Runner's World defense of hobby jogging: Can we all just agree to stop using "Jogger" as an insult?

Givetallugot wrote:

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Nobody is running past a hobby jogger in real life and insulting them to their face. If anything, we respect them getting out there. The hobby jogger term is simply used to differentiate between the die hards and the casuals.

This is the key point that RW (and some people who keep on here who keep saying how "awful" LRC is) seem to completely miss.

No runners in the real world insult people who are slower than them, overweight, or just barely shuffling along. That kind of person is a cartoon villain that literally does not exist. Go to any local race and you'll see boatloads of support for every runner at the back of the pack. I'm pretty sure the NYC marathon gives a freakin award to the last place finisher. This celebration of all the finishers is shared in every single road race I've ever been to or heard of.

RW doesn't seem to get that internet banter is completely separate from actual behavior.

Can we all just agree that Runners World is a hobby jogger magazine.

Couldn’t agree more

Givetallugot wrote:

I’m in the boat where I like to make the distinction between serious runners (hobby runner) vs a hobby jogger. The need for the distinction is to recognize the different classes of effort among runners. It isn’t about making fun of slower runners. A hobby jogger is someone who runs for fitness or runs straight mileage (15-30 mpw). They might enter a ton of local 5ks, but they never have any structure to their training and never make an effort to actually get faster. A serious runner (hobby runner) will have a more structured training approach. They will gradually build mileage, run various types of workouts, have a long run, and try to peak 2-3 times a year.

Oh. Boy. It a stupid distinction

Givetallugot wrote:

What are the circumstances when a hobby jogger feels insulted? I feel like serious runners may tease amongst themselves about hobby joggers but not directly to their face. Serious runners seem to be nice people in general and more than willing to show a a new runner the ropes to help them succeed.

You really got worked up on this. Are you that insecure about your running? Most serious runners are kinda jerks.

C jessup wrote:

Givetallugot wrote:

I’m in the boat where I like to make the distinction between serious runners (hobby runner) vs a hobby jogger. The need for the distinction is to recognize the different classes of effort among runners. It isn’t about making fun of slower runners. A hobby jogger is someone who runs for fitness or runs straight mileage (15-30 mpw). They might enter a ton of local 5ks, but they never have any structure to their training and never make an effort to actually get faster. A serious runner (hobby runner) will have a more structured training approach. They will gradually build mileage, run various types of workouts, have a long run, and try to peak 2-3 times a year.

Oh. Boy. It a stupid distinction

You saying there shouldn’t be a distinction? It means something to be a runner that is different than a jogger. Lumping everyone in the same category makes the sport of running seem too casual. Should we have everyone with a 3.0 give a valedictorian speech?

C jessup wrote:

Givetallugot wrote:

What are the circumstances when a hobby jogger feels insulted? I feel like serious runners may tease amongst themselves about hobby joggers but not directly to their face. Serious runners seem to be nice people in general and more than willing to show a a new runner the ropes to help them succeed.

You really got worked up on this. Are you that insecure about your running? Most serious runners are kinda jerks.

You need some new runner friends then. I've made countless friends through running and none of them fit your description.

Maybe it's just you?

C jessup wrote:

Givetallugot wrote:

What are the circumstances when a hobby jogger feels insulted? I feel like serious runners may tease amongst themselves about hobby joggers but not directly to their face. Serious runners seem to be nice people in general and more than willing to show a a new runner the ropes to help them succeed.

You really got worked up on this. Are you that insecure about your running? Most serious runners are kinda jerks.

I am worked up. It is a pet peeve of mine when people make unsubstantiated claims and play the victim card.

My problem with the article is that I’d say, more often than not, people would identify as a “runner” over being a “jogger.”

The writer is saying to those people: “no, you are a jogger not a runner, but that’s okay because I feel comfortable with it.”

I don’t see how that is any different than me calling someone a jogger who takes their runner less seriously than I do.

To use his nerd analogy, it’s like when someone co-opts the word as a source of power and says, “it’s okay to be a nerd.” That may be true for you, but others still might feel hurt by it.

Side note: In Revenge of the Nerds, the nerd “wins” in the end by raping the popular frat member’s girlfriend. I wouldn’t hold that up as some watershed moment for ridiculed members of society the way that the writer does.

The only people who make fun of slower runners are faster high school and college runners who have not matured and do not understand life. I’ve encountered a few of them. That said, most every fast runner I know is nothing but encouraging and supportive of the back of the pack. I know and run with former olympians, d1 runners, professional runners and none of them have the hangup with hobby joggers that the immature trolls here do. Of course RW doesn’t want to acknowledge this because it wouldn’t drive traffic to their website.

