Is it lame to run unattached after you graduate?

It is definitely getting time for you to find another place to race. They DO see you as an old man even though you aren't of course.

You may need to plan to travel to find races that have competition at your level. Good luck.

Not lame unless you are DFL or if you wear something stupid looking like a head band, breathe rite strip or knee brace.

Not lame. Keep having fun and that's all that matters.

If you enjoy it, keep doing it as long as they are happy to have unattached runners.

Are you honestly worried about what the college kids think?

Also, the guy who said don't do it if you are finishing last is correct. Then it would be a good idea to step away even if you are somehow enjoying the DFL experience.

You can do whatever you want. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. This is the U.S.A. where you can basically do anything so why would this be an exception. As long as you are not "holding on" to the dream of making a living from running, I don't see why you couldn't pay $25 and race on the track. If you think it would be fun, why not?

What would be lame would be to stop doing something you enjoy because of some superficial thing like age.

If you're able to compete with college guys, you have every right to go race with them. If anything, they'll look up to you and be really inspired at how you were able to stay motivated to keep running competitively years after graduating.

I happen to know a few guys, they aren't old, but they are at or near the masters age. They're still going to track races and guess what, nobody cares! In fact, the only time I hear anyone mention their age it's to say "dang I want to be able to run xx:xx at that xx years old!"

Reeko wrote:

If you enjoy it, keep doing it as long as they are happy to have unattached runners.

Are you honestly worried about what the college kids think?

Also, the guy who said don't do it if you are finishing last is correct. Then it would be a good idea to step away even if you are somehow enjoying the DFL experience.

Yeah I wouldn't keep doing it if I were DFL. I usually pick races in which I'll be in the top 25-50 percent of runners. I figure as long as I'm around mid pack I won't be bothering anyone.

I always admired the older women running unattached in meets when I raced them in college - it was great to see that you could still run hard and try to improve once those four years were up. I remember being especially impressed by one woman around my pace whose kids were out cheering for her. Most people probably won't care at all that you're out there, and some might find it inspiring!

It's fine as long as you're able to compete. I did it for six years after college and I got so much booty.

Flagpole wrote:

It is definitely getting time for you to find another place to race. They DO see you as an old man even though you aren't of course.

You may need to plan to travel to find races that have competition at your level. Good luck.

I'm just tired of all the political correctness in this country....

mikey wrote:

Title says it all. Any semi-recent grads out there that like to hop into some open college meets? I'm 4 years out of college and have been running unattached at college meets since I graduated, and have been setting PRs every year. While I'm enjoying the experience, I feel more and more out of place each passing year.

I do a few road races now and then, but there are hardly any other competitive runners in my area, so I usually end up winning by several minutes. I figure the open college meets allow me to compete with guys at my ability level, but like I said, I'm starting to feel a bit awkward because of my age.

Are you the only unattached athlete at these meets? I've been to meets where half of the fast heats for some events are unattached athletes, with one or two unattached athletes in the other heats. Nobody bats an eye at unattached athletes in those meets, it is normal.

If you meet the qualifying standards, go compete. The older you get the more attrition there is so there are less "old people", but if you like competing then why not?

mikey wrote:

Reeko wrote:

If you enjoy it, keep doing it as long as they are happy to have unattached runners.

Are you honestly worried about what the college kids think?

Also, the guy who said don't do it if you are finishing last is correct. Then it would be a good idea to step away even if you are somehow enjoying the DFL experience.

Yeah I wouldn't keep doing it if I were DFL. I usually pick races in which I'll be in the top 25-50 percent of runners. I figure as long as I'm around mid pack I won't be bothering anyone.

Its not lame as long as you're still competitive. An ex college guy living off their college times and running a minute slower would be lame. There's only so many track races to run. Most competitive one's in the US are college meets unless you're a stud who can get into Pre.

I have run in 4 collegiate races since graduating, all of them being after I had turned 30. Luckily I still look as young as most collegiate guys, so I fit in fairly well. I felt like it was my only option- my goal was to break 15:00, which I hadn't accomplished in college, and I knew it wasn't going to happen in some local road race.

In all 4 of the races, I finished in about the top 1/3 of all entries, and usually in the top 1/2-1/3 of my sections. I don't think anyone cared that I was there, and my collegiate team thought it was cool that an older alumn was still out there running moderately competitively.

I think the key is to find races where you fit in. Look at past results and make sure it's where you belong. Also scan the results for other unattached guys. If you see a few, you know you're good to go. If a meet is listed as "open" to unattached runners, obviously the meet management has no problem with it, so just give it a shot. I wouldn't go begging to be put into a collegiate only meet.

It varies. It's really not a problem in the fall running XC meets because there are usually like 10 to 20 unattached guys, plus the field size is around 200 runners. I've run some 10ks on the track where I'm the only unattached guy and it feels a little strange. But you're right, when there several other unattached guys in the field no one seems to care.

When I was in college there were occasionally some guys who jumped into our home open meet, I never thought anything of it. Really it's the only feasible option if you aren't a marathoner.

Boston wrote:

Not lame unless you are DFL or if you wear something stupid looking like a head band, breathe rite strip or knee brace.

Wear a head band. Bring a cow bell and make noise with it while other events are on. The louder the better. That will seal the "out of place" deal.

You're still setting PRs.

Then you should keep running in the meets.

mikey wrote:

I'm 4 years out of college and have been running unattached at college meets since I graduated, and have been setting PRs every year.

So you are younger than most BYU grads?