Why don't people understand you don't have to be on a team in order to run?

Well, if you have/had a coach like my college coach, you're better off on your own. I never left the team, but quit running after college. After over a year off, I decided to start running again on my own. Within a year, I had set new prs for everything above 2 miles. As long as you examine things objectively (and you may want to at least consult with someone with long-time coaching esperience to maintain objectivity) then there's no reason you can't train yourself.

i completely agree. I was running at a mediocre d1 school with a mediocre coach. End of soph. year, i decided to go it alone. Because of that decision, I could train when i wanted, how i wanted, and i could choose my races, and actually had more motivation. Also, because of that decision, I'm graduating a semester early and have set several respectable PBs in the last year. Most folks that have a preset assumption that if you're not running for a school, you must not be good enough. Completely wrong, and unfounded. I'll argue any day that the college running scene is part of the american distance problem.

i also second what the other guy said. if you haven't already, find someone that can give you a knowledgeable, objective opinion. i think that has helped me the most in making the tweaks and changes necessary for progression.

You'll probably end up like most of the other runners who have quit their college teams to train on their own. They are really amped for a few months and put in some great training. They might even have a few great races. But when the honeymoon period ends and the times get tough, they fall by the wayside. The daily grind of heading out for runs on your own will get to you. I guarantee it.

Most people are shocked by your decision because it doesn't seem like a well thought-out plan. So you attend college and you run. There's a team at the college for people who enjoy running. Instead of running for the college with a group of like-minded individuals and having things like travel, meet entry, and medical expenses paid for, you strike out on your own. Let me guess: you probably think the coach is an idiot, right? And you probably think you know a ton more than he does, right?

I do not necessarily agree that the OP will quit running in a few months. I did the same thing, and that was two years ago. Ever since then I have set PR after PR, breaking them every year. I have never felt better about my running, but then again it is something that I enjoy very much.

By the way, I understand that most people do, in fact, quit running when they do not have a team to run with consistently. I have experienced this first hand. It is a real shame.

Oh, I also got the same initial treatment from people when I told them I was not running for my school anymore. Yet, as I began to win more and more races and set PRs, they all cahnged their views.

I could never do what you guys do. I actually tried it. I was out of college eligibility and in my last year of grad school. But I still had time to run and I wanted to train for some races. But people thought I was nuts. They told me to join their intramural basketball team or summer softball team. Finally after a couple months I quit because running became such a meaningless self serving pursuit. What was I trying to prove? Who was I serving by training and showing up to races with no affiliation whatsoever. I was just this face in the crowd. Granted I was running track meets where mostly college guys ran and that made it ever more awkward. If you are talking about 10 k's and marathons where you find a lot of adults the more power to you. I wish I was a long distance rather than middle distance guy I would have a lot more to run for post college.

You made the right move for yourself !!!

You do not need to be on a team to run well...Good Luck.

"people" don't care about the athletes competing for the college teams what makes you think they should care about a student who is running unaffiliated? If you're satisfied with your running and the choices you made great if you are looking to use running as some platform for popularity or athletic ability then you will come up short. Keep training have some good races and certain people will notice. Also not exactly how far your racing schedule goes into the normal college racing season, but keep in mind that even if u run faster than some of the athletes on the team during the season you will get the same type of remarks "well they are just training through small meets preparing for championship dates". Run for yourself and stop caring what people think

Haha, you won a Turkey Trot and brag about it. I don't know anybody who has ever competitively raced a turkey trot, and I have run a few turkey trots with Olympians. Yes, even the Olympians didn't win the Turkey Trot, even though they could have dropped everybody by mile #1.

You are really missing out on a great thing. Other than true elite WC/Oly competiton, college XC and track is where the real running takes place. To give that up to go race a bunch of 40 year old office workers at the local 5k road race is crazy.

My story is somewhat similar to yours. I actually got to college as a non runner and picked it back up my freshman year. After a year of running on my own I tried out for the team and made it. Ran with them for a year and decided running on my own was way better. I like the high mileage marathon and half marathon training and race distances and you just don't get that option in school on a team. Well now it's 3 years later and I'm running harder than ever. PR'd at every distance and am hoping to make the next OT's. If the love and focus is there don't worry about it. Go out and run and stop caring who your impressing. Really...who cares? Just run...

run for yourself. it is really sad how people stop running after they are no longer on a team. from high school i can think of one teammate who still runs but he is a pro runner. and from college only probably one or two other people besides me but they barely run. most teammates from college quit running as soon as college ended.

@go run,

running not on a team is not a selfish pursuit. thats completely ridiculous. how is doing something you love and trying to be the best you can be at it selfish and meaningless?

love the run wrote:

run for yourself. it is really sad how people stop running after they are no longer on a team. from high school i can think of one teammate who still runs but he is a pro runner. and from college only probably one or two other people besides me but they barely run. most teammates from college quit running as soon as college ended.

@go run,

running not on a team is not a selfish pursuit. thats completely ridiculous. how is doing something you love and trying to be the best you can be at it selfish and meaningless?

Like I said I was an 800 meter specialist showing up at college invitationals. I was that guy that was always unnattached. Its different if you run 10k and marathon distances. But anyways the running I was doing was not helping me or anybody else in any way shape or form. It meant less because I had nobody to share goals or accomplishments with. Therefore I decided it was time to give back and started as a volunteer assistant at my old high school.