What motivates 28:30 post collegiates?

No, you're a "snot-nosed ivory tower-dweller" because that's what you've revealed yourself to be. I consider tRg to be similarly naive. I'm NOT the one "saying that people are wasting their lives if they don't go out and make a bunch of money." You have issues with reading comprehension if you saw that in anything I've written.

I'm not bitter. Why is it so hard for most people on Letsrun to properly execute tags like 'quote'?

Jibba Jabba wrote:

Well if it didn't drain you, perhaps you weren't run as hard as you should, and thus, why you were stuck at a "sub-elite" time.

Or perhaps I was running exactly as hard as I should and that's why I felt the way I did.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

If you have to ask the question, then you would never understand the answer. Best to move on with your life and leave the heavy lifting to those with the heart and soul for it.

So I guess the point here is that every marathoner except Haile G. should just quit.

who knows WHAT the point is from these losers. They were probably short on the work ethic and desire to run to the best of their ability so they are now trying to rationalize their failed careers by trying to degrade those who have stepped up and 'got it done.' By the way these losers think, Wejo sticking with it and running that great 10k at the end of his career was a 'waste of time'. Hey, news flash! 'They' are a waste of time.

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?

Interesting question, in a way.

I think you also address the letsrun classic "what defines a runner?" question, because a real runner knows exactly "what you're missing."

BOHICA wrote:

No, you're a "snot-nosed ivory tower-dweller" because that's what you've revealed yourself to be. I consider tRg to be similarly naive. I'm NOT the one "saying that people are wasting their lives if they don't go out and make a bunch of money." You have issues with reading comprehension if you saw that in anything I've written.

Thanks for the evidence. Can you explain WHY I am a "snot-nosed ivory tower-dweller" please. Also explain to me why you're better than me because you want to tell other people how to live their lives and I think they should pursue whatever career they want and when they want. What gives you the right to tell other people how they should live their lives. Could you please stop calling us names and answer the questions.

Ok, I'll admit that I didn't really read some of your older posts and didn't clearly get a picture of what side you're on in this argument BOHICA. I would still like to hear your opinion on groups like the Hansons and guys of that caliber postponing a "career" to continue to run relatively full-time (though those guys still need another job to get by). You can't fault me for getting a little angry and not reading your posts clearly when your first post in response to mine jumped right in and started attacking me and making assumptions about me when you know nothing about my situation.

BOHICA wrote:

notmissinganything wrote:

3) i do things that tangibly benefit society, which your type seems to think is impossible when you join the "normal" world

Back that sh!t up, go ahead and enumerate the things you do that you believe make a constructive contribution to society.

Judging by this post, I think we pretty much agree on this whole topic. I don't know why we need to be getting pissed at each other.

32 Matthew Downin New Balance 28:30.53

15 301 Jeffrey Gaudette unattached 28:47.18

16 726 Jeffrey Powers unattached 28:43.83

18 754 Sergio Reyes Asics Aggies 28:39.23

21 309 Patrick Gildea N Y A C 28:45.68

So these guys didnt make Nats? Maybe you should check before saying people who dont run faster then 28:30 dont make nats, cause Im pretty sure these five guys ran, and yes I know that Downin is more of a marathon runner now, but dont hate man.

I think the garbled messages with the screwed up quote tags (it's probably better to just blame the site admin for using such crap software for this board) led me to believe you said something that someone actually else said.

generally speaking, the kind of guy who starts a post like this is a lot slower than the runners he is mocking. I know he starts off with "not trying to be mean but..." , but actually he IS trying to be mean, just hiding it behind supposed 'curiosity'.

The simple answer is, unless youre a runner you will never understand. It's simply about trying to go as fast as you can while you can, and it goes all the way down. Down past the 28:30 runners that seem to amuse you until further than the 40 min runner trying to break 40 for the first time.

It doesnt always make sense though.

(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...[/quote]

You call yourself an American? Get the druggies out of the sport and we'll win again....Without drugs Lagat, Geb and El G. could not beat Liqouri, Ryan or Maree!

maybe they just LIKE running, ever think of that?

jeremiah wrote:

maybe they just LIKE running, ever think of that?

Thanks for making a substantive post. This thread has evolved into a series of juvenile attacks on other posters' intelligence. Maybe you've turned things around.

I think some folks here are confusing passion for running and 'trying to be the best you can be' with outright selfishness.

Let me go ahead and say that in MOST cases this does not apply. I do not agree with the OP in that these guys are all wasting their time. Some are though, and at the expense of their loved ones in many cases.

I ran collegiately and know many former competitors and some teammates that run post collegiate. Off hand, I can think of 2 cases where the guy moved across the country away from his wife to 'persue a dream'. Problem is, we are talking about a couple of guys that are in the 13:45 5k range and don't make enough money to support themselves. One of their marriages is on the rocks bigtime because of this.

The reality of these situations is that these guys aren't running any faster than they were in college, and they aren't going to. There's nothing noble about what they are doing, in cases like these it's just plain selfish, same as if I left my wife to move across the country to play Nintendo.

Good point that has largely been looked over in this unproductive thread. You better know what you are getting into before you go making too many responsibilities for yourself. You want to pursue the dream as a sub-elite? Don't go starting a family. Everything takes sacrifice, and by "pursuing the dream" you better be aware and willing to make other personal sacrifices in many cases.

I moved across the country, post college to pursue my dreams and run seriously for another 6 years with a high powered track club of the 70s and 80s....BUT my wife came with me. We are still in California and still married, 30 years later; with 3 kids that are totally Californians; not Missourians, like we were!