simple stuff like getting my fat ass of the couch to do stuff, which as a runner is where I spent any free time since it involved little energy expenditure to do. I will say I was unhappy with where my running went after college due to having to work a 40hr week, which is probably a big reason why I stopped the way I did. Part of my big epiphany was the realization that I gave up so much of my life for running, and I'm at a point where if I give up running I can start to have a life. Which I did. I enjoy my life as it is now, with no running what so ever anymore. I will admit I miss the racing. Can't say I miss doing a 15 miler in 40 degree rain, but hey I didn't really enjoy that too much in the first place. I have good memories of my career, which if given the choice I would do again, but I reached a point where I felt I took it as far as I could and I needed to go in a new direction in my life.
The original poster is Kevin Beck. AKA kemibe and Bill Eamick and 3rd person panache.
Kevin should keep running just to keep writing stories about his efforts - he is an excellent writer. Just leave about the 70-80% of the content where you mention how much you can't stand fat people and religious people. It gets old after reading it for the 20th time. The other 20-30% is great.
Thanks for your response.
2007 Arizona Rock & Roll Marathon. I went out way too fast and hit the wall so hard in the last 4 miles or so. I would have destroyed my PR by several minutes but instead ran several minutes slower. It was by far the most pain I have ever been through, hahahaaha. BUt I'm not done running. I thought I was after I started wildland fire fighting but I picked it back up and I'm not ready to hang em up just yet
Burger wrote:
2007 Arizona Rock & Roll Marathon. I went out way too fast and hit the wall so hard in the last 4 miles or so. I would have destroyed my PR by several minutes but instead ran several minutes slower. It was by far the most pain I have ever been through, hahahaaha. BUt I'm not done running. I thought I was after I started wildland fire fighting but I picked it back up and I'm not ready to hang em up just yet
I don't think anyone ever really gives up running, (unless there is a physical/medical condition) just that some think they are about to.
my very last race was the Boston Marathon. (I then retired). I would have quit but saw no way to the finish other than continuing my walk-shuffle-jog the last 6 miles, due to totally hammered and numb quads-(the downhills killed me). My last race was my slowest for the marathon; 2:47.