Do you hate discussing running--especially your times or PRs?

Unless you have no friends, family or acquaintances and aren't involved in social media at all, you will always meet people who wanna know how your running is going. People will know that you run, and if a conversation about athletics or exercise comes up, or someone has recently tried a parkrun or is training for a charity run, someone might turn to you and say, "You run don't you? What can you run for 5k?" etc. etc.

Standing there pretending you didn't hear doesn't constitute good manners.

I agree, Metric Miler...the subject simply "comes up" in social situations.

outsiderunner wrote:

I agree, Metric Miler...the subject simply "comes up" in social situations.

Thing is, you must evaluate the situation.

Some (the altruistic type) may want some story, and are genuinely interested in others' pursuit of their hobby. Start slow with just a few facts, and see where it takes you. Would be rude to ignore especially if they know you care about it so much (and most likekly, they've heard you say the famous "ok, I gotta go run")

Most (the casual type) are barely asking "how are you" and therefore answer is short. They don't care.

A few (the douches) are confrontational. They're the worst. Be careful what you say and try to talk about something else related (how interesting the NYC marathon course is or how great it is to see so many gather together, or the charity you raised the money for). If the confrontational hears a number he will challenge it (SO YOU THINK YOU BETTER THAN ME) in some way.

As always, it depends, act accordingly. We spend so much time thinking about running. They don't and think we are kinda odd. Runners are odd..period!

I got this one

You do the marathon ??

Yea

What time you run ??

2:29

Ah , least you finished

Any women beat you ??

Oliver Stanley wrote:

I got this one

You do the marathon ??

Yea

What time you run ??

2:29

Ah , least you finished

Any women beat you ??

Well, did any?

Oliver Stanley wrote:

I got this one

You do the marathon ??

Yea

What time you run ??

2:29

Ah , least you finished

Any women beat you ??

Yeah--at least you finished. Good one.

Metric Miler wrote:

don't mention it wrote:

Yeah, you don't need to spout any of that BS, There should be no questions.

Unless you have no friends, family or acquaintances and aren't involved in social media at all, you will always meet people who wanna know how your running is going. People will know that you run, and if a conversation about athletics or exercise comes up, or someone has recently tried a parkrun or is training for a charity run, someone might turn to you and say, "You run don't you? What can you run for 5k?" etc. etc.

Standing there pretending you didn't hear doesn't constitute good manners.

Nope. I have friends and family who don't run and they never ask me how my running is going because I don't talk about it. AT ALL.

It's just not good conversation.

Would you ask someone how their knitting is going if you knew they made sweaters?

don't mention it wrote:

Metric Miler wrote:

Unless you have no friends, family or acquaintances and aren't involved in social media at all, you will always meet people who wanna know how your running is going. People will know that you run, and if a conversation about athletics or exercise comes up, or someone has recently tried a parkrun or is training for a charity run, someone might turn to you and say, "You run don't you? What can you run for 5k?" etc. etc.

Standing there pretending you didn't hear doesn't constitute good manners.

Nope. I have friends and family who don't run and they never ask me how my running is going because I don't talk about it. AT ALL.

It's just not good conversation.

Would you ask someone how their knitting is going if you knew they made sweaters?

Your friends and family are the exception then. That is okay. Every rule has exceptions. My friends and coworkers always ask me about how my running is going and some of them even request my tracking number before big city marathons. Similarly, I ask my coworker's how their kids dance recitals went, how their model train convention went, how their book club meeting was the night before, etc. It isn't because I give a s*it about book clubs, model trains, or dance recitals. It is because I give a s*it about my friends and like to hear about their lives/interests.

don't mention it wrote:

Nope. I have friends and family who don't run and they never ask me how my running is going because I don't talk about it. AT ALL.

It's just not good conversation.

Would you ask someone how their knitting is going if you knew they made sweaters?

One last thing: OF COURSE I would ask my friend about their knitting if they spent 7-10 hrs a week doing it and they went to competitions for it on a regular basis. My goodness, this seems like common sense!! You might just be an introvert. Nothing wrong with introverts, but you should refrain from doling out social advice.

Fools... wrote:

don't mention it wrote:

Nope. I have friends and family who don't run and they never ask me how my running is going because I don't talk about it. AT ALL.

It's just not good conversation.

Would you ask someone how their knitting is going if you knew they made sweaters?

One last thing: OF COURSE I would ask my friend about their knitting if they spent 7-10 hrs a week doing it and they went to competitions for it on a regular basis. My goodness, this seems like common sense!! You might just be an introvert. Nothing wrong with introverts, but you should refrain from doling out social advice.

Cannot believe this guy is giving out advice on social situations! Of course you ask about their knitting even if you couldn't care less about it. It's polite, and if they like knitting it is nice to show your friends and family you care about their interests!

Metric Miler wrote:

Fools... wrote:

One last thing: OF COURSE I would ask my friend about their knitting if they spent 7-10 hrs a week doing it and they went to competitions for it on a regular basis. My goodness, this seems like common sense!! You might just be an introvert. Nothing wrong with introverts, but you should refrain from doling out social advice.

