The rising trend of the shaming of fast runners at races.

We should shame fast people. They take the fun and joy of my group of friends racing a 5k or marathon. I shouldn't have to feel pathetic when I want to enjoy myself. This isn't the Olympics.

I'm not very fast, but I'm not able to shout bullshit in a race, because I'm racing...

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No true runner would grab a gel in a race barely over an hour.

Stop being so sensitive, and don't rely on hobby joggers for affirmation. Just ignore the occasional idiot that you run across.

Everyone must be made to run the exact same. It's not right for those top 10% that worked hard to run faster.

See the comparison? wrote:

Everyone must be made to run the exact same. It's not right for those top 10% that worked hard to run faster.

Yeah. Tea Party/conservative/GOP principles at work. They are destroying 'Murica son!

colder and wiser wrote:

Stop being so sensitive, and don't rely on hobby joggers for affirmation. Just ignore the occasional idiot that you run across.

I don't actually take personal offense to these comments. I don't need affirmation from runners slower or faster than me. I'm 37 and I've been a runner my whole life. I remember running races in the late 80's/early 90's, it was close enough to the running boom of the previous generation, that every race was a "runner's race." The point of my post is just to lament the shift in culture that has taken place at races over the last 10 years. At first, these comments where meant to be funny, but in the last few years, there seems to be a shift toward them being more derogatory. I am glad that overall running participation is at it's highest level ever, but I wonder what could be done to increase the general appreciation of the competitive side of the sport.

Let's imagine a scenario where people are at a park to play pickup basketball, and on one of the courts there are some players that are really athletic and good. It would be absurd for a less talented ball player to yell at the good players and tell them to stop dunking the ball or sinking 3-pointers.

I'm just sad for the state of our "sport," if it can even be called that anymore.

Why would you care?

Years ago I ran a 5K race through some wine vineyards and was in the top five at the finish. I was second in my age group.

I joined a friend for a picnic afterwards. He had invited other runners who were mostly of the 25-30 minute variety. I was in the low 16's on a very hilly course.

The others were sharing their race stories. Having finished 9-10 minutes ahead of the rest I stayed quiet and listened. Finally the guy who invited me asked me how my race had gone. I briefly mentioned my time and place. The rest looked at me blankly and went back to chatting up their races.

(((THEY DIDN'T CARE))) And if truth be told, I didn't really care about their races either. I was in it for the BBQ chicken and wine.

I didn't feel the least diminished by their attention or lack of it. I'm sure they simply did not relate to a racer like me.

almost but not quite wrote:

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No true runner would grab a gel in a race barely over an hour.

You're probably just trolling, but I will reply to your post to dispel your bad advise.

I've never taken a gel in a Half Marathon before. However, today was 29 degrees with a freezing head wind. The cold makes the body burn more calories, and since it was so cold, I wasn't taking any Gatorade, so I figured a little bit of energy reserve insurance wouldn't hurt. Furthermore, I saw a runner I really respect take some gel at the 12th mile of a Half a couple years ago. I figure if it's not going to slow you down, why not?

I don't get it either, but I guess the mentality of non racer is really different. My good friend who is really into cross fit wants to enter in a 5k race with me. And whenever he mentions about doing a 5k, he says, "that distance is nothing for you. It'll be easy for you." I don't even know where to begin with that kind of comment. He's also the type who is impressed with someone completing a half marathon, marsthon, or ironman. He doesn't understand what type of dedication and commitment is necessary to race instead of completing a race.

So many of the participants in 5k or any other races take so much pride in completing the distance. It has become too much of completion as the goal and not the racing so that makes so many of the participants to just have totally different mentality than racers.

As with anything in life, it boils down to education and knowledge of the sport. The more educated you are (about the sport), the more you appreciate what goes into succeeding at it. Of course you gain a more intimate perspective if you have experienced the trials and tribulations that goes with competing. Very few people understand and appreciate the sport. Hence, finishing is the lowest of low hanging fruit that is easily accessible.

Putting the humblebragging aside, the moral of this story is:

Don't run in races that force you to finish through the joggers and walkers.

