I think a big problem is that were making up all of these "fun runs" like color me rad and there's a race near me called the santa hustle, etc. that are changing people's thoughts on road races. Because of this, I think people on thanksgiving and other holiday road races, they believe that they're supposed to be "fun runs" celebrating the holiday type of thing, so maybe they think us fast runners are ruining the spirit, which I believe is foolish.
coach d wrote:
Mary Akor ran 35:02, and didn't win.
Time to start doping again.
I only enter in races that are a certified safe space
Several things:
1. There are people who only "run" one day a year...at the turkey trot. At my town's turkey trot, they offer both timed and untimed options. Over three quarters of the entrants choose untimed. They're there for the tradition and to be with family. They're not runners and they don't aspire to be.
2. These kind of comments are usually meant in good humor. They're making a joke. I know you're an experienced runner and have heard them all before and find them unfunny, but in their heads, it sounds original and clever. Don't be offended over someone else's attempt at light hearted humor.
3. Chances are, you're a hobby jogger too, just a faster one. Unless you make your living from your running, guess what? It's a...hobby. No reason to get your knickers in a wad over people who aren't as good at or who don't take as seriously this hobby as you do.
4. I used to think like you. I was a fast hobby jogger, at least in a local, place high in the turkey trot kind of way. Then a shocking thing happened: I got old and slow. Now I'm in the middle of the pack. I know better than to make the dumb jokes, but now I understand the ones who do. From their perspective, you're just really good at a hobby. No different than being good at playing dominos or spades.
Me Fail English wrote:
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.
That's unpossible!
Since hobby joggers are generally not fast, I believe they will therefore "compete" on what they are best at.
Example - slow hobby joggers who can churn out lots of 4 hour marathons will brag that they run 10 marathons per year.
Example - attention seeking hobby joggers who grow a beard, get tattoos, and wear compression socks with skulls and churn out a 50k ultra, or a 3:25 marathon, and receives great adulation from his running club.
Example - a non runner who does a Color Run and posts it on Instagram to show off.
The three guys above won't even enter a 10k because running a 44 minute 10k is not something they can brag about. So when they see an actual real running crushing it out there, they feel uncomfortable and insecure and yell something out to try to diminish what you are doing.
My advice - ALWAYS do your best. Your actions, and nobody else's, are what reflect on your character as a person. They are the ones that need to change, not you.
I like the meta humor wrote:
Let me start by saying that I don't at all begrudge the hobby jogger crowd from going to races. I think it is great that people, no matter their ability or training level are willing to be active and go to races. However, I am starting to experience a disturbing trend where the fast runners are criticized for their ability or effort.
I ran a thanksgiving day Half Marathon this morning. It was mostly an out and back course. One of the aid stations was at about 5.5 miles on the way out, and 8.5 miles on the way back. As I was coming back, there were no volunteers noticing me come back, so I had to grab an energy gel off the table myself. I was able to do this because there were tables on both sides of the road. One of the runners heading out, yelled "cheater" at me. At the time, I assumed they were joking, but after the race I started to wonder.
There was also a 5k with the race. So the faster Half Marathon runners had to pass the crowds of 40-55 minute 5k runners during the last 2 miles of the race. After the race I talked to another top finishing runner, they said a 5ker yelled "show off" at him as he was pushing to finish the last quarter mile. Once again, maybe the person was joking. But it is still disheartening to think that people have no appreciation for the effort that someone who is trying to run fast, is putting in at the end of a race. If you can't resist the urge to yell at a runner passing you, just be positive and say "good job." When I finish a race, I cheer on the slower runners. I don't try to think of something sarcastic or funny to yell at them.
I do want to say that there were plenty of slower running in both the Half and 5k that cheered me on as I passed. This is the atmosphere that races should be.
You seem to worry about useless crap. Why is that???
The attitude has been around for decades but agree that it's increasing.
30+ years ago I did a 3 mile "Fun Run" in the Twin Cities. Two all-americans from a local college were there (24 min 8K types). They took out at 4:50 pace and I was 5:00 pace. Several people were yelling at us from behind--with hostility: HEY THIS IS A FUN RUN!
as if we were supposed to jog, hold hands, sing kumbaya.
The anti-competitiveness really took off in the late 90s with John "the penguin" Bingham and his inane articles on Runners World.
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?
Wtf are you babbling about?!
I love these forums!
