What motivates 28:30 post collegiates?

I suspect that, like a lot of us, they don't think they've come close to fulfilling their potential. I've run 15:20, but I've had enough obstacles (injuries, sickness, etc.) along the way that I truly feel that I someday could be a 14:30 guy. I'm not saying that it's a certainty and it's certainly not going to get me any hardware or money, but I've got to take a shot because it's what I love to do. I'm sure that the guys you're talking about feel the same way. They probably don't think of themselves as 28:30 guys, but "two more healthy years away from 27:30 guys". It doesn't happen for most of them, but for some it does and that little glimmer of hope might be all it takes.

They now have groups like Team Indiana Elite, Zap Fitness, Hansons, McMillan Elite, etc for these guys to continue to do what they love, have fun, lower their pr's, make some money, hang out with friends....

I see no downside...they all have degrees and can work for the other 75 years of their lives, what is 2 or 3 more years of running.

they became hardcore running geeks during college and think there's some kind of honor in running around in circles.

no need for people to re-direct that work ethic and contribute something to society! we're doing just great here...a retarded government, a bunch of presidential candidates spewing off about who loves jesus more, india and china taking jobs from us left and right, etc, etc...

i think everyone starts off playing sports for intrinsic reasons, just the desire to do the best you can, then the teacher in kindergarden gives a kid a gold or blue star on the forehead, then the trophies, being popular at school, getting your name and/or picture in the paper, scholarships etc. then at some point either inability to compete at the next level, injury or father time which no one will ever beat, then you just do it for the real reason you started in the first place fun. it is not mentioned much, but me and i am sure others consider john kelly finishing 58 boston marathons in 61 years at least as impressive as his 2 wins 10 years apart.

Red neck Track Club wrote:

I am not trying to be mean, but what motivates a 28:30/13:50 post collegiate? Specifically the guys that don't run a marathon? You are not fast enough to make an Olympic Team,

If I use the drugs El G, Geb, Bekele etc. are on I can at least run 27:30 or so and then I CAN make the US team.

I would bet you still couldn't break 15 if you were loaded up to the eyeballs.

Red neck Track Club wrote:

I am not trying to be mean, but what motivates a 28:30/13:50 post collegiate? Specifically the guys that don't run a marathon? You are not fast enough to make an Olympic Team, You are not fast enough to make a living. Why wouldn't this guy get a job and get on with life? You're not good enough to have a sponsor pay your bills. What am I missing?

What motivates you? You'll always be a loser. Why not just end it all right now?

Why do you get out of bed in the morning? You could die tomorrow and the world would pretty much be the same. Oh, sure, maybe your wife and kids would miss you for a while but on the world stage, you're nothing. You're not worth memorializing in an obituary, and you never will be. Why don't you just get on with it and die?

To be the best that they can be. To eventually retire and know that they gave it all they had. 28:30? ha! When I ran in the 70s and 80s, there were many of us putting in 100 mile weeks and being just as serious about our running, while trying to achieve much lesser goals. (ie, sub 30 10k, 220 marathon, sub 14, 5k). As an old guy who is not 'out there' anymore; I am wondering from your topic: Are there not the serious 30-31 minute 10k guys in their late 20s, early 30s, out there anymore in most cities?

by your way of thinking, there would nobody but the first few people in any event, in any sport. I have a feeling that you quit alot of things in your life when things got tough.

What motivates all those 5+ HS milers? Alan Webb wasn't running that slow when he was their age. They should quite now because they have little chance of being the best.

What motivates a 40-something year old 18:xx 5K guy?

Some of these guys have been running 100 mile weeks for so long and were so good it doesn't take a full commitment to running to pull off these times.

Jim Carney, a former D2 runner, never broke 29:00 or 14:00 while in college. He's not on an Olympic team, but look at how much progress he's made. Some people want to see just how fast they can become.

Well said, 15:20 guy.

I'll only add this: Why should they quit and focus on a corporate career right away? They're 22 or 23 years old, if they want to spend the next three or four or five years chasing a dream, why not? How is that different than the tens of thousands of "actors" out there hoping for their big break while tending bar to pay the rent? If these 28:30 guys turn 28 and haven't achieved their dream, well, they can get a real job then, no harm done.

To the OP, you need to understand that running isn't about medals or sponsorships. It's about a personal journey. When you understand that, you'll understand a lot of other things, too.

move on with life? get a real job? do something productive for society? how many people that have a "real job" absolutely hate their lives? and by the way, most people (not all but most) that are working in the private sector are probably doing society more harm than good. chasing dreams, testing one's limits, truly experiencing things and not living vicariously through others; that's what it is all about (life that is).

observation wrote:

move on with life? get a real job? do something productive for society? how many people that have a "real job" absolutely hate their lives? and by the way, most people (not all but most) that are working in the private sector are probably doing society more harm than good. chasing dreams, testing one's limits, truly experiencing things and not living vicariously through others; that's what it is all about (life that is).

that is only because most people go into careers with this shitty negative attitude, or the fvck around until they're 30 thinking they'll land the perfect job eventually anyway. If these extremely motivated guys would work hard in school, look seriously into the possible career paths they would be happy pursuing, and apply themselves in the "real world," they would do well and make great contributions. Some of them certainly do, too. but many of the people who get all wrapped up in post-collegiate endurance athletics (and i know a good number like this), piss away years working shitty service jobs just so they can place 5th at some semi-elite road race where they take home almost enough to pay for a month of cheap groceries.

i'm all for dedication and focussing on goals. i do think one, MAYBE two years, off after college to pursue something other than your career is perfectly fine. but when some of these guys give up basically everything to train for 2+ years, it's stupid--a waste of time and energy that skews people's perceptions of what life is and makes them so self-centered they have a difficult time moving on.

also, you must be a complete idiot if you think most people working in the private sector are doing society more harm than good. i mean that on so many levels it's not even worth starting to explain how stupid a person must be to think that.

yepyep wrote:

but when some of these guys give up basically everything to train for 2+ years, it's stupid--a waste of time and energy that skews people's perceptions of what life is and makes them so self-centered they have a difficult time moving on.

How could anyone possibly have different values from me? There's no possible way that anyone could define "value to society" differently than I do. And it's entirely impossible to salvage anything from your wreckage of a life if you wait until you're 24 or 25 to pursue your first serious job. Therefore, it's stupid to pursue your dreams for even one minute after you graduate from college. So hurry! Extinguish your hopes and dreams and start contributing to society before it's too late!

A stupid waste of time is to sit in some cubicle like millions of other monkeys. I applaud these guys who go against the societal grain and follow their true passion. All of you weekend-warrior runners could only WISH you could follow your passions like that.

We should all live as though tomorrow is our last day on earth. Live free and right.