Won my turkey trot today, it was a lollipop loop so I ran into some walkers around the 4K mark. One of them incredulously asked me "are you finishing?" As I ran past. Got some annoyed and slightly hostile glances from some walkers as well, even though I went out of my way to avoid them.

I'm with the OP on this. I could care less about the lack of appreciation, but the outright hostility is weird. There definitely is a culture shift you notice at some of these road races. There's a certain percentage of joggers who really seem to dislike or resent the faster runners. I guess they don't view these events as competitive races, and when you treat it as such they get all grumpy. Would love to see someone knowledgable discuss the psychology of that attitude.

I'm sorry you had that experience. I always do well in my age group but am firmly in the "hobby jogger" category per LetRunners' criteria and frankly look at you fast runners in admiration and awe and wish I could run that fast. But everything is relative as I received a lot of snarky comments in my training group where I was the fastest lady by a long shot.

B man wrote:

Won my turkey trot today, it was a lollipop loop so I ran into some walkers around the 4K mark. One of them incredulously asked me "are you finishing?" As I ran past. Got some annoyed and slightly hostile glances from some walkers as well, even though I went out of my way to avoid them.

I'm with the OP on this. I could care less about the lack of appreciation, but the outright hostility is weird. There definitely is a culture shift you notice at some of these road races. There's a certain percentage of joggers who really seem to dislike or resent the faster runners. I guess they don't view these events as competitive races, and when you treat it as such they get all grumpy. Would love to see someone knowledgable discuss the psychology of that attitude.

B man wrote:

I'm with the OP on this. I could care less about the lack of appreciation, but the outright hostility is weird

COULDN'T care less. COULDN'T. Not could. Could care less means the exact opposite of what you are trying, but epically, failing to say.

Why do Americans find this so hard?

I've found that I have two choices:

1. Compete in a serious race with a fast field and a well-designed course. The result is that I get humbled and beat by lots of faster runners, but there's no hostility or confusion about the goal of the event. It's a competition.

2. Compete in a "fun run" style event with mostly slower runners. Feel good about finishing in the top 3, but gets weird looks and hostile vibes during the "back" portion of an out-and-back course.

Kruppe wrote:

As with anything in life, it boils down to education and knowledge of the sport. The more educated you are (about the sport), the more you appreciate what goes into succeeding at it. Of course you gain a more intimate perspective if you have experienced the trials and tribulations that goes with competing. Very few people understand and appreciate the sport. Hence, finishing is the lowest of low hanging fruit that is easily accessible.

I tend to agree with this mindset. I've been running my entire life and I know exactly what goes into running (the hard work, sacrifices, etc.). Most of my friends have no idea what I put my body through, and many of them think a 1:40 half marathon and a 1:15 half marathon are the same thing (ie. have no concept of what "fast" is).

I recently invited a girl I like to one of my half marathon races and finished third overall. Afterward, she said, "Whoa, I knew you were fast, but I didn't know you were FAST." This was all despite me telling her beforehand the kind of pace I run, times, etc. None of this meant anything to her until she saw me finish 3rd out of 10,000 people.

That is all to say, some people have no experience with running and consequently can't appreciate it. Even "hobbyjoggers" who run 8 and 9 minute pace don't quite know what it means to train at a high level and average 5-6 minute pace in a long race, or just don't care because they think you're a lucky genetic freak. To reiterate the poster I quoted, many runners run just to finish (and that is an accomplishment in itself) and it isn't fair to fault them for not understanding our desire for more.

You have to look at it from a hobby joggers perspective.

they got into running to lose weight after ten years of ZERO activity. We are talking NO athletic ability. On top of that they are bragging to all of their friends what warriors they are in training- of course never running more than 3 times per week or including times.

Now you have an actual competitor which you are because of your comments, has nothing to do with speed.

These are the same people that rail against their kids getting participation medals and then promote getting a finishers medal for merely...finishing.

Long story short- they have small d!cks and I cant fault them for it.

So you ran a turkey trot, the quintessential hobby jogger race, and you're mad that there were hobby joggers? That's like complaining that you went to a Golden Corral Buffet and saw fat people.