I wonder if Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus ever made it a habit to sit around ridiculing hobby golfers. Probably not.
I wonder if Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus ever made it a habit to sit around ridiculing hobby golfers. Probably not.
18 holes wrote:
I wonder if Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus ever made it a habit to sit around ridiculing hobby golfers. Probably not.
Maybe this is more of a case of hobby joggers ridiculing other hobby joggers.
18 goals wrote:
18 holes wrote:I wonder if Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus ever made it a habit to sit around ridiculing hobby golfers. Probably not.
Maybe this is more of a case of hobby joggers ridiculing other hobby joggers.
Eureka! Someone has finally cracked the code.
18 holes wrote:
I wonder if Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus ever made it a habit to sit around ridiculing hobby golfers. Probably not.
Come off it, we're not ridiculing anybody. Just explaining why they choose one over the other.
Live to run wrote:
Just Another LRC Idiot wrote:You mean, like Galen Rupp who moved up to marathon, instead of trying the break the AR in 5k? His 5k PR is from 2012 and his 10k PR is from 2014. Why doesn't he try to run faster in those events instead of going longer?
He did try to go faster. He broke many PR's! Which part of that did you miss?
The point is that most hobby joggers start aiming for longer without even TRYING to go faster first.
Both you and the natural selection guy are missing the point. Many hobby joggers move up the distance because they realize they don't have speed, and they suck at shorter distances.
It is a popular myth on this board that hobby joggers do not care about time. Most 4 hr marathoners or even 2 hr half marathoners care about time. But people on this board pretend those people did not care about time, because those times are too slow for them.
Just Another LRC Idiot wrote:
Natural selection selector wrote:You're missing the point of the thread. People run a 5k then move to 10k and so on instead of trying to pr in the 5k.
You mean, like Galen Rupp who moved up to marathon, instead of trying the break the AR in 5k? His 5k PR is from 2012 and his 10k PR is from 2014. Why doesn't he try to run faster in those events instead of going longer?
this thread (read op's post) is about hobby joggers. Not gulan rupp
Just Another LRC Idiot wrote:
Live to run wrote:He did try to go faster. He broke many PR's! Which part of that did you miss?
The point is that most hobby joggers start aiming for longer without even TRYING to go faster first.
Both you and the natural selection guy are missing the point. Many hobby joggers move up the distance because they realize they don't have speed, and they suck at shorter distances.
It is a popular myth on this board that hobby joggers do not care about time. Most 4 hr marathoners or even 2 hr half marathoners care about time. But people on this board pretend those people did not care about time, because those times are too slow for them.
But wouldn't they also suck at longer distances? running fast requires a lot of pain and very little recognition.
The average hobby jogger does not want to run intervals at the track until they puke at 5:00am so that they can go from 16:30 to 15:59. None of their friends or co workers knows what a 15:59 is and they will just say "you're really skinny are you ok? Did you hear Suzy ran a Marathon? She's super!"
I'm the age of social media longer distances=more recognition.
This is why when people start running in their twenties for the first time they start with a 5k with a goal to run a marathon. Instead of trying to break xx.xx in the 5k.
I think a lot of people run marathons also (or ultras) because they think it's a way to lose a lot of weight.
Why should you care what non-runners think of your achievement?
If you are training and racing for the recognition from non-runners, you'd better find another hobby.
Just Another LRC Idiot wrote:
Why should you care what non-runners think of your achievement?
If you are training and racing for the recognition from non-runners, you'd better find another hobby.
What? Are you talking to me? Do you know what this thread is about?
Live to run wrote:
Duh. Thanks Mr Predictable! Try to keep up, the reasons WHY people get roped into running distance over speed are obvious and over discussed.
The issue I mentioned, and the overwhelmingly unsolved mystery is WHEN did this start gaining traction with the majority of runners?
When social media became commonplace.
Finishing a marathon is something almost anyone can do. And when they do, they hold it up high, with pictures to tell the story - on Facebook, Instagram, and any other medium to bring attention to their "accomplishment" of finishing a marathon (or, for "crazy" runners, an ultra).
If you couldn't brag about finishing a marathon on Facebook, I swear half of people wouldn't be doing marathons (or ultras).
So that is your answer - when social media became a common forum for sharing these things.
UltraDork wrote:
Seriously, why?
Not everyone wants to run the 200.
it is called track wrote:
It is called track for a reason. We still deal with wind and rain buddy, we just compete on a track so we can all know who is the fastest. We don't run in the streets all over the US and then claim we have these great times on courses that are way shorter (or even longer in some cases) than a track.
Which translates better to the real world, tho? What if you were chasing someone/being chased, and you had to make a RIGHT TURN?!?! Holy SH!T you would be FVCKED!
Don't "buddy" me, pal.
;-)
UltraDork wrote:
Seriously, why? Why do so many hobby joggers run marathons?
