Is running the only sport where participants are content to dedicate their life in exchange for mediocre results?

you lack perspective. try cycling or swimming. way more hours.

even golf (to be good) is more hours.

jamin wrote:

Why am I content with spending 10-20 hours per week (all things considered) just to try and run a 4:20 mile and 15:00 5k? Why are others content with the same absurd ratio of work versus reward?

No. Running is one of the least time-consuming sports, because of the nature of athletic training. Skill sports like soccer and basketball are all about technique, so you can practice them 8 hours a day if you're dedicated enough. Sports like swimming and cycling are no-impact and you can put in 6+ hours a day of training. So if anything running is the only sport where you can do your best on 1-3 hours a day of training so if anything that is why recreational runners take it so seriously.

Golf requires an absurd amount of time per week just be able to not lose your bankroll when trying to eke out a living as a touring pro.

Hell, just getting to low single digit handicap requires dozens of hours a week.

jamin wrote:

Why am I content with spending 10-20 hours per week (all things considered) just to try and run a 4:20 mile and 15:00 5k?

I don't know. Because you hath no life?

There are many people who bowl several nights a week and many weekends. The same goes for people in softball leagues, golf leagues, etc. They know that they'll never go anywhere in the sport, but do it for the joy of participating. Sure, they never really do work outs to get any better, but they sure spend a lot of time and money at it. The same goes for 95% of people who enter road races.

For them, the ratio of reward vs. work is higher that most because they don't work that hard, but the reward of the joy of participating is very high.

I know plenty of people who devote their lives to golf, but couldn't beat a JV golfer from the local high school team.

jamin wrote:

Why am I content with spending 10-20 hours per week (all things considered) just to try and run a 4:20 mile and 15:00 5k?

Only you can answer that, grasshopper.

Golf, cycling, tennis, poker, are all bigger wastes of time yo

10-20 hours a week is hardly dedicating your life to anything much. But the answer is simple; because you like it. Any activity someone enjoys a lot can easily soak up that much or more time. I know musicians who've spent that, or very close to it, kinda time a DAY working on their chops.

Fwiw, 4:20/ mile or 15:00/5k is far from "mediocre".

Did it ever occur to you that most people run simply for the pure enjoyment of doing a healthy activity, or losing weight, or getting that runners high after a nice trail run, etc? Not everyone runs with the goal of one day going top 3 at the local turkey trot.

But you knew all of this. You're just trolling as usual.

Mo Ron wrote:

you lack perspective. try cycling or swimming. way more hours.

even golf (to be good) is more hours.

You've got a point

Running is fun.

jamin wrote:

Why am I content with spending 10-20 hours per week (all things considered) just to try and run a 4:20 mile and 15:00 5k? Why are others content with the same absurd ratio of work versus reward?

Enough of the faux self loathing already. You know you are pretty good and nobody looks down on you for trying to be good. Start a thread on tyrant parents administering corporal punishment or something.

If running is the worst thing you sink time into for mediocre results, consider yourself lucky. Many people put way more time into an unsatisfying career, family life, etc.

I love sinking time into running to be just okay at it. I did triathlons for a short period i was very competitive at small to medium races like I am with running. What I hated was how much time I had to spend a week on the sport. I cycle for transportation and fun now only. I love running because in the grand scheme of things it doesn't take up a lot of time to be average at it. Also lots of people dedicate time to becoming fat and lazy so who cares if someone sinks a lot of time into a sport to be okay at it. Better then being in the house watching tv and playing on your electronics.

I think for you the sport of trying to pick up a girlfriend is edging out running as far as dedication yielding mediocre results.

Captain Oblivious wrote:

I think for you the sport of trying to pick up a girlfriend is edging out running as far as dedication yielding mediocre results.

That feel when no gf ....

jamin wrote:

Captain Oblivious wrote:

I think for you the sport of trying to pick up a girlfriend is edging out running as far as dedication yielding mediocre results.

That feel when no gf ....

It's a great feeling. Monogamy is awful.

very true - the grass is always greener, can't blame jamin for feeling how he does.

lfk wrote:

jamin wrote:

That feel when no gf ....

It's a great feeling. Monogamy is awful.