How do I explain to my coworkers that I'm not interested in running long distances?

recreational 800m guy wrote:

better question wrote:

The better question is why would you continue to focus on the 800/1500 if you don't run for a college team (and aren't good enough to run professionally)? It's like you are refusing to grow up and realize those days are over.

How does running long distances avoid this?

Maybe it's different in your area, but outside of high school and university there are virtually no events that a person could enter to run an 800/1500. If you wanted to run that race distance, it really is something that for the most part seems to evaporate for a person once they are no longer on a school team. To continue to train to run for non-existent races could be seen to be not letting go of your youth. In general people who continue to run after school have no choice but to run longer distances as those are the races that exist.

However, if the argument is that people shouldn't need to join races or run with others, that they should only run for their your own enjoyment at whatever distance they enjoy the most, then I agree with you. I currently have been training very hard for the 22.5 meter run (the distance across the grassy party of my back yard) and my improvements have been very rewarding. I'm really working on being explosive, you know? When I talk about my training at work though, people tend to roll their eyes. They just don't get what being a "real" runner is.

1 2 3 green wrote:

Jamin, how many friends or family members know the true extent of the effort you put into your online persona? Do you proudly inform them of the hours a day, every day, for years on end spent cultivating a troll rep on an anonymous message board?

He really only posts about a half dozen times a day as Jamin, as far as I have noticed. So it probably isn't really that much time.

Explain to them how it's a zero sum game

That's a shame, there are an abundance of middle distance races for all to participate in no matter what stage of life you are in here in the UK.

If you join a running club there are even more competitions you can take part in.

jamin wrote:

Those days never happened because I didn't run in high school or college.

And you're training for middle distance? Good for you, jamin.

That said, I would encourage you to switch to the 12k and rub your coworkers' noses in it. Even though it's not what you're training for, these are rare opportunities.

This is jamin trolling us again. He knows this race is usually won in around 16 minutes and he is in much better shape than that, so he is building us up for his big "W". It has nothing to do with his coworkers and everything to do about getting attention on LRC

Iceberg wrote:

I like this attitude. Wouldn't it be great to have more local track meets with these events just like the thousands of 5k's. It would help the public understand speed vs endeuance and help hem understand athletes like Rupp and Jäger vs. people like dean k and Scott jogek

They have it at most road races around here, they call it the kids fun mile.

A-Run wrote:

Possible replies to use:

- "I am afraid I might hurt my knees in a 12k."

- "I can't stay awake for longer than 20 minutes at a time."

- "My fuel belt can only sustain me for 8k, 10k tops. 12k would be inviting disaster."

- "I only have 5k left on my shoes."

- I had unprotected sex with a hooker in Thailand last year and got a nasty STD. It's highly contagious - you can get it from casual contact. Doctor says the medicine will eliminate the blood in my urine in about 3 weeks, but in the meantime I can't exert myself for more than 20 minutes. Oh, I brought donuts - want one? Here - take this one.

This jamin guy can't possibly be this big of a tool bag in real life.

Try explaining it to them via one of your bizzare videos. Distribute the video to your coworkers by company email.

friendly advice wrote:

Stop talking about your coworkers on the net. Even if you don't say anything bad it will bite you some day.

If they are runners, they might check this site. They will know you. Then they will read some of your past threads and posts.

That may not be the best thing for your career.

Hi,

I clicked your link just to see if Mister OKfe was quoted. Sure enough he was.

Cubism Cubed wrote:

Tell them that you'd rather be excellent than extreme.

Except that running a 5k is not excellent and running a 12k is not extreme. You realize that a 12k is 7 miles right?

muy rapido wrote:

Any beautiful women in this running group jamin?

Maybe you could impress them with a 5/12km (race/warm down) double. If practical schedule-wise. 

If we had runners in my office that annoyed me, I would do this above. I heard you were a 1:57 800m runner, so you should be able to run 16:XX-something at least for the 5k, then run whatever it takes to silence them in the 12k.

Can you not see that this is the best thing ever, even if you aren't interested in doing it regularly?

Not possible due to scheduling.

Yes, it is different in his area! There are at least a half dozen chances to race the 800m at the all comers meets in the Seattle area, where he's at. There are also sprints and field events. Check out the series records.

The ghost of Pat Davey wrote:

I heard you were a 1:57 800m runner, so you should be able to run 16:XX-something at least for the 5k?

jamin ran around 15:30 some months ago.

So many people worship the marathon. It's all hobbyjoggers talk about.

The local turkey trot/ big sub marathon race in town (if there is one) come up too for like a week. The rest the time, its 50 weeks of marathon talk. Looks like Jamin will have to deal with it all over again if he gets a new job.