To everyone 30+ who has no chance of being elite, why do you run so much?

Because I know I won’t be able to run like this forever. Friend of mine passed away in his 50s who always talked about how good of a runner he would have been if he had been serious with his training. Most good runners will never be elite but we still do well and have fun at the races. Running hard is fun if you are well trained. Also it’s a form of self exploration and learning your limits. Helps keep the drinking and the weight in check. Not interested in putting on muscle just for show.

Really? I have anecdotal proof.

18:56 5K (50mpw)
17:30 5K (65mpw)
16:00 5K (80mpw)

Stop talking.

The idea that something isn't worth doing because you will never be the best is such a loser mentality. It's the built in excuse for never trying or doing anything that is slightly difficult.

Now, most every runner has had this thought go through their head after a bad run, or a big injury set back. "What the heck am I even doing out here? I'm not a pro, blah blah blah.." But you never EVER have those thought after a great race, or after you crush a work out.

It's just a very negative loser mentality that is best kept at bay moved past-quickly! It's poisonous thinking no matter what endeavor you are undertaking.

Haven't read this whole thread yet, but gotta point out that lean, cut women look gross, too. Just skinnier versions of the chiseled, dried, leathery, obsessive look of spray-tan bodybuilder women. Toned with a decent amount of body fat is the sweet spot of hot.

That is not at all “the idea”, rather the OP notes some benefits of running moderate mileage and some downsides of high mileage for hobby runners. You probably draw a line somewhere too and might consider 160+ mpw just for fun as excessive or perhaps not even fun.

Whilst it shows progression, that is an awful lot of mileage for those times.

Well, it's just sad and certainly erodes healthy, functional family, community, and society. There's a happy medium to anything, even if it's a passion and even if it had some benefit to family, community, and society. People who are running away from a balanced life are trying to run away from something inside themselves.

Noted, and you are right, there's always some number, some line to cross.. I would never want to run endless weeks of 100 mpw given the time and effort that takes. I would never want to work 80+ hr weeks for weeks on end. I know that I want to do more than just run/shower/sleep/run. I know I want to do more than work/eat/sleep/work.

This whole logic that is common in the US of only doing something if you're the best at it or making money is ridiculous. 99.999% of the population should just roll over and die now because since they're not the smartest, wealthiest, best, etc.

I don’t disagree, much as beauty may be in the eyes of the beholder, but didn’t want the thread to devolve into comments on women’s bodies, plus I do think that super skinny feels worse as a man because societal expectations of male aesthetics seem to eschew being small but there happens to be no such expectation for women for whom petite is seen as “good” or neutral.

Could be worse. Could be golf. Could be cycling. Could be the red Corvette.

True, things could always be worse, which is why I like to hobbyjog 320 mpw.

could be trash posting on letsrun. it's a huge time sink.

Is there a practical reason to look like Noah Lyles?

Aesthetics and all societal benefits that subconsciously come with it including but not limited to mate attraction potential (see article linked on page 3).

More muscle mass has the modest benefit of having more strength for everyday activities, but more importantly, less risk of sarcopenia with age.

For a lot of people it is about the camaraderie, health, and being locally elite. I am part of a training group of 20+ people that meets to run twice a week. We link up for mid week workouts and weekend long runs. Almost all of the people in the group are elite at the local level in regards to being BQ runners. We have our own large group chat and socialize outside of running. It is better than being fat with no friends.

I run so much because I was beaten in the last 200 yards of a race by a Kenyan woman. I decided that day that I would train my brains out and pound her in the ground next year.

Running keeps me young, though. I have been 49-yo for over ten years now.

Well, yeah. I'm not going to lie that it's a bit frustrating to see someone hit 16:30 on something like 35-40mpw. I don't have that talent. However, it's a goal I wanted to achieve and unfortunately that's what it was going to take. It's either I didn't get that time or I did, so I chose to go after it. Even at 80mpw, it never felt like that mileage interfered with my life too much. It was just a matter of getting up 30-40 minutes earlier than I normally would to slog out the extra miles.

It's a defense mechanism. The fear of actually trying and possibly failing.

It's the same excuse used by every C student. "I could get A's if I actually studied." They say that not realizing that studying and trying are the EXACT reasons why some people get the top grades!

I hear HS kids and their parents use the "it's not the Olympics.." thing all the time. Sure, nobody wants a coach out there acting like a maniac and that winning the dual meet on a random Tuesday is the height of athletic achievement. However, setting a goal, putting in the work to achieve that goal, and valuing that goal are important life lessons. Trying and caring how you do ARE important transferable values.