One thing I love about running that I think is quite overlooked

Training Advice/Discussion

1 year ago 02/02/2023 4:56pm EST

It is this ability to compare your performance as purely as possible to anyone you want, including the best in the world. Time tells you where you're at.

With other sports like soccer, tennis, basketball... you're quite limited to know where you're really standing compared to others you're not playing with.

In essence with other sports you are limited, among many other things, by the quality of your opponents whereas in running a simple watch tells you exactly where you're at. And I think that's quite beautiful.

1 year ago 02/02/2023 5:11pm EST

re: GHuirr

GHuirr wrote:
It is this ability to compare your performance as purely as possible to anyone you want, including the best in the world. Time tells you where you're at.
With other sports like soccer, tennis, basketball... you're quite limited to know where you're really standing compared to others you're not playing with.
In essence with other sports you are limited, among many other things, by the quality of your opponents whereas in running a simple watch tells you exactly where you're at. And I think that's quite beautiful.

Yeah it really sucks for me knowing that I could get beat by a girl.

1 year ago 02/02/2023 5:20pm EST

re: GHuirr

GHuirr wrote:
It is this ability to compare your performance as purely as possible to anyone you want, including the best in the world. Time tells you where you're at.
With other sports like soccer, tennis, basketball... you're quite limited to know where you're really standing compared to others you're not playing with.
In essence with other sports you are limited, among many other things, by the quality of your opponents whereas in running a simple watch tells you exactly where you're at. And I think that's quite beautiful.

Strange thing to overlook when that is probably the most universal observation about running, one that also makes it too plain and boring a spectator sport to most people.

1 year ago 02/02/2023 5:35pm EST

re: GHuirr

GHuirr wrote:
It is this ability to compare your performance as purely as possible to anyone you want, including the best in the world. Time tells you where you're at.
With other sports like soccer, tennis, basketball... you're quite limited to know where you're really standing compared to others you're not playing with.
In essence with other sports you are limited, among many other things, by the quality of your opponents whereas in running a simple watch tells you exactly where you're at. And I think that's quite beautiful.

The thing that makes it a sport and not a science is that that's not really true. If you are in a fast race, you can be carried to a fast time. The BU track, the Monaco track with the right competition can't be compared directly to running alone on a track in your hometown. The surfaces, the weather, the incline of a marathon, the wind, the supershoes all come into play and that's what makes it a sport. There's no point in racing otherwise.

1 year ago 02/02/2023 5:37pm EST

re: GHuirr

GHuirr wrote:
It is this ability to compare your performance as purely as possible to anyone you want, including the best in the world. Time tells you where you're at.
With other sports like soccer, tennis, basketball... you're quite limited to know where you're really standing compared to others you're not playing with.
In essence with other sports you are limited, among many other things, by the quality of your opponents whereas in running a simple watch tells you exactly where you're at. And I think that's quite beautiful.

Unfortunately that's also what makes running boring and predictable, and why soccer, tennis, and basketball are more fun to play and watch.

1 year ago 02/02/2023 5:53pm EST

re: GHuirr

GHuirr wrote:
It is this ability to compare your performance as purely as possible to anyone you want, including the best in the world. Time tells you where you're at.
With other sports like soccer, tennis, basketball... you're quite limited to know where you're really standing compared to others you're not playing with.
In essence with other sports you are limited, among many other things, by the quality of your opponents whereas in running a simple watch tells you exactly where you're at. And I think that's quite beautiful.

I also enjoy this aspect of the sport. It was a pretty stark moment of realization for me in high school that the fastest marathoners were literally running my best all-out mile 26 times in a row but it was also cool to know that I could've kept up with the 2016 Olympic finalists for about 1100m of the race.

1 year ago 02/02/2023 5:59pm EST

re: crisscrosscountry

crisscrosscountry wrote:
GHuirr wrote:
It is this ability to compare your performance as purely as possible to anyone you want, including the best in the world. Time tells you where you're at.
With other sports like soccer, tennis, basketball... you're quite limited to know where you're really standing compared to others you're not playing with.
In essence with other sports you are limited, among many other things, by the quality of your opponents whereas in running a simple watch tells you exactly where you're at. And I think that's quite beautiful.
I also enjoy this aspect of the sport. It was a pretty stark moment of realization for me in high school that the fastest marathoners were literally running my best all-out mile 26 times in a row but it was also cool to know that I could've kept up with the 2016 Olympic finalists for about 1100m of the race.

White Rock Marathon would have a high school relay of 26 legs to try to beat the overall winner. As slow as the times were for the elite runners the High School relay would never win. Not sure if Terry Jessup still has them trying anymore.

1 year ago 02/02/2023 9:48pm EST

re: GHuirr

GHuirr wrote:
It is this ability to compare your performance as purely as possible to anyone you want, including the best in the world. Time tells you where you're at.
With other sports like soccer, tennis, basketball... you're quite limited to know where you're really standing compared to others you're not playing with.
In essence with other sports you are limited, among many other things, by the quality of your opponents whereas in running a simple watch tells you exactly where you're at. And I think that's quite beautiful.

Well, said sir. It’s easy to know where you stand, especially in relation to yourself. In team sports, there are always mitigating factors that might keep you from knowing how good you actually are.

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One thing I love about running that I think is quite overlooked

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