Fair question & probably a host of solid reasons. Personally (as a family guy pushing middle age) the stress & time commitment of training required to get xx:xx faster just isn't worth it. I fell into running in my early 30's, went sub-3 a few years later, have ran Boston, and I know I can get WAY faster. However, the time commitment involved could be detrimental to my marriage. There's no sugarcoating it. Looking ahead to my 40's, circling a destination race (ultra and/or marathon) is a fun way to keep up the training, see different places and bond w/the family. As a matter of fact, my running goals have more or less shifted to exactly that. I want my kids to see the country & expose them to running so they can value a healthy lifestyle. No shame there.
Slowing down wrote:
UltraDork wrote:Seriously, why? Why do so many hobby joggers run marathons?
Fair question & probably a host of solid reasons. Personally (as a family guy pushing middle age) the stress & time commitment of training required to get xx:xx faster just isn't worth it. I fell into running in my early 30's, went sub-3 a few years later, have ran Boston, and I know I can get WAY faster. However, the time commitment involved could be detrimental to my marriage. There's no sugarcoating it. Looking ahead to my 40's, circling a destination race (ultra and/or marathon) is a fun way to keep up the training, see different places and bond w/the family. As a matter of fact, my running goals have more or less shifted to exactly that. I want my kids to see the country & expose them to running so they can value a healthy lifestyle. No shame there.
Honest question: Is it really that much more of a time commitment to race than to hobby jog marathon training? Speed work isn't a huge time suck. It's just harder. And, obviously, longer runs are quicker when you go faster, as well. In particular if you are looking to race 5Ks and 10Ks, the time commitment is less. I understand the interest in participating in various marathons. But I don't see how racing shorter distances would be detrimental to your personal life, comparatively.
UltraDork wrote:
Slowing down wrote:Fair question & probably a host of solid reasons. Personally (as a family guy pushing middle age) the stress & time commitment of training required to get xx:xx faster just isn't worth it. I fell into running in my early 30's, went sub-3 a few years later, have ran Boston, and I know I can get WAY faster. However, the time commitment involved could be detrimental to my marriage. There's no sugarcoating it. Looking ahead to my 40's, circling a destination race (ultra and/or marathon) is a fun way to keep up the training, see different places and bond w/the family. As a matter of fact, my running goals have more or less shifted to exactly that. I want my kids to see the country & expose them to running so they can value a healthy lifestyle. No shame there.
Honest question: Is it really that much more of a time commitment to race than to hobby jog marathon training? Speed work isn't a huge time suck. It's just harder. And, obviously, longer runs are quicker when you go faster, as well. In particular if you are looking to race 5Ks and 10Ks, the time commitment is less. I understand the interest in participating in various marathons. But I don't see how racing shorter distances would be detrimental to your personal life, comparatively.
To interject: I have talked to a lot of broken down ex-collegiate runners. They say, to a man, that they don't miss being able to race. They miss being about to go out and do an easy 10 miler with their friends.
Knocking another :20 off my 5k isn't worth sacrificing 10 years of running down the road; and I am fairly competitive.
IMO, racing shorter distances is actually healthier. 5ks/10ks/half marathon.
Running a marathon on half-baked training is unhealthy. Even if you are running slower. You're better off running 10ks.
HardLoper wrote:
18 holes wrote:I wonder if Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus ever made it a habit to sit around ridiculing hobby golfers. Probably not.
Come off it, we're not ridiculing anybody. Just explaining why they choose one over the other.
...explaining in condescending fashion.
not a doctor but wrote:
IMO, racing shorter distances is actually healthier. 5ks/10ks/half marathon.
Running a marathon on half-baked training is unhealthy. Even if you are running slower. You're better off running 10ks.
I agree. The Reddit forums are filled with hobbyjoggers injuring themselves while training for marathons.
I am a hobbyjogger with no interest in racing at any distance. Really, I do it for health, stress relief, and cross training for other activities I enjoy. If I do any races, they will probably be 5k/10k/half. If I were ever to run a 'thon, it would only be once I was already in shape to run sub-3:30 or even low 3:00s (which is slow af but is still a world away from shuffling across the finish line afer 5 hours).
BUT I do want to get faster -- I enjoy seeing my paces for easy runs, tempos, and intervals drop.
Someone once called the marathon the "suburban Everest" -- I think that encapsulates its appeal. It is a goal that people latch onto. People attach all different meanings to running their (first) marathon. Also, marathons are spectacles in ways that have nothing to do with racing per se -- the pre-"event" convention with merchandise, the post-race beer, etc. etc.
So, while I personally have little interest in running marathons, and I agree with OP that it's absurd to obsess over "finishing" instead of getting faster at 5k/10k, I can understand the appeal.
In the end, think of it this way: the whole mass of hobbyjoggers who shuffle across the line at 5:00+ are the material base ($$$) for the sport as a whole. Because they are out there buying compression socks and sloggin' through the miles, we get to watch brilliant athletic performances among the elites.
hobbyjogger1000 wrote:
In the end, think of it this way: the whole mass of hobbyjoggers who shuffle across the line at 5:00+ are the material base ($$$) for the sport as a whole. Because they are out there buying compression socks and sloggin' through the miles, we get to watch brilliant athletic performances among the elites.
...who are often doped to the gills.