Running bums: Sad or Admirable?

Hodgie-san wrote:

"I wanted to be a distance god. There. I said it. I would've broken out of the lead pack and surged away, thrown down some impossible splits, devastated the elites as I stretched my lead, merciless, alone...almost floating. The field would've strung out and withered behind me as I burned and buried the best runners on the face of the planet. I would've become immortal. Was that too much to ask? See, running consumed me—sometimes like love, sometimes like cancer."

http://www.amazon.com/Wannabe-Distance-God-Passion-Running/dp/1479118834#reader_1479118834

Tim Tays? I remember racing against him over thirty years ago. I may have to check out his book.

Bob, I suppose you went through this phase, but you quickly became too good to be considered a "running bum" (although some people probably wondered when you were going to get this "running thing" out of your system so that you would get a real job).

Hey Avocado, it is a good read, check it out. What was enjoyable and helpful to me as a young runner was the great group of runners I became friends with who all had the same goals I had.

This guy missed qualifying for the Olympic Trials by one second. He quit his post-collegiate job and works at a running store, so its sounds similar to the "bum" lifestyle mentioned here.

Brian Pope is the running bum who never grew up.

I'll never understand that early retirement thing.

You'll end up mentally dead much earlier than someone who is actually challenged.

Early retirement is like being buried alive.

I am going to switch careers at 60!

I have been a lifelong "fitness bum", and it has been an incredible ride that is nowhere near over well into my fifties. Of course I also have worked plenty, enough to have a decent nest egg.

As far as running, I am puzzled why more guys who graduate college at say, the 14:00/29:00 level don't take a "Frank Shorter Year" and just go somewhere cool (Mts) and see where a ton of great training can take them. I guess most of the guys at even that level have the fire and desire drained from them by the time they graduate. THAT is what is sad to me.

Now, off for a pleasant, hilly nine miles on a sunny afternoon, running free and however fast or slow I feel....

foobar___ wrote:

I'll never understand that early retirement thing.

You'll end up mentally dead much earlier than someone who is actually challenged.

Early retirement is like being buried alive.

I am going to switch careers at 60!

In favor of early retirement:

foobar___ wrote:

I'll never understand that early retirement thing.

You'll end up mentally dead much earlier than someone who is actually challenged.

Early retirement is like being buried alive.

I am going to switch careers at 60!

I have a lot of hobbies and interests. I don't have time to pursue them all now. Once retired, I can devote more attention to those things.

I'll go insane if I work past 55. I've been working since I was 15, had three jobs to put myself through college, worked full time and put myself through gad school, and have been "out of work" a total of two weeks since I was 15 (and that was when I moved out of state to go grad school). At 55, I'll have put in 40 years, nearly 35 of them at full time or more....that's enough.

Hodgie-san wrote:

Hey Avocado, it is a good read, check it out. What was enjoyable and helpful to me as a young runner was the great group of runners I became friends with who all had the same goals I had.

http://www.bunnhill.com/BobHodge/Articles/GBTC.htm

I've already ordered it, to be delivered on my doorstep on Friday. (I love amazon.)

I remember when you were at the University of Lowell (as I recall, you always took the pace out really hard in cross-country races), and I remember standing on the side of the road when you came by in third place at Boston in 1979. And you're right. The GBTC had so many good runners back then, all committed to doing one thing really well.

hear me out bro wrote:

What's sad is 3+ hour marathoners living the running bum lifestyle into their 30s.

You mean working in a shoe store?

Ole Timer wrote:

I'll go insane if I work past 55. I've been working since I was 15, had three jobs to put myself through college, worked full time and put myself through gad school, and have been "out of work" a total of two weeks since I was 15 (and that was when I moved out of state to go grad school). At 55, I'll have put in 40 years, nearly 35 of them at full time or more....that's enough.

What kind of work are you talking about? If I had to punch a clock or show in the same office everyday past 55 I would go insane too. As a consultant I don't have any plans to retire. I can work on my own schedule and where I want. I get paid to travel to cool locations (Sydney, London, etc.) and stay in nice hotels on my client's dime. My work is intellectually stimulating. I have all the time to hike/run, etc. that I want. Why give up the perks and income from working?

Having said all that, if I had spent my 20s and 30s running instead of focusing on education and career I probably would not have the options I have today.

garalbc wrote:

What kind of work are you talking about?

I dig ditches and clean sewer pipes for a living. It's hard, honest work.

Ole Timer wrote:

garalbc wrote:

What kind of work are you talking about?

I dig ditches and clean sewer pipes for a living. It's hard, honest work.

Point taken.

James Harden wrote:

Going by the simplistic (yet accurate) '10,000 Hours' rule, .

Um, ever heard of Dennis Kimetto?

1:09 half and 2:25 marathon, there is NO hope. 1:06 maybe. But how much worst can their lives be compared to other college grads? Maybe 2 years max. If they're not getting sponsored by then, time to start real life.

A lot of these running bums are in Boulder Colorado.

I have a full-time job and run 50-60 miles per week and am now in my best shape ever. I routinely beat near top level runners who people think that I should have no business beating (when comparing mileage). I ran 70-80 miles a week before while in school and all that did was leave me burned out. I sometimes find it hilarious looking at results, where I beat guys who take this shit so seriously, while I could not give less of a flying fcuk at all. Bottom line here is that it's easy to balance and full-time career with running.

A lot of guys who run well but have no delusions of being Olympian or pro are going to cherish memories of their running in their late 20s or early 30s moreso than they're ever going to cherish memories of being, like, an accountant.

ChewSkoalNDip wrote:

I have a full-time job and run 50-60 miles per week and am now in my best shape ever. I routinely beat near top level runners who people think that I should have no business beating (when comparing mileage). I ran 70-80 miles a week before while in school and all that did was leave me burned out. I sometimes find it hilarious looking at results, where I beat guys who take this shit so seriously, while I could not give less of a flying fcuk at all. Bottom line here is that it's easy to balance and full-time career with running.

Cool story, bro