hardset nipples wrote:
Personal excellence is its own reward, should I be surprised that this wouldn't occur to you? What compelled "the 85 fastest guy at New York" [sic] 27 years ago that is so irrelevant today?
Yes it does occur to me, and if you don't understand the differences between now and 27 years ago I certainly don't have the time to explain it to you.
Personal excellence can get obtained through many avenues besides running. Look at the typical comments here on Letrun. The 85th fastest guy is the 84th loser. How much satisfaction do you get from an accomplishment that most of your acquaintances don't understand enough to appreciate, and even those inside the sport deride as something you should have worked harder at?
Getting a 2:20 isn't something you just walk out the door and do, it's not a 16 week training plan. Today people have the choice of putting in an extra couple hours at work, spending that extra couple hours with their family, or maybe honing that golf game.
They could also choose to go run in "booty shorts" or "fag tights" for a couple hours a day for a few years just to have anonymous jerk-wads call them a slacker for not beating the Africans. They could turn down those late afternoon meetings and working breakfasts. I'm sure their bosses will understand how important running is and not place them at the top of the lay-off list. They can explain to their girlfriends how they can't go out clubbing tonight because they have to get in 8 before work, or they explain to their wives how they're too tired after the long run to clean out the garage, and of course explain to everyone why you don't have kids yet.
So explain to me again exactly why you don't think the general population doesn't look at a sub 2:20 as the ultimate means of obtaining personal excellence.