Cannot believe this guy is giving out advice on social situations! Of course you ask about their knitting even if you couldn't care less about it. It's polite, and if they like knitting it is nice to show your friends and family you care about their interests!

I am glad to see someone else has had their soma this week. Thank you.

Fools... wrote:

don't mention it wrote:

Nope. I have friends and family who don't run and they never ask me how my running is going because I don't talk about it. AT ALL.

It's just not good conversation.

Would you ask someone how their knitting is going if you knew they made sweaters?

One last thing: OF COURSE I would ask my friend about their knitting if they spent 7-10 hrs a week doing it and they went to competitions for it on a regular basis. My goodness, this seems like common sense!! You might just be an introvert. Nothing wrong with introverts, but you should refrain from doling out social advice.

My advice is : be more of an introvert instead of going on about yourself. People talk too much about nothing in social settings.

don't mention it wrote:

Fools... wrote:

One last thing: OF COURSE I would ask my friend about their knitting if they spent 7-10 hrs a week doing it and they went to competitions for it on a regular basis. My goodness, this seems like common sense!! You might just be an introvert. Nothing wrong with introverts, but you should refrain from doling out social advice.

My advice is : be more of an introvert instead of going on about yourself. People talk too much about nothing in social settings.

Got it. Don't ask people about their interests and don't discuss my own. Seems easy enough.

don't mention it wrote:

Fools... wrote:

One last thing: OF COURSE I would ask my friend about their knitting if they spent 7-10 hrs a week doing it and they went to competitions for it on a regular basis. My goodness, this seems like common sense!! You might just be an introvert. Nothing wrong with introverts, but you should refrain from doling out social advice.

My advice is : be more of an introvert instead of going on about yourself. People talk too much about nothing in social settings.

I think it's safe to say nobody will be taking your advice, but thanks.

I think you avoiding conversation about your running may have more to do with nobody wanting to talk to you.

Trying to explain the difference between a 4:06 mile and cracking 4 is frustrating. They think the 4:06 miler was oh so close to going sub 4. Clueless. Sometimes I tell them it is almost 1/2 a track's straightaway or to imagine someone crossing the line and then count to 6. This helps them get it, sort of. Takes too much energy on my part tho.

I don't mind throwing out my PRs; who doesn't love talking about himself, especially when it is flattering and true?

^ My PR is also 4:06 and have had to explain this to people countless times.

My favorite response I have gotten after telling someone what my mile PR is is, "Why haven't you tried for the Olympics!?" It was very difficult conveying to them how far 16ish seconds is when you're running that pace. They just could not comprehend that a 4:06 miler would get absolutely obliterated by an Olympic level miler.

In most running conversations I hope times don't come up because it usually leads to a lot of explanation.

Ca$hclay wrote:

Trying to explain the difference between a 4:06 mile and cracking 4 is frustrating. They think the 4:06 miler was oh so close to going sub 4. Clueless. Sometimes I tell them it is almost 1/2 a track's straightaway or to imagine someone crossing the line and then count to 6. This helps them get it, sort of. Takes too much energy on my part tho.

I don't mind throwing out my PRs; who doesn't love talking about himself, especially when it is flattering and true?

True...but most of the people I have spoken to do not even seem to know what a PR is, let alone know that, say, about four hours in a marathon is the average.

I admit that I am like anyone else in that I am happy about my accomplishmemts, and do not mind talking about true/flattering things. The general public, though, as my wife (who is not a runner) says, "Has no conception of time or distance." My wife has a degree in mathematics and teaches high school math.

Regarding the 4:00/4:06 distinction, you could not be more right. Again, no conception of time/distance here. I recently noted in a thread here my amazement about so many boys smashing the women's mile world record with such ease and regularity. In one recent race, the top 11 boys ran 4:09 or better. These are h.s. boys we are talking about--not seasonsed professionals. Think of your 4:00/4:06 comparison, and then think of 11 boys smashing the world record by 3 to 8 seconds, and then think of these same 11 boys destroying Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowbury by 10 seconds or more (they run 4:19, 4:20). Wow.

outsiderunner wrote:

With so many other sports so well understood, this conception of running seems strange.

I don't know what a respectable time for an amateur swimmer, cyclist or triathlete. I know qualifying for Kona is considered an achievement, but I don't know if it is harder than Boston (and if so by how much).

I don't know what is a respectable score for an amateur golfer.

I don't know what are the respectable weights for bench squat and deadlift, based on one's age, gender and body weight. I can look up in some tables (I am slightly above "intermediate" for squat and deadlift. Below intermediate for bench.) But I have no idea what that means.

And those are all sports based on numbers. How good is a recreational tennis player, soccer player or basketball player? I have absolutely no clue.

But maybe this is because I am just an idiot and you are not.

Metric Miler wrote:

don't mention it wrote:

My advice is : be more of an introvert instead of going on about yourself. People talk too much about nothing in social settings.

I think it's safe to say nobody will be taking your advice, but thanks.

I think you avoiding conversation about your running may have more to do with nobody wanting to talk to you.

That's too bad but at least you know why you make eyes glaze over as you go on and on about your meaningless hobby.

You would be wrong about the second one too.