I like the meta humor wrote:
Let's imagine a scenario where people are at a park to play pickup basketball, and on one of the courts there are some players that are really athletic and good. It would be absurd for a less talented ball player to yell at the good players and tell them to stop dunking the ball or sinking 3-pointers.
Actually this analogy makes me think the hobby joggers have a point. If I were playing pickup basketball and 3 former division 1 ballers rotated into my game and started dunking, I'd be pretty annoyed. In this case, as in the turkey trot, you have "competitive athletes" competing directly with pure hobbyists, and it can be a lot less fun for a hobbyist to get absolutely crushed.
I like the meta humor wrote:
Let me start by saying that I don't at all begrudge the hobby jogger crowd from going to races. I think it is great that people, no matter their ability or training level are willing to be active and go to races. However, I am starting to experience a disturbing trend where the fast runners are criticized for their ability or effort.
I ran a thanksgiving day Half Marathon this morning. It was mostly an out and back course. One of the aid stations was at about 5.5 miles on the way out, and 8.5 miles on the way back. As I was coming back, there were no volunteers noticing me come back, so I had to grab an energy gel off the table myself. I was able to do this because there were tables on both sides of the road. One of the runners heading out, yelled "cheater" at me. At the time, I assumed they were joking, but after the race I started to wonder.
There was also a 5k with the race. So the faster Half Marathon runners had to pass the crowds of 40-55 minute 5k runners during the last 2 miles of the race. After the race I talked to another top finishing runner, they said a 5ker yelled "show off" at him as he was pushing to finish the last quarter mile. Once again, maybe the person was joking. But it is still disheartening to think that people have no appreciation for the effort that someone who is trying to run fast, is putting in at the end of a race. If you can't resist the urge to yell at a runner passing you, just be positive and say "good job." When I finish a race, I cheer on the slower runners. I don't try to think of something sarcastic or funny to yell at them.
I do want to say that there were plenty of slower running in both the Half and 5k that cheered me on as I passed. This is the atmosphere that races should be.
I empathize. When I am doing my cooldown jog backwards from the finish line to show everyone how quickly I finished and how I don't mind running extra, most everyone demonstrates the proper awe and respect. But every once in a while, someone will have the gall to look me in the eye. These are the people ruining the sport.
ya, we fast runners rule but the whole world is against us. Hobby joggers should die in a fire. I spend hours a day on letsrun and runnersworld obsessing about what slow runners are doing. My whole life pretty much revolves around thinking about slow runners and ridiculing them. Ha ha turkey trot. Ha ha color run. And gu and water stops and fuel belts. So stupid. I think I'll spend my weekend going to hobby jogger races and laughing at them. They are so inferior to me.
Cool story. So which Diamond League meets did you win this year???
Used to be Rono wrote:
Cool story. So which Diamond League meets did you win this year???
I won the 800 in Rome and Zurich.
And by 800, I mean a 5k and 10k.
And by Rome and Zurich, I mean two local events with about 5,000 runners.
And by 5,000 runners, I mean about 350. Combined.
Just go out there and do whatever you feel like doing
wowboyz wrote:
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!
Awww. It's sad when the others don't appreciate how special you really are. Does your mommy give you milk and cookies when you tell her how people just don't get how hard you work? Don't worry, I bet your mommy understands you at least. She gets you and knows how hard you work. You're her special guy, don't ever forget that.
Milk and cookies wrote:
wowboyz wrote: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!
Awww. It's sad when the others don't appreciate how special you really are. Does your mommy give you milk and cookies when you tell her how people just don't get how hard you work? Don't worry, I bet your mommy understands you at least. She gets you and knows how hard you work. You're her special guy, don't ever forget that.
This.
Couldn't wrote:
B man wrote:I'm with the OP on this. I could care less about the lack of appreciation, but the outright hostility is weird
COULDN'T care less. COULDN'T. Not could. Could care less means the exact opposite of what you are trying, but epically, failing to say.
Why do Americans find this so hard?
Let's not loop all Americans in this... I'm an American and I've told 1000s of dumb Americans this same thing. They are such morons. I always say, "oh, so you could care less then?" They just don't get it...
Th
boo hoo wrote:
Milk and cookies wrote:Awww. It's sad when the others don't appreciate how special you really are. Does your mommy give you milk and cookies when you tell her how people just don't get how hard you work? Don't worry, I bet your mommy understands you at least. She gets you and knows how hard you work. You're her special guy, don't ever forget that.
This.
Haha, I'd like to think I have more supporters than just my mom. She does leave a note set out with my clothes every morning before she goes to work though, not that I'm complaining!