I, a 45 year old hobby jogging man, feel increasingly silly for being a runner

Subway CEO wrote:

HRE wrote:

What's wrong with doing something weird if you like it?

Sometimes it's illegal.

Good point.

an old man wrote:

I've run since junior high track. Ran in college, lots of marathons and other road races in the years since. I'm still competitive in a local hobby jogger kind of way, and this leaves me feeling increasingly foolish. I am often the first master at local races, and it feels outright dumb to be trying to out kick some high school kid to the finish. I know they think I'm a weirdo.

I love running and racing as much as ever, and it brings joy to my life. Yet I feel really weird for doing it. I mean, I'm still playing the same kid's game I played 30 years ago.

First off, you're a has-been, I'm a never-was, when it comes to competitive running. That likely leads you to a different feeling about small scale competition. At 51, I've only been running with a focus on improvement for 3 years. I, too, find myself in the mix at the finish of small local 5ks. I think it's fun. If anyone should be embarrassed it's the youngster who's getting beat by a 50+ year old who's ~20 lbs over racing weight.

Possible solution for you would be to run bigger races. That increases the odds of running against people your age and ability and it's not weird if everyone around you is doing the same thing. Right?

I gotta say, it's been pretty nice to have picked up running in my early 30s in a region with a crapton of runners (NYC metro). I don't feel silly because there's a whole lot of people just like me, and every race is still a PR. There are times when I do wonder how fast I could have been had I started much earlier, since I seem to be somewhat talented, but those moments are rare. Life is good.

normal sucks wrote:

Yes! Normal these days is overweight, depressed, bored, broke, and in debt. Normal sucks.

This is an excellent post.

I'm a couple of years older than you and will occasionally feel the same way, but it always passes. I still run in short shorts and often without a shirt in summer months. Once a year I'll ask my wife if I can still get away with it (short shorts, no shirt), and so far so good. Frankly, I don't care what other people think, so I'm going to continue running without a shirt, wearing short shorts, doing hill workouts, track workouts, racing, and sometimes taking it much more seriously than I should. I'm sure I look like a dork at times. Who cares. I like running & racing. It's healthy, and I'm not hurting anyone else, so I'm doing whatever the hell I want.

an old man wrote:

I love running and racing as much as ever, and it brings joy to my life.

Bullet the Blue Sky wrote:

I'm a couple of years older than you and will occasionally feel the same way, but it always passes. I still run in short shorts and often without a shirt in summer months. Once a year I'll ask my wife if I can still get away with it (short shorts, no shirt), and so far so good. Frankly, I don't care what other people think, so I'm going to continue running without a shirt, wearing short shorts, doing hill workouts, track workouts, racing, and sometimes taking it much more seriously than I should. I'm sure I look like a dork at times. Who cares.

I like running & racing. It's healthy, and I'm not hurting anyone else, so I'm doing whatever the hell I want.

I am in my early 30s and I also wear short shorts when I run (BOA 1 inch splits), and I sometimes run with no singlet if it is over 80 degrees. I’m definitey not fat or anything, but neither so I have abs. I don’t care if people think I am stupid or look bad. I have noticed, though, that the ladies usually give me big smiles when they see me.

The alternative is what? Not doing something you thoroughly enjoy because you worry other people find it foolish? Can't you say the same thing about ANY hobby? Fishing, golf, hunting, sailing none are essential in the modern US.... if you are lucky enough to have the leisure time to do something you enjoy, then by all means do it. Running in the outdoors is enjoyable, experiencing all the different weather that Mother Nature can toss out you, challenging yourself to beat some made up goal time... all these things are luxuries. Don't over think it, have fun and soak it in.

EZ10Miler wrote:

The alternative is what?

I highly recommendd an attempt at breaking the masturbation worlddd recorddddddddddddd. Sorry, keys keep sticking for some reason.

Move on, stay healthy wrote:

Quit racing, not running.

This seems to me the right answer. Enjoy running, forget about racing if you don't enjoy it. If you can't run without the race to motivate you, probably you never really enjoyed running, and you should stop.

No, you don’t look like a dork. I still wear the same, maybe ~4in., black shorts and skip the shirt in the upper 80s. Why? Cause I’ve always done it that way - since the late 1970s. I’m in a college area, and it’s nice to see the serious XC / track guys in the same gear. (Yeah, basketball shorts and jersey makes sense on a 90 degree day doing hill repeats, right?)

Soon to be 75, running for over 42 years- 537 races from 1 mile to 50+ miles. I appreciate all my running and am very grateful to still be competing. Hardest part sometimes is checking my time at mile 4 of a 10K and realize I use to cross the finish line with that time 30 years ago.

Actually, in my area, running times have actually slowed. In my early 40’s could run high 17’s low 18’s 5 K’s and not finish in the top 3 of my age group. I now see runners winning races in that time. Doesn’t say much for all the advanced running tech, does it?

It will only get worse. In 4 years every one will be laughing at you, and think your a joke. You will be beaten by female Kenyans in local races, and you will be pounding tables in frustration

Well then quit running and sit on the couch, eat cookies, and get fat and out of shape. I'm sure then you wouldn't feel "foolish".

Just run. If you're lucky enough to run for decades and decades with no major injuries, just be happy. Period. Whether it's racing, club running, whatever.

Someday years from now you won’t be able to run, let alone race. Take advantage of the opportunity while you can. Life goes by quickly. I know my father who is 92 and constrained to a walker wishes he could.

VA Runner wrote:

Someday years from now you won’t be able to run, let alone race. Take advantage of the opportunity while you can. Life goes by quickly. I know my father who is 92 and constrained to a walker wishes he could.

Well said!

SF k CG bf wrote:

On top of that it is mentally healthy to not just pursue Me! Me! Me! goals in Mike Rossi type of fashion.

But then we wouldn't have this ridiculously self-promoted hero video to enjoy in good humour!

I had this experience this weekend. I'm 48 (so I'll be pounding tables in frustration next year), and I was running a local 5K. Little did I know the local high school cross country team was using the race to test their summer training. Probably two dozen kids crowded the starting line at the start, and I actually thought of this thread.

Of course, they all took off at 800 pace, and most faded pathetically. I passed some of them after taking off at my even old man pace, and yes, I felt a little dumb working my way through a pack of kids, when I was probably older than most of their dads.

Afterwards, one of them came up to me and shook my hand and said he was impressed with my run. I think he was shocked that an old man could run like that. Yes, I felt dumb. I feel ya, OP.

Gravy wrote:

Time to grow up.

I think everyone of you who gave this man crap about his post is a piece of sh!t and you are bad or the sport. You're not funny, your not clever, and i guarantee you aren't fast. No one who can actually run goes around talking sh!t about people who like to run. How about you all grow up?

[3.1]Miles Davis wrote:

Gravy wrote:

Time to grow up.

I think everyone of you who gave this man crap about his post is a piece of sh!t and you are bad or the sport. You're not funny, your not clever, and i guarantee you aren't fast. No one who can actually run goes around talking sh!t about people who like to run. How about you all grow up?

Surely you troll? This is letsrun.