Anybody ever get bored of running because you realize you're never gonna get better?

fastboy77 wrote:

What'd you do?

Wow..

No way am I bored of running..

In later HS i was XC and middle distance in track..

In college, a lot of basketball and tennis.

After college, a ton of basketball and tennis..

From 2006-just before the pandemic --running and racing 5k up to marathon..

After the pandemic...mostly sprinting type games with the kids at the centers.

So I can run sprints or distance but now look more sprinter than distance.

Typical every few years.

I never get bored or sick of it.

fastboy77 wrote:

What'd you do?

It was the frustration of getting run into the turf by far superior runners that did it for me. I wouldn't have called it boring.

You need to cross train, *compartmentalise* each discrete aspect of training with 100% zeal, and recover fully. And taper! Provide a reason to win, a person or team or position to beat, every time you race.

That's pretty much how it panned out for me.

I like running.

As I've gotten older and slower I simply run farther. Recent weeks I do a 30km run on Sundays. Go places I've not been before, explore, while enjoying a nice day.

fastboy77 wrote:

What'd you do?

I invent a new strava segment and hammer out another world best.

The feeling of satisfaction is immense. Like a religious extasy.

I would do it again today, but it's raining and cold and I really can't be arsed.

Age-graded tables took care of that feeling.

You can always get better. In the long run, with age, the pace will slow down, but still, within a shorter span of time you can improve, even if you cannot use more time for training.

The gradual slowing of the pace due to age is something I remove by a simple formula, the statistical decline in race pace for different age groups in distance running of 0.7% decline on average starting from the age of 30. Over a year or two this is not measurable, but over 5 years it should be noticable for PBs. Now people follow this on average and it is based on the BEST race times of the age groups. Decline with age is individual, some decline less, some more. But many have not reached their potential and we never know our real potential anyway. Maybe Usain Bolt is pretty sure about his potential, but even Jakob Ingebrigsten does not know his potential even if he er much closer to it than many of us that have not been able to train or develop as he has.

With those thoughts, I think I always can improve and I can compare my present performance with my performance when being 23 (I am 50)

Jon Arne Glomsrud wrote:

Maybe Usain Bolt is pretty sure about his potential, but even Jakob Ingebrigsten does not know his potential

Potential?

Here's a test for you. See if you can go a whole day without mentioning Jakob Ingerbrigtsen.

Then try for 2 days, then 3...

sepreh wrote:

I like running.

As I've gotten older and slower I simply run farther. Recent weeks I do a 30km run on Sundays. Go places I've not been before, explore, while enjoying a nice day.

As I've gotten older starting to do the opposite, sprint more etc. Find this way more fun that slogging out 3hr runs, even if my 'sprinting' is most peoples 5K pace these days.

No. If by better you mean faster.

fastboy77 wrote:

What'd you do?

Nothing. You run just because. But if it’s your profession, it’s time to switch.

anger outlet wrote:

Jon Arne Glomsrud wrote:

Maybe Usain Bolt is pretty sure about his potential, but even Jakob Ingebrigsten does not know his potential

Potential?

Here's a test for you. See if you can go a whole day without mentioning Jakob Ingerbrigtsen.

Then try for 2 days, then 3...

And on the third day he failed... At least if listening to Mr Anger Outlet

Actually, I did not fail. Never wrote it, so the streak is still on, but I will break it whenever I get the chance

Alberta has the highest Covid rates wrote:

You start bench pressing like Greg.

This is the best part about being a fat HJer who runs 5km in 25 minutes. Starting out at 28 y/o in this shape or worse you have ample runway ahead of you. It's granted you will never be a competitive runner but every month and sometimes every single week you are noticing improvements. That makes it really fun.

I did notice the same thing with lifting for the first 1-2 years it was super fun like this and it starts to get somewhat boring and repetitive when the gains slow down. So even though this post was most likely not meant seriously it was still a good suggestion to mix things up

No, because I keep hoping to make it to the next five-year age group.

No because I routinely come up with ways to lie to myself that I'm going to get better.

You can always come up with new ways to challenge yourself to keep it interesting. For example, if you focused on 5k to half marathon for a while, then switch to the mile. Rinse and repeat.

SDSU Aztec wrote:

fastboy77 wrote:

What'd you do?

It was the frustration of getting run into the turf by far superior runners that did it for me. I wouldn't have called it boring.

Stop being bitter. Like the OP, realize that you are tremendously blessed to be able to get up and run faster than most other people. Some folks can’t do that at all. Thank God for these things.