Most runners are uninteresting/uninformed people

Perhaps it's the people you approach or approach you?

Your post makes me curious to know where you grew up, where you went to college, and where you currently talk with runners. I ran in high school (all white town), college (super diverse area), and hobby jogged a little after college (super diverse area) and have not experienced what you describe. I have some of the most interesting conversations with runners -- food, sports, religion, family...

Take living in or around San Francisco, NYC, or D.C. for example --you'll come across all sorts of characters who come in different colors and socio economic backgrounds. Mostly middle class, but people I've met range from construction workers, to military folks, to doctors.

I'm also curious if you follow professional runners on social media and which ones...the ones I follow are pretty diverse Lolo - conservative, Montano, Sarah Hall-- conservative, Khadevis Robinson, Symmonds - liberal, etc. And they talk about a range of things not just boring 'ol running.

You just have to watch the LR messageboard to see how many who are republicans.

I am a big fan of this thread, it makes me feel like a superior human being to those cretins who run faster than I do.

I was socially awkward and unable to carry a conversation even before I started running, and I don't even run at a high level.

I guess I'm just advanced.

2.5/10

You just described sprinters.

As a former college and high school cross country coach and high school teacher, I can tell you these facts:

The constant teams with the highest team GPA's in almost every single high school in the country are swimming, cross country, and wrestling. there is a reason found for this. All of these sports require long hours of training on one's own. Every year of my 16 years of coaching high school cross country, our girls team was always the girl's team with the highest GPA. The boy's team was always first, second or third boy's team.

But sprinters, whoa. Talk about the born with natural speed, but can't conjugate a verb, people-wow!!! these are the people born fast, don't really work that hard, and have the highest % of people from any group that are trash talkers. Try to talk to 99% of them about who the Presidential candidates are, and their take on world politics, and you will get a lot of "I dunno"

I really haven't found this to be true, especially when compared with athletes (or fans) associated with other sports. I think that many distance runners are introverts and perhaps also socially awkward, but I haven't found them to be particularly uninteresting, uninformed, or socially "backward" in their views regarding women and homosexuals. in fact, I think that they're generally more likely to be thoughtful and sensitive -- even some of the ones with whom I have strong disagreements.

If you meet someone who is uninteresting/uninformed, that person is probably uninteresting/uninformed. If everyone you meet is uninteresting/uninformed, then it's probably you.

Completely disagree, every team I have been on, (consisting of mostly white males) from HS on has been the most competitive academically, and largely intellectual. Long runs and easy I've discussed anything from politics, history, global affairs, to calculus.

45 wrote:

As a former college and high school cross country coach and high school teacher, I can tell you these facts:

The constant teams with the highest team GPA's in almost every single high school in the country are swimming, cross country, and wrestling. "

The only athletes that endure the mental and physical demands of distance running are wrestlers, swimmers and perhaps H2O players.

AZ wrote:

Completely disagree, every team I have been on, (consisting of mostly white males) from HS on has been the most competitive academically, and largely intellectual. Long runs and easy I've discussed anything from politics, history, global affairs, to calculus.

Says the privileged white male with traditional, white Anglo Saxon views.

Ha ha ha ha

Join the CrossFit Box.

You will meet the most amazing people with diverse interests. They also have far more progressive views on women and gays.

Ca$hclay wrote:

45 wrote:

As a former college and high school cross country coach and high school teacher, I can tell you these facts:

The constant teams with the highest team GPA's in almost every single high school in the country are swimming, cross country, and wrestling. "

The only athletes that endure the mental and physical demands of distance running are wrestlers, swimmers and perhaps H2O players.

What is a H2O player, also the training for cross country skiing is unquestionably more demanding than distance running.

Agree. Distance runners really suck as human beings. And they are not cool. Far from it. But it makes sense. I guess it's sort of a mind-numbing sport. And part of it is being able to block a lot of shit out of your head... It helps to not think too much.. And as a runner it's easy to be obsessed with running and only running. Plus all of the 'recovery' time during which you feel absolutely drained, plus all of the sleep required. There isn't that much time to be motivated to be a well-rounded person, or even that social outside of cult running circles. Not speaking for ALL distance runners of course. Just 'on average'

Random Shmo wrote:

Agree. Distance runners really suck as human beings. And they are not cool. Far from it. But it makes sense. I guess it's sort of a mind-numbing sport. And part of it is being able to block a lot of shit out of your head... It helps to not think too much.. And as a runner it's easy to be obsessed with running and only running. Plus all of the 'recovery' time during which you feel absolutely drained, plus all of the sleep required. There isn't that much time to be motivated to be a well-rounded person, or even that social outside of cult running circles. Not speaking for ALL distance runners of course. Just 'on average'

Meh I disagree. Every runner I've met is an incredibly nice person. Rivals from different schools get along and in some cases are good friends. Most of them are quiet interesting as they are open about their hobbys and opions instead of trying to be fake to look cool.

Or then again, maybe thats' just my area

Random Shmo wrote:

Distance runners really suck as human beings. And they are not cool.

"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool."

-Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman), "Almost Famous" (2000)

Calling it like it is wrote:

If you meet someone who is uninteresting/uninformed, that person is probably uninteresting/uninformed. If everyone you meet is uninteresting/uninformed, then it's probably you.

/thread

I ran on a D1 team in NY several years back and compared to my non-running friends and acquaintances on campus the runner folk are usually more quiet, narrow minded, and uninspiring. There really isn't any denying this. What is sad is that a lot of those guys/gals have continued to chase the dream (afraid to grow up into a bill paying, meeting attending adult) to no end.

Troll