The rising trend of the shaming of fast runners at races.

Maybe those detractors have read some of the threads on this board and got the impression that all faster runners have strong disdain for slow joggers. So even if you are cheering the slow finishers, they might be thinking it is just pretense.

People who can't win just run their mouth or harass people from behind a keyboard because they're insecure nobody's.

Bro, some races are specifically meant for hobby joggers.

Honestly, if I was running in a Turkey Trot or a "Color Run" or something like that, and somebody was trying to break 30 for a 10K, I would also wonder what is wrong with you, although I wouldn't say anything.

The hobby joggers who run 10Ks at 35 minutes obviously think they are hot ish, since they are probably dominating in their running clubs - obviously they aren't going to feel good about something blazing by at 30 minute pace during a Color Run.

What do you expect when you run in races like that?

SOMEONE trying to break 30?

Today at the Dana Point Turkey Trot, Nick Arcinaiga ran 30:30...and finished FIFTH.

Mary Akor ran 35:02, and didn't win.

This is similar to pros running in the Silicon Valley Trot. Every year, pros come to Dana Point for a tuneup for the USATF XC race or the marathon trials this year, and I don't think there's anyone from around here yelling "showoff". If you can't handle this level of competition, don't come here.

What I don't get is why people here want to race "competition" so many levels below them. If you're a 15:00 guy, is running against 30 minute people actually a race? If you're really fast enough for NCAA open meets, why don't you come race on the track like the rest of us?

Coach D, your post was rambling and I'm not sure what you were trying to say. Maybe try again?

Anyway, to respond to the OP: I think you might be seeing a trend that isn't there. I only race on the track now, so admittedly maybe I'm not seeing the same people as you, but I have found people are responding more positively to my running in the past few years. I work out 3 or 4 times a week at the high school track. This track usually has about 15 to 20 walkers/joggers on any given night, plus an occasional parent watching their kids soccer/football practice. I get a positive comment from somebody almost every night and never get any negative comments.

I do occasionally get a "you're making me feel bad!" type of comment, but it is always said with a smile or a laugh. I'd suspect the person you heard was similar.

And if they weren't kidding, think of the hundreds of people who presumably didn't agree with them, because they didn't heckle you as you ran by.

This type of behavior is common among Millennials. With the new wave of mud runs, color runs, foam runs no one actually races anymore. Even the beer mile for example, these are events, not races.

The derogatory term used now is "try hard." Putting forth any kind of effort is viewed as socially uncool.

formerD1 wrote:

Bro, some races are specifically meant for hobby joggers.

Honestly, if I was running in a Turkey Trot or a "Color Run" or something like that, and somebody was trying to break 30 for a 10K, I would also wonder what is wrong with you, although I wouldn't say anything.

The hobby joggers who run 10Ks at 35 minutes obviously think they are hot ish, since they are probably dominating in their running clubs - obviously they aren't going to feel good about something blazing by at 30 minute pace during a Color Run.

What do you expect when you run in races like that?

10,000+ hobby joggers run this Turkey Trot. I've never heard any comments like is claimed in this thread in the 10 years or so I've been racing. First time I ran the Turkey Trot I got beat by a mouse in the home stretch. That hurt but I didn't take it out on the mouse ;-)

1 Lex Williams Ann Arbor, MI 1791 M 28 5:01/mi 31:15 +0:00

2 Aaron Cooper Camlachie, ONT 2921 M 29 5:07/mi 31:51 +0:36

3 Damon King Chicago, IL 3002 M 26 5:09/mi 32:02 +0:47

4 Neal Naughton Ann Arbor, MI 3054 M 29 5:11/mi 32:12 +0:57

5 Hunor Tamas Csutak Plymouth, MI 2100 M 27 5:15/mi 32:37 +1:22

6 Jeff Bord Plymouth, MI 3206 M 22 5:17/mi 32:51 +1:36

7 Stephen Biebelhausen Rochester, MI 1819 M 20 5:24/mi 33:37 +2:22

8 Kevin Naughton Wolverine Lake, MI 3053 M 31 5:25/mi 33:42 +2:27

9 John Worthington Warren, MI 1913 M 21 5:34/mi 34:40 +3:25

10 Matthew Rolain Rochester, MI 1604 M 21 5:38/mi 34:59 +3:44

Tell soft fagg0t hobby joggers to go fvck themselves on any given exhale the next time you supposedly scream by them.

Oh nice - you ran the Detroit Turkey Trot.

I know the Naughton brothers well. I also ran the Detroit Turkey Trot once several years ago. That race is actually not bad given that the course is very wide (Detroit roads are huge) and deserted and there is basically no congestion anywhere and there are always some fast times. Mind you I think I jogged it in like 36 minutes as a training run with a buddy who ran for Michigan.

I noticed Michigan runners take their running very seriously, compared to the hobby joggers who dominate California. In California I've seen way too many idiotic Nike sponsored "races" aka "events" and "Color Runs".

Was looking through that link and found some interesting Detroit Turkey Trot tidbits:

-Sage Canaday winner 2008!

-Jordan Desilets, a 3:47 / 13:52 / 29:17 runner, Olympic Trials steeplechase qualifer coming in at 39:37 in 2009

The worrying thing is the seeming belief that things are "easy" for fast runners.

The prevailing view seems to be "I am fat and out of shape, I can barely run but I am still out there 3 days a week killing myself for 30 minutes at a time. You are a skinny, naturally fit runner, it must be so easy for you".

The view just infuriates me but shows just how little knowledge the general populace has about running at a high level.

These people never stop to think of the training that goes into these times. The getting out of bed at 6 am to run doubles, or facing into a 5xmile workout when you legs are completely jacked from running 90 miles a week.

People just don't get it!

Wejo/Rojo, this needs to be the post of the month, bar none. this is why I keep coming back to letsrun, right here.

random response wrote:

So you ran a turkey trot, the quintessential hobby jogger race, and you're mad that there were hobby joggers? That's like complaining that you went to a Golden Corral Buffet and saw fat people.

"Completing = competing". It's the new mantra. I agree that it's very sad. Decades ago Percy Cerutty talked about having a time limit or cut off point in marathons to weed out the exhibitionists etc. His argument was that unless you could run it in, say, three hours you should go away and train seriously for a couple of years before you compete. As he said, would you accept a situation where someone was lapped in the third lap of a mile race? That is what people are willing to accept in road "racing" and it makes very little sense.

Agreed. Let's ban all so called Hobby Joggers from our races. I'm sure that all of us Elite racers will have no problem in shelling out $200 for a start place every Saturday.

I had an English teach in High School who used to drill it into our heads that it was "Couldn't" care less and that the vast majority of people got it wrong.

I guess it's not that important for All Intensive Purposes.

random response wrote:

So you ran a turkey trot, the quintessential hobby jogger race, and you're mad that there were hobby joggers? That's like complaining that you went to a Golden Corral Buffet and saw fat people.

No, that's like going to the buffet and fat people criticizing you that you're skinny.

As an old fart running to get back in shape and lose weight, I'll let you in on a secret..... I wish I was faster When a mid pack slob yells something at you there's a 99.9% chance it's intended to be funny or encouraging. When you're nearing the end of a race and pushing hard for the finish your brain my misinterpret a well-intentioned comment from the peanut gallery.

It won't do anything in the race itself, as it won't be assimilated before 15 or 20 minutes, and it might upset your gut.

Despite what you all think, very few runner athletes are considered celebrities the populace. Lack of interest should not be misconstrued as shaming.