...who don't work hard and still kick my butt. We've got a guy on our college team who rarely trains outside of practice and doens't even like to run, but he's got a full ride cause he's fast. It frustrates me to no end. It's not that he's fast that bothers me, but that he could be so much better. He just doesn't care. I wish I could take his talent and give to other guys on our team who love to run and train thier butts off.
Do you think those guys would work as hard if they had that guys talent?
Talent only gets you so far. And i feel you. I have had teammates like this before i just busted my ass and eventually ran faster. Just do your thing, you will catch him sooner or later i am sure.
I hear you. In high school, we had a sprinter who won the state 100m and 200m sprints, but didn't do a damn thing in or out of practice. He ran 10.93 to win state as a freshman, 10.79 to win as a sophomore, then quit cause he couldn't hack it. That 10.79 is on raw talent, he never worked in practice. He could have been amazing, gone to any school he wanted, but dropped track because he couldn't hack it, giving some BS story about how he had to be there for his grandma.
Yet the papers glorified him. They ate him up, everything this guy did, you heard about it. He went to visit his grandma, it was in the paper. He took a shit, it was in the paper. But then he quit, and didn't go anywhere. Still lives in the same town. The rest of us who actually worked our tails off despised him for what he gave up. I have respect for his speed, but none for his character.
I wonder how many coulda-been's there are out there like this.
Plenty of talented runners never set foot on the track and that is entirely their perogative. Why do you hate him for not wanting to run. I could have been a great janitor but I chose not to be. Should other janitors hate me because I decided to do something else with my life. It's his life and he should be able to spend his recreational time as he pleases. Maybe we are assessing character based on the wrong attributes.
A runner is the same as a janitor?
essentially
I agree 100%.
And to the OP, you should (as corny as this sounds) derive satisfaction from the work you put into your running more so than the results.
Personally I find running to be more about those early morning spring runs in the rockies watching the sun rise at the peak of a mountain more so than the racing itself...
Great janitors don't make millions of dollars or win Olympic medals. This guy had enough talent for at least one or the other. Not to mention that he was a phenomenal football player, completely unstoppable at the high school level. He gave up everything because he was lazy - now he lives in a trailer park, maybe even trying his hand at the janitorial profession.
Why Do You Care wrote:
Maybe we are assessing character based on the wrong attributes.
No, I knew him and his "attributes." He was an ass. I merely despise him, anyway, who said anything about hate?
Kind of too bad not to honor the great janitors.... They're often the unsung heroes, putting up with a lot of abuse and getting little thanks....
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But setting that aside for now, as another non-talented runner, I decided that loving the workouts and runs in and of themselves is a kind of compensation. Sure, I'd love to have the talent too, but since I don't, and I continue to go at it at a not so young age, I might as well reap the benefits I can get from the sport. There are pretty speedy women in their fifties whom I envy and think how cool it would be to run as well as they do, and yet if I let it get to me, I forget what matters to me: that I can do this and enjoy it. There are those who might envy me that I'm able to run at all. So it's all relative. Enjoy what you have. Give it your best. And who knows, maybe if your team-mate keeps resting on his laurels, you'll eventually catch him, and won't that be satisfying! :)
Hate is such a waste of time. Run for your own reasons. Only a handful will ever be able to do this professionally so there is no reason to be jealous of other peoples apparent talent.
I used to go to the gym everyday with the purpose of getting ripped muscles. Fifteen years later I realized that it's never going to happen for me. I saw many a person who would get strong and muscular in just a few months whereas I never gained a single pound. I lift now for fitness and run for competition.
How old are you?
As you get older (and maybe more mature) you should try to eliminate the word "Fair" from your vocabulary. You'll live a much happier life, trust me. You can run, you run on a team, you are lucky. Every night, think about all the things you are lucky for. It's a much better place to live.
Ooops, just saw that you never used the word "fair" it was just the tone.
Again, just live your life and feel bad for the talented runner because he lacks passion.
That's just the way it is, some people have it, others don't. Don't stress out about it, just accept reality.
I know someone just like the person you are explaining at your college. Exactly the same situation... they don't really 'care' about it and just go out there and run with this talent.
But I work hard everyday, love this sport... it's my passion.. and just because they can run faster with a little talent... they don't have that work ethic that will get you to the next step. Keep plugging along and if you really love it and work for it, your results can and most likely will surpass theirs.
I know I have been guilty of feeling that way before, but it's a waste of time. Look at it this way: if you are truly maxing out your potential, then it will be very hard for someone to beat you unless they are trying hard too. I think if someone devotes themselves to a particular distance for a period of at least 4 years, then they should hit 2:00/4:24/15:20/32:00 depending on where his specialty lies. Any of those times are going to take at little bit of training. So basically it comes down to either you not working hard enough to have earned the right to gripe, OR more likely the naturally talented runner actually does work harder than you, or else he has better habits in terms of sleep, diet, activity throughout the day.
Just keep working. We had a guy that was super talented but arrogant and tried to show off in workouts. Anyway, he was supposed to be are number one guy and I was number seven and I beat him by 20 seconds at xc nationals. I also scored more point then him in indoor and outdoor conferences. He transfered to another school at the end of the year became a nobody.
why?
they looove you. runners like you are the ones that make them look good.
I will never forget this story related to a conversation between a talented, but lazy as hell teammate and a zealous, young coach of mine in college:
Coach: You're ready for Penn Relays?
Teammate: What? What is that?
Coach: (now smiling) It's a big race up in Philadelphia; I signed you up for the 5k.
Teammate: What? Why you do that?
Coach: You've been training right? There's nothing to worry about. (with a bit of sarcasm; he knew the guy was running no more than 20 miles a week and was trying to get a reason to ship him back to Kenya or take his scholarship and let him quit/transfer)
Teammate: So when's the race?
Coach: 2 weeks.
Teammate: Okay; I'll be ready.
Results: 14:12 5k.
That was the first time in my life where I was excited for a friend, but at the same time wanted to kick his butt for not trying/training harder. Anyone from Butler University would know exactly who I'm talking about.
no so talented wrote:
...who don't work hard and still kick my butt. We've got a guy on our college team who rarely trains outside of practice and doens't even like to run, but he's got a full ride cause he's fast. It frustrates me to no end. It's not that he's fast that bothers me, but that he could be so much better. He just doesn't care. I wish I could take his talent and give to other guys on our team who love to run and train thier butts off.
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running is forever. I'm much older than you, and the talented runners from my college xc team are not even able to stay with me on a training run now. College is only 4 years. if you continue to work hard you will supass them and be much better for many years.