Anyone else regret running D1 track?

I didn't run D1 and I don't regret that at all. I put my head down and took the 168 hours I needed to graduate in my engineering degree. Now I've got a great job, and average a 10% raise every year even in the down economy. Had I run, i could probably only handle 12 hrs/semester instead of 17, which would have meant at least another year of school. No thanks.

Plus, I still run for fun. Haven't burnt out yet.

Too much bitching on here from people who want it all:

"I want to have a wonderful training/competing experience."

"I want to have time to devote to academics and cultivate my future professional life."

"I want to have that social life that marks the college experience for so many."

There is a whole generation of people coming up who think they don't have to make difficult decisions...decisions that mean that some things will go un-pursued. You can have it all, you just can't have it all to the extent you want. Make choices. Make sacrifices. Grow up.

D3 is a wonderful experience if you are in the right program and are the right kind of person.

D1 is a wonderful experience if you are in the right program and you are the right kind of person.

Make choices carefully. Live with them and try not to get caught up on coulda/woulda.

adtrstq wrote:

Had I run, i could probably only handle 12 hrs/semester instead of 17, which would have meant at least another year of school. No thanks.

That may be true for some...especially at large schools. There were other engineering/science/math majors on my team and nobody took more than 4 years unless it was a joint bachelors/masters program. It was an excellent life lesson in time and stress management.

Regarding burn out--that definitely happens to a lot of the good collegiate runners. But I personally still run a lot and enjoy it at least as much as I did back then.

No, not really.

With my limited talent, had I gone to a D2 or D3 school I would most certainly had more opportunities to race and I believe ended up racing faster. As it was, I got a shot a couple/few of time per season. That didn't work for me.

What I did get was a very clear picture of my place in the running world as I was soundly pounded by at least one guy that went on to run a 2:08 marathon.

So... do I regret not being in a position to run 30-60 seconds faster over 5000 meters. You bet. I had it in me, but it was the low mileage 80s and I didnt know better.

Would it have changed my life... not one little bit. I got a great education. Loved my time there and my team.

Listen, runners work just as hard and tough as any other sport. Just because we are not knocking each others brains out or skillfully dribbling a ball with or hands or feet, does not mean we are not tough. I played soccer and I tried out basketball being that I am 6'6". The only sport I had passion for was running. And unless you can make us look like fools by doing what we do a whole lot better, I suggest you find somewhere else to comment.

Thanks for feeding the troll from 3 years ago.

As for the actual topic, I'm incredibly happy that I chose D3 over D2 or D1. With no scholarships attached to my running, I can do it solely because I love it. If academics need to take precedence at times, they can do that. If I stop loving running, I can quit and no money will go away.

tigrciti wrote:

Very much agreed. My biggest regret is choosing a big state school track scholarship instead of going to the best school I could get into.

However, I would not go to a D3 school, I would go to Princeton or Stanford if I could get in.

Running is over in a heartbeat, kids. The world is stratifying into elites and peasants--don't make peasant decisions.

So is life- is work all there is to your life and is youth the time to be middle aged

Maybe the op blaming your lack of success at work on his track career which actually had no effect. Others would use it to their advantage

I see this all the time, it is very common in DI. Most people want the DII/NAIA experience, but are led to believe the propaganda of DI. I wish more high school coaches knew the realities and could advise athletes appropriately. DI isn't all its cracked up to be.

Absolutely no way to I regret running in college. For 99% of us it is the highest level of competition in which we will ever be allowed to compete. You are truly racing your peers, not like HS where you knew that out of a field of 300 you were really racing about 8-10 guys, if that.

Does it take away time, yes. But there is no way you would spend that time studying or taking on an extra major or minor. And do not discount what you learned, experienced, the people you met and friends you made because you were on the team.

In reality you probably would have spent that time working a part time job so you'd have beer money or you'd join a frat. So yeah, trade in being a D1 athlete to work in the mall, or flip burgers or hang with kappa kappa kappa.

I only half regret running D1. I was always injured, so never amounted to anything. I quit after the third year to focus on school. I'm glad I did as I got a great job the week after graduation. That was twelve years ago.

Being part of the D1 team did teach me a level of professionalism that carried over into my career. I am thankful for that.

But, my time could have easily been spent elsewhere such as club sports teams, intramural sports, and GASP, even the running club on campus. It would have been almost as fulfilling, while saving more time for class. I could even schedule some 3:30 classes, as I wouldn't have to be at practice everyday!

The people I met outside of Track/XC I ended up being closer with anyways. I'm still friends with many of them today, while I rarely talk to teammates anymore. You can find good people anywhere on campus, they don't necessarily have to be serious runners. My best friend from college just ran his first 5k a few weeks ago, in 28 minutes! One of the best people I have ever met, anywhere in the world.

If I had to do it again, I would probably just skip D1 Track/XC altogether, and double down on getting involved in my major.

Lots of good and varied perspectives and food for thought in this thread. However in this debate and decision process, in which I have years of experience with student-athletes, two points consistently stand out:

1) Don't assume anything.

If you're a top hs runner, don't assume you have to or should run D1. If you're a decent hs runner, don't assume you can't run D1. If you're an excellent student, don't assume running D1 will hurt you academically or professionally. Take time to think it through. Talk to people -- lots of people with different perspectives. Look at, and really investigate and consider, a wide range of schools, running programs, and coaches. More often than not, the people who regret their choices are those who failed to honestly consider a wide range of options in the first place.

2) Regardless of how good a hs runner you may be, don't fail to seriously consider the D3 route. D3 is a huge field with a huge range. Unless you're legitimately looking to make a national team before you finish college, you can find plenty of competition in D3 if you look at the right programs and conferences. Of course there are exceptions, but in general the coaches are better, they care more about the individual student-athlete, the injury rate is lower and the recovery rate is higher, and the frustration factor is much lower. And just as there is a huge range of programs, there is also a huge range of schools. Choosing D3 doesn't have to mean you'll be going to a small liberal arts college and coming out with a worthless degree that won't get you any job interviews.

Bottom line -- As a 16 or 17 year old high school junior, this is the most important decision you will have made in your life, up to this point. Don't make it in a haphazard or lazy way. Think. Do your homework. It will be well worth it.

wish i hadn't run at university in a way. i mean at all.

There's no way I would trade in running in college. I guess if you chose an easier major because you were going to be running, then yeah I can see regrets, but then you let the system use you instead of using the system.

tigrciti wrote:

The world is stratifying into elites and peasants--don't make peasant decisions.

Sadly I agree with this. The middle class is being decimated.