Why do non-runners constantly disrespect running??

The OP could outrun me. He would have to because I could crush his skull.

His small-minded arrogance goes a way to explaining why some runners--not all--may get little respect.

true for everything wrote:

This is a true human phenomena for almost any activity, sport or job. It's because most people aren't that bright, are lazy and they aren't able to see themselves clearly. People underestimate the difficulty of most things and assume they could do them to if they wanted to, all they'd have to do is "put a bit of effort into it". It's a self defense mechanism for lazy and stupid - thinking they are merely underachievers - pretending if they cared enough they could do it. The alternative is admitting that they aren't good enough, even if they tried. It's also getting worse as we reward every child with a trophy/medal for everyone, don't fail anyone etc. It's become a crime to tell a kid the sun doesn't shine out of his/her ass for every thing they do.

+100000

You could not be more right. I absolutely cannot stand people always yapping about how smart and athletic they are but are just "too lazy for AP classes and organized sports." Refusing to accept how incapable they really are, they bombard everyone with excuses to support their own egos. Absolutely pathetic. Anyone can say "I would but I'm too lazy." Its all about effort. Grow some sack and do it.

I remember playing flag football in college and this guy I was guarding would say things like, "Dude, you're so lucky my quarterback can't throw. Otherwise I would have gone all the way. I had you beat." One day I was watching a local track meet and I saw that flag football kid competing!! I couldn't wait to see him "blow everyone away." Kid does the 3200 in low 11s. I taunted him every lap. This guy had such a big ego and ran like a middle schooler.

It's cause most non-runners don't care about running. And they are probably thinking of Michael Cera's character in Juno, when you say you are a runner.

God damn Micheal Cera.

What does a 3200 meter time have to do with sprinting across a football field?????

ahem wrote:

Well if they annoy you so much, challenge them to a race.

What about disabled folks? Should they just grow a sack and go out and attempt to run a 31:00 10K?

getoutofherebro wrote:

Whenever it comes up that I'm on the XC team [...] more than half of them say "Oh I've been running a lot and thinking about joining the team too!"

I think there are a couple different things going on here. In part it's just people having an inflated sense of what they are capable of, which can come across as a lack of respect for the hard work and accomplishments of others. Like others have mentioned, this doesn't just happen with running, it happens with basically everything from academic accomplishments, to career accomplishments, to athletic accomplishments.

But another thing is that running is an activity that tons of people participate in at some level. They are probably looking for common ground to relate to you during the conversation, and they don't think of running as a particularly high-status activity that would be socially over-reaching to link themselves to. So when they hear that you are on the team their reaction is like 'cool, he runs, I run too, that is common ground between us'. Most people probably aren't downplaying your accomplishments intentionally as much seeking common ground.

I agree. The OP let his persecution complex show through big time. If we would just run and ignore the critics of our sport, they might just respect us more. However, far too many in our community do not cease whining all the time about other sports and how bad we have it. Just let it go, guys. The other sports are what they are and our sport is what it is.

They are thinking of joining the team? You mean the IM jogging squad. Don't Mr. or Ms. Moron realize you can't just walk on and join the athletics squad like it's the law club?

More importantly, why do you care what an obvious delusional moron fantasizes about? Next time someone says something like that say "Wow.. that's a great idea the team could use some awesome fresh talent. I got a stopwatch here on my wrist. Let's do a prelim time trial right now."

I was a decent runner in hs and college 35 years ago (440)50.1, (880) 1:52.3 4:11.5..(5K)14:48).. Guys on my dorm floor ALWAYS wanted to either race mano to mano, or talk some pretty serious bs. Racing meant from "here to that pole". Once I told a guy who swore he could run "about 20 seconds" in the 220 (yards) that if he ran under 23 seconds I would give him $1,000 immediately. I didn't have the money but it was a no brainer. That time trial never happened.

or I got this chestnut... "you run the mile? That's not very far".

Your dealing with serious levels of running retardation. Better example of this is all the super fast football 40 types. I always make fun of their alleged 4.3 times. My college coach held the 60 yd. American record for about 3 months back in the 50's, legit, but all the coaches on staff used to make fun of his record (hurricane tail wind, downhill, short course, blind timer. FAT, fully antique timing and so on) So if they can make fun of a real coach who was All American fast, then you can certainly poke the inflated air out of a dorm party big mouth.

