I've come to dread conversations with non-runners about my running.

When someone I don't know, and will never see again asks me about my running, I just say "Nebraska", and just keep on going. They are left to think "what"? They then just assume I misunderstood their question.

Works for me.

just tell them all that you run a thousand miles a week and that you're world champion of the 50, 100, and 250 mile marathons. i bet some if not most of them will believe you.

When I won a local 5k on the roads and my non-runner roommate asked me how fast and I told him 15:10, he said at first "For 5 kilometers? Isn't that quite slow? I thought good runners usually ran around 8 or 9 minutes for that." (Somehow he had 2 mile times mixed up with 5k times).

Anyway, a couple days later we went to the gym, me for core, him so he could run on the treadmill (he never runs outside).

Out of curiosity set the treadmill to 15 minute 5k pace, and proceeded to go flying off the back end and land on his ass.

It was beautiful to witness.

Even better was his reaction when he admitted that 15 minutes for 5 kilometers was, in fact, a bit faster than he thought it was.

poor maynard, people try to make small talk with him about the one thing he probably talks about ever and now he wants to shun them...

Although I am not an American runner, I can relate. I once had a non runner ask me if cross country was indoors or outdoors. I answered that it depends on the weather.

Indoor xc! An idea whose time has come! After all, they have indoor rock climbing. :) But indoor mud, roots, hidden rocks, and streams to cross could get a little complicated....

I think it used to bother me more than it does now when nonrunners would say uninformed and sometimes strange things about my running.

But as others have noted, it's probably a good chance to be an ambassador, drum up some interest--although there has to be genuine interest to begin with. Some might say things just to get a reaction and also don't want to change their viewpoint, just want to think they're clever. But others might really be interested but just need more info.

I'm by no means fast or high mileage but I train fairly regularly for a fiftysomething woman. A friend whom I encountered one day as I was heading home from a run w/ a group asked me how far I'd run, saying "oh do you guys do maybe one or two miles?" "No, we average about 4-5 miles." "That's quite a bit. You must be a professional runner." We were heading separate ways then, so didn't have time to explain about professional runners probably considering that distance as just a warm-up, so I just left it with "no, not even close." I think she meant to compliment me, but I think it reflects how much people don't realize about the sport.

C'est la vie... there are a lot of hobbies/interests out there that I don't know a lot about either, so if someone asks me uninformed questions about an interest of mine, why get tied in a knot over it?

One day I was about 15 minutes into an 80 minute run when I tripped and fell and had some pretty ugly cuts and scrapes. But as I was in a fairly isolated area at the time and wasn't too injured to run, and heck I wasn't going to let a stupid fall ruin my run anyway, I decided just to stick with my plan. Later, after finishing, I found my way to a drugstore and picked up some bandaids: although by then most of the cuts had stopped bleeding, some were still open and didn't look too appealing. "Been out jogging?" the cashier asked. "Yeah," I said, "just out jogging."

masters fattie wrote:

poor maynard, people try to make small talk with him about the one thing he probably talks about ever and now he wants to shun them...

yeah- what a shame. they are TRYING to be social. They dont really CARE about your running. They are hoping that by asking about your running it will lead to other points of conversation. Example:

Non Runner: "So, you run a lot dont you? Ever do the Boston Marathon?"

Runner: "Yes. It was really (hot, cold, crowded, fun, horrible, etc..). After the race we went to (ballgame, resturant, etc..)

Then the non-runner can either talk about where they went if they visited the city, or a resturant they like, comment on how they either lover or hate the Red Sox, or some other common interest or shared expierience. It's called- conversation, try it out.

I always get asked how fast I can run a mile in, as I am sure most others do. When I say 4:15 they always say "WOW, just, WOW, I don't even think I could run a lap that fast." So there are those who have a general knowledge of speed and what times are fast for the respective distance.

Then you have the ones who know nothing, and instead of dreading conversation with them, have a little fun with it. Exploiting ignorance is such a marvelous game. For example, person 1 asks you what your mile time is and you respond with "3:40". They say, oh ok, is that good?

Sometimes I get annoyed when non-runners "glorify" my running ability with "I could never do that if my life depended on it" type statements, but it beats the typical low-life dead-beat "why do you run," or "running is not a sport" and "running is for the weak" comments. I try to educate people that yes, in fact, they CAN run 4:15 for 400 meters.

Most of the time, it's like Cassidy said, "Death on a plate." Funny, I don't get nearly as many stupid responses about climbing, except for the Everest thing.

In general, though, I think lying is the best way to go. I taught at a physics and outdoor ed camp for 4th-9th grades a couple of years ago, and it got to the point where I just had to warn them up front that if I wasn't actively teaching, odds are I was probably lying to them. Man that was fun.

If you had some other dimensions to your life I can guarantee you that people wouldn't talk to you at all about your running. Nobody likes to talk about running except runners. If someone is talking to you extensively about running it probably means either that you are not known for doing anything interesting or that you somehow emphasize that you are a runner, probably in some vain attempt to be notable for something.

For the most part the people who know I run don't go much farther than "Did you get your run in today?" But I don't play up races, I just act like some general fitness person. For all they know I am just running as a prelude to weightlifting or some other sport. If someone gets into the whole routine about "That's too far" or "You're too skinny" or some other patronizing remark I just say "that's what I like to do". Nobody ever comes back on this point because it can't be argued.

"Nobody likes to talk about running except runners."

Exactly. Just change the conversation to fishing. If you knew a guy like to fish and so just to be nice you asked him if he had been fishing lately and then he went on and on about the size of the bass he caught, or made fun of you for not knowing something about rod & reels... You'd think he was an A hole, (and you would be correct in your assumption.)

I guess I'm the only person on letsrun who likes the attention? When people are impressed by my local turkey trot victory, I don't mind. I may be slow compared to all of you, but I'm out there every day busting my ass in training, putting up with rain, snow, darkness, extreme cold, extreme heat. I'll take the 15 seconds of glory.

So which is worse...the totally ignorant comment from those that don't know a good mile time (3:40? is that good?) or those that fawn all over your mediocre time (4:30????!!!! I can't ride a bike that fast!!!!)

Yeah, most folks don't care at all about time, they just care who won.

I ran a local 5k with over 3,000 participants on St. Patty's Day -- placed in the mid-100s somewhere. My co-workers thought that was ok.

Two weeks later I ran a local 5k with fewer than 100 participants (no cash prizes or post-race party). I trained through it, took it easy, ran at least a full minute slower, and placed in the top 5. My co-workers were thrilled with the improvement I made in just two weeks.

I tried explaining that, actually, I didn't run as fast as two weeks ago. "But fifth place!" they say, "That's almost first!"

I just get comments like 'why are you running 10 miles on a cold rainy morning in tights'? or 'running around a track on a friday night when we are in the bar having a social drink'

Just part of being a dedicated, disciplined runner!

I just get comments like 'why are you running 10 miles on a cold rainy morning in tights'? or 'running around a track on a friday night when we are in the bar having a social drink'

Just part of being a dedicated, disciplined runner!

tipton terrier wrote:

I just get comments like 'why are you running 10 miles on a cold rainy morning in tights'? or 'running around a track on a friday night when we are in the bar having a social drink'

Just part of being a dedicated, disciplined runner!

Actually that's a very good question. what are you doing running around the track when you could be at the bar having a drink with friends? Just run a little earlier then go to the bar. It's win win.

Tommy H. wrote:

Yeah, most folks don't care at all about time, they just care who won.

I ran a local 5k with over 3,000 participants on St. Patty's Day -- placed in the mid-100s somewhere. My co-workers thought that was ok.

Two weeks later I ran a local 5k with fewer than 100 participants (no cash prizes or post-race party). I trained through it, took it easy, ran at least a full minute slower, and placed in the top 5. My co-workers were thrilled with the improvement I made in just two weeks.

I tried explaining that, actually, I didn't run as fast as two weeks ago. "But fifth place!" they say, "That's almost first!"

So funny.

This is exactly what I hear from my grandmother (she raised me). I would go out to win a road race, and get 2nd or 3rd (consistently top ten), and when I got back I could never say I did "okay."

"Second! that's almost winning. You can't win all the time."

Then she would comment about how much better that is compared for my 30th place at a cross country invitational, where my time was probably a minute better.

It's all about the intention though, it's a sweet gesture, that's for sure.

To the original poster, you are being a little bitch.

There's nothing more selfish than to complain about people trying to make you feel better (by acting like they care, or comforting you).

I bet you'd complain if people didn't ask, eventually.

Like I said above, it's all about the intention.

If they're good-hearted people, trying to be genuine, then just humor them.

Or tell them that you're a little bitch, and you're offended the don't know Alan Webb's PR's, or Ryan Hall's current training.

Someone in my college class today said that they were running a 5K Marathon this weekend. Haha