It's like surfing....If you don't understand intrinsically what motivates them, no one can explain it to you.
It's like surfing....If you don't understand intrinsically what motivates them, no one can explain it to you.
Wait, so now it's pointless to keep running if you are a 28:30 guy?!?!? Wow. There are plenty of 38:30 (and even 48:30) guys that still find it worthwhile to work hard at running, and you are questioning the logic of a 28:30 guy doing it??? Again, wow. Look, if you were once a 27:30 guy, and can now "only muster" 28:30, sure, you might want to hang it up I guess if it bums you out that you have fallen from the top of the US heap. But if you were a 30:30 guy, then a 29:30 guy recently, and now are down to 28:30, even if you feel that that is your ceiling, having made such incredible improvements and now reached a real elite status, of course you would want to keep running fast and enjoying it.
Most people would cut of their left arm to run 28:30. Actually, I would wager that there would be several people who would LITERALLY do that. You could win soooo many fairly big road races and win a lot of prize $ with 28:30 credentials. Why wouldn't you keep working at it???
(oh wait, is the another troll??)
10 years ago 28:30 was good. Now it won't even make the trials. If you haven't run under 28:00 going into the trials, then you are far better off bumping up to the marathon.
How many people out there work tons and make tons of amoney but their big job does nothing to benefit society?
I'm not sure what we were put on this planet for, but it certainly wasn't to make a living. "George Sheehan"
I have a feeling that you are 'one angry dude', who never ran even close to any decent times, so now you are bowing out of running and racing with a cheap shot designed to take down those much better than you, so as to try and make them feel bad, because.....misery loves company! Nice try, but it won't work.
Because real life sucks.
if you have to ask, then you'd never get it. Just move along with your life son.
Sir Lance-alot wrote:
Wait, so now it's pointless to keep running if you are a 28:30 guy?!?!? Wow. There are plenty of 38:30 (and even 48:30) guys that still find it worthwhile to work hard at running, and you are questioning the logic of a 28:30 guy doing it??? Again, wow.
are you as big of a moron as you make yourself out to be? the op was talking about the running geeks who give everything up to run 120mpw and achieve sub-elite times. not people with real lives who happen to run hard as a hobby.
yepyep wrote:
are you as big of a moron as you make yourself out to be? the op was talking about the running geeks who give everything up to run 120mpw and achieve sub-elite times. not people with real lives who happen to run hard as a hobby.
Only a moron would think one needs to "give up everything" to run 120 mpw. The rest of us call it "time management".
a tip of the hat to them wrote:
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?
I am not being a sarcastic jerk, but being genuine and candid: NO, there aren't the 30-31 min 10k'er out there anymore ... at least not in the numbers that there was in the 70's and 80's. There are a lot of reasons for that, that have been discussed ad infinitum before.
The 28:30 guys are motivated by the fact that every 27:30 guy used to be a 28:30 guy.
yepyep wrote:
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.
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?
notmissinganything wrote:
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...
Although I'm assuming the OP is trolling considering what passionate, emotional and angered responses he/she knew they'd get, I'll go ahead and pipe in since the discussion has begun.
I'm a 31 min. guy on the roads, mid/high 14 guy on the track. Right now, considering my fitness and workouts, mid 30s and sub 14:30 on the track this winter and spring is looking very reasonable. Two and a half years ago when I was still in college, these times seemed impossible to me. There is no amount of money, no amount of alternative career "success", no missed opportunity for a relationship that I would trade for what the last few years of running and PRs and won races have meant to me. And really, even those successes wouldn't have been worth it if the journey hadn't have been filled with amazing people to help along the way, putting in thousands of miles along blazing hot dirt roads, breathtaking mountain trails, and snow covered forest trails.
In the end, I suppose everyone needs meaning and a challenge to discover that meaning. Some people find that in a traditional career making money and saving for retirement, some may find that in intimate relationships or family. Some find that in religion. I am dirt poor, have no intention of any serious relationship in the foreseeable future, and it's pretty clear that there is no god. So I get my meaning, my sense of worth from running and the experiences and people associate with it.
I suppose some may see that as pathetic, but I could not imagine deriving any worth or higher meaning out of working 60 plus hour weeks in an office making money that I really have no use for, being married with kids which only complicates things much more than necessary, or going to Church every Sunday and telling everyone else they should believe what I do. For some people that works, but not everyone.
I know some may assume people such as myself are not "getting on with life" and "growing up." But I have found that is all relative. There is no black and white, right or wrong. I have no need to get on with life because I'm living mine more happily and more successfuly than I could have hoped for a few years ago.
There may very well be a time and place for all the rest life has to "offer" (overrated in my view), but none of it is worth sacrificing my current meaning right now.
As far as contributing to the world and becoming a productive membe of society -- I don't see much left to contribut to. It's over, it's already on its way down. I'm having a good time stepping aside and watching it burn. Yeah, I know what that sounds like, but most of the time I'm really not that cynical. I just know I'm not missing out on much.
How do you pay the bills?
Red neck Track Club wrote:
Specifically the guys that don't run a marathon?
I agree with this point. If you are over 25 years old and are still focusing on the 10k and you have never broken 28:30, you are probably spinning your wheels. The marathon has money for sub 2:16 guys which most 28:30 guys can run. There is no money for a 28:30 guy. There are 3-5 guys graduating every year that are better than that and there are 20 americans ahead of that now.
I'd imagine you could win quite a few road races and win quite some change running 28:30, 29:30 or even 30:30. Not enough to live on, but enough to make more than you spend (travel or hotel).
Alan
notmissinganything wrote:
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...
What makes you any better than guys like this anyway? Because you are doing what is "normal in society"? You just sound like an arrogant prick. Yeah, we really need a few more people that skip out on their dreams to work at a job that they hate for the rest of their life. Give me a break.
yepyep wrote:
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.
YOU think it's stupid. Obviously they don't think it's stupid and don't think it's a waste of their lives. It's sounds like you just want to control other people's lives. Why does it bother you so much that other people want to do what makes THEM happy?
peak wrote:
yepyep wrote:are you as big of a moron as you make yourself out to be? the op was talking about the running geeks who give everything up to run 120mpw and achieve sub-elite times. not people with real lives who happen to run hard as a hobby.
Only a moron would think one needs to "give up everything" to run 120 mpw. The rest of us call it "time management".
i have run 100mpw while working. it drains you, puts a strain on your social life, and makes you tired at work.
people can say what they will, but the OP was obviously referring to the guys who basically give up everything to run sub-elite times.
that is a waste after a couple years.
to all those who claim life sucks outside of running:
grow up and move on.
yepyep wrote:
... If these extremely motivated guys ... they would do well and make great contributions. ... 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 ...
So your position is that everyone who works a shitty service job is not contributing to society?
How do I know if my shitty job is contributing to society?
Is there a salary threshold? Does my shitty teaching job contribute to society?
what motivates.... wrote:
What makes you any better than guys like this anyway? Because you are doing what is "normal in society"? You just sound like an arrogant prick. Yeah, we really need a few more people that skip out on their dreams to work at a job that they hate for the rest of their life. Give me a break.
what makes me better than guys like YOU at least:
1) my life doesn't suck without running
2) i don't hate my job
3) i do things that tangibly benefit society, which your type seems to think is impossible when you join the "normal" world
4) i'm not a whiny little running douchebag
5) i'm still probably faster than you, and i don't have to give up anything to do it