jx

Logically, people disrespect runners more than running and here is why:A> Many runners are likely to overestimate their status or position within the real world when it comes to advice. What do I mean by this? If you try to get someone interested in running, then show support for their efforts. Calling them "hobby jogger" or a "fatty" or what have you does not do running justice and it creates the wall that exists.B> Everyone has a plan. The problem with runners in regard to those who don't run is that these "plans" work for you. Again, they work for -you-. If you try to railroad your plan to people, many will not listen.C> Many runners do not respect road laws. I could say the same about cyclists, but that is off-topic. I have seen many runners cross against traffic or against lights as if they were playing frogger with their life as the score.Why? Those extra seconds aren't really going to matter. If I am doing a 7 mile training run and I have to wait at 2 lights for a total of 2:30 and my overall time is in the vicinity of 53-58 minutes? then my 50:30 or 55:30 of actual running is only a difference of 21+ seconds per mile lost on lights. Life is better than 21 seconds per mile.D> Runners are always changing the playing field. This is probably the biggest reason why people are not respectful to many runners. If they run a 26 minute 5K, then they are asked why they couldn't run a 24 or a 23? If they dropped to 200 pounds on a 6'0" frame, for instance, they are asked why they couldn't get to 185. Runners, especially on the web, seem to never let anyone be pleased with themselves.Ergo, the reason why many non-runners disrespect running is because many runners do not exactly respect society. This is farther evident from some of the past marathons I have run, especially in San Diego, my hometown, where some marathoners completely disrespected one of the military-based buildings downtown by peeing in their bushes because (they couldn't wait??!!)I will continue to wait at lights and respect buildings, and run my piddly 19 and 20 minute 5Ks, etc etc as long as I, as a runner, don't interfere with society. I entreat others to do the same. We aren't better than anyone else. Some may be quicker. Great. Be quicker. Some may be slower. Great. Be slower. But respect running yourself so that people realize we're not that bad as runners.Thanks

getoutofherebro wrote:

True story....100% not a troll.

I run on a division 1 team. We aren't national caliber or top of the nation or anything, but we still have a lot of really fast guy and gals just like almost any other college team. However, whenever it comes up that I'm on the XC team in conversation with anyone (not just girls or guys) they always respond like it's "cute." Then more than half of them say something along the lines of "Oh I've been running a lot and thinking about joining the team too!" I SLAVED for 4 years to earn a spot on this team that isn't even that good comparitively in college. I ran some quick times in highschool and still am only a walk on and this hobby jogging bench maxing dvche thinks he is as good as me???

Someone please explain this!!!

S. Hawking wrote:

Do you hear disabled folks saying "I would, but I'm too lazy??" Yeah, me neither.

What about disabled folks? Should they just grow a sack and go out and attempt to run a 31:00 10K?

kod3200 wrote:

+100000

You could not be more right. I absolutely cannot stand people always yapping about how smart and athletic they are but are just "too lazy for AP classes and organized sports." Refusing to accept how incapable they really are, they bombard everyone with excuses to support their own egos. Absolutely pathetic. Anyone can say "I would but I'm too lazy." Its all about effort. Grow some sack and do it.

I found a girl on Tinder who listed running as one of her hobbies. I asked her what her best 5K time was. You know what she said...1:38:26. That's right folks, 1 hour 38 minutes 26 seconds. My jaw hit the floor, and upon breaking out a pace calculator, died when I saw the pace, a whopping 31 minutes 40 seconds per mile. I laid on my floor trying to imagine a scenario where such a pace could be justified, but I couldn't think of a single one. I had to double check her profile to make sure she had both legs. She did. I also noted she was of a fairly average build. The average walking pace of a human is 5km/hr--I know because I researched it. Was she walking?...maybe. Did she misinterpret 5k to mean best 5K swim? Best 5K backwards running, walking? Without an answer, I meandered into my bathroom, sat in the shower fully clothed, and let ice cold water soak me-- it was the only thing to bring me back to reality. Don't believe me? I have screenshots to prove it and will upload on request. Lesson here kids, someone who considers themselves a runner will run a 5K in 1:38:26. Now tell me, why do non-runners disrespect running?

Upload it you punk.

I ran D1 and while our track team wasn't amazing, we were pretty good. We had a very good 4x100m team one year with several standout individuals. I don't remember how it came about, but the football team called the track team garbage, said that we weren't anything special, and bet that they could beat our 4x100m straight up. 4x100m team told them to bring it on. Football team never showed up. 4x100m team set the school record the next week.

On another note, I think most people here have addressed disrespect as non-acknowledgment, which really isn't disrespect so much as it is ignorance. Disrespect to me personally is getting heckled every run, having trash thrown at me, threatened, swerved at, laughed at...the list goes on. And you know why they do it? It's not because of how we look (alright, it might be a little bit), but because our sport and passion, our lives, and what we dedicate ourselves to everyday is the part of everyone else's sport that they hate (when was the last time you saw a soccer team happy to run laps?). It's the only sport on Earth that isn't a game. It's the hardest sport on Earth. And they are jealous. So every time I'm out there and someone does or says something to try and bring me down, I smile and salute, because it's the biggest compliment I can get.

Similar thing happened on my D1 team, except the sprinters said that they would race IF the football team had 1 player who could beat our throwers (very good, national caliber). Only 2 of the football players showed up (they were not THE fastest, but right behind the fastest). They got absolutely smoked by the throwers and from then on actually came to every single home track meet to cheer. Pretty cool.

Most runners are skinny and nonathletic looking... Not a knock to anyone who runs obviously you guys know how conditioned you are, but from the outside you have to accept that you are considered a skinny weakling.

People don't care for the same reason they wouldn't care if you played football, or basketball, or soccer, or whatever.

Seriously, when I hear people try to brag to me that they play(ed) DI whatever, I'm like "Really!? Me too."