Rhodium Nights wrote:

hhd7dhdhwjdbdh wrote:

This. Good for anyone getting out there whether you are qualifying for the Olympics, winning your local 5k, or bringing up the rear if a charity fun run.

I don't know why running seems to bring out so much negativity against people. I've never heard a professional baseball player crap all over Sunday coed leagues.

You are confusing the internet for real life.

Go to any road race and you will see OVERWHELMING positive energy towards everyone. Nobody cares how fast you run and everyone is proud of everyone for finishing.

Runners do support each other in real life.

I've seen "hobby jogger" thrown around as an insult here many times. I've even seen it thrown at people that qualified for the Olympic trials.

I was able to earn "sub-elite" status. I could win races in some of our less impressive states. I can't for the life of me understand what bothers some of you so much about "hobby joggers" or why their presence effects you at all, unless you're stuck in a corral with them.

The idea of holding World Marathon Majors with just an elite field and no masses is beyond laughable. I don't think many of you realize that that less than a handful of American marathoners (I'm thinking of three) mean anything at all to the masses, and the masses mean plenty the elites. Yeah, without the many masses bring in there would be no professional sport of running beyond even the most meager level ... and Nike would focus on selling basketball and tennis shoes.

Half the people on here have probably already said much of what I said. Because it's obvious. "Hobby joggers" make the sport economically viable. What's your problem with them? Seriously, what IS your problem with them?

Now, more than ever, we need the distinction between hobby jogger and actual runner. Hobby joggers are the doofuses you see at the park, with their Hokas and hydration vests. They started jogging because all gyms are closed. We could also call them quarantine joggers.

Actual runners are those who have been training seriously for at least a few years or more. They have structure and discipline.

It's a pretty simple distinction.

Joggers get murdered in the park. Runners don’t.

Givetallugot wrote:

C jessup wrote:

Oh. Boy. It a stupid distinction

You saying there shouldn’t be a distinction? It means something to be a runner that is different than a jogger. Lumping everyone in the same category makes the sport of running seem too casual. Should we have everyone with a 3.0 give a valedictorian speech?

I've run pretty much straight unstructured mileage (a lot of it, 80+ mpw at age 51 currently) and haven't tried to PR in over a quarter century, since I had a two year bout with chronic fatigue syndrome. That hasn't stopped me from winning a lot of races in that time. I ran 15 and 32 5K and 10Ks while completely hobby jogging my training by your standards. What does that make people that are slower than me? I agree with the article that it's silly to try to avoid saying jog/jogger/jogging.

"A decade ago I was an editor at Runner’s World and I learned quickly that the brand had a rarely mentioned rule not to publish the words jog, jogger, and jogging. "

C jessup wrote:

Givetallugot wrote:

I’m in the boat where I like to make the distinction between serious runners (hobby runner) vs a hobby jogger. The need for the distinction is to recognize the different classes of effort among runners. It isn’t about making fun of slower runners. A hobby jogger is someone who runs for fitness or runs straight mileage (15-30 mpw). They might enter a ton of local 5ks, but they never have any structure to their training and never make an effort to actually get faster. A serious runner (hobby runner) will have a more structured training approach. They will gradually build mileage, run various types of workouts, have a long run, and try to peak 2-3 times a year.

Oh. Boy. It a stupid distinction

Found the weak azz jogger who gets butthurt when called a jogger

Hobbyjoggin Henry wrote:

Now, more than ever, we need the distinction between hobby jogger and actual runner. Hobby joggers are the doofuses you see at the park, with their Hokas and hydration vests. They started jogging because all gyms are closed. We could also call them quarantine joggers.

Actual runners are those who have been training seriously for at least a few years or more. They have structure and discipline.

It's a pretty simple distinction.

I think you just validated the RW essay. Nicely done.

DanM wrote:

Is there a chart that distinguishes between who is a runner and who is a hobby jogger ?

Age 60. Male. What are the minimum 5K and 10K times that qualify me as a runner ?

13:10 5k/sub28 10k. Anything slower is hobby jogger. No age discrimination.

Givetallugot wrote:

C jessup wrote:

Oh. Boy. It a stupid distinction

You saying there shouldn’t be a distinction? It means something to be a runner that is different than a jogger. Lumping everyone in the same category makes the sport of running seem too casual. Should we have everyone with a 3.0 give a valedictorian speech?

The only distinction is a pro (or some other thing like D1 athlete, Olympian, National champion. Etc). If you run slightly faster than most people. You are still just a hobby jogger. I’ve been a runner for 30+ year. Most of my races are in the top 2-3% (according to Athlinks). Yet I’m no more special than the guy who finishes last.