The most decent runners I have met are not at the top corrals

Hmmm, idk, here's what I think:

Those who started earlier think they are hot sh*t, the guys who started running early, between 4th-6th grade are the least cool, they are snobby and full of it.

The guys who start later like 10th-12th or either slow and annoying and just doing it because their mom makes them or talented sh*ts who start late and are full of themselves.

SO in conclusion that 7th-9th grade is ideal start time. You work hard for a long time, but maybe arent totally tallent but still good and chill, not a prick who thinks they own the sport.

My experience is not all like what the OP claims. The top runners at most races, "sub-elites" if you will, are pretty nice and interesting and generous folks. Enjoyment of something makes for a happier and more centered person, and running is certainly more enjoyable the better you are at it ...not even because of the ":success" as much as for the fact that you feel better doing it.

Here's an idea. The ones up front have much more at stake in the race and much more to lose--such as all their hard trainging--with a bad race. They're more competitive and the race is not a social gathering. The ones in the back aren't really concerned about beating anyone. Thus more friendly. Both are probably equally sociable in other contexts.

The runners have time to chat afterwards

7/10

The runners who don't ever herd into corrals: the best of all.

San Marcos Mike wrote:

However, my sentiment is with those that start later. They make races much more pleasant to do.

Are races supposed to be pleasant? Is it supposed to be one big rolling party or are you there to test yourself against others?

I know.

I was in the top corral once and I was just trying to make small talk with this guy.

He just faces me and says gobble gobble Mother Fu*@#@##@ !

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

cappy wrote:

I know.

I was in the top corral once and I was just trying to make small talk with this guy.

He just faces me and says gobble gobble Mother Fu*@#@##@ !

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

It means he won.

cappy wrote:

I know.

I was in the top corral once and I was just trying to make small talk with this guy.

He just faces me and says gobble gobble Mother Fu*@#@##@ !

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

It means he won.

You sound butt hurt.

What's the difference between a 14 minute 5k guy and a 15 minute 5k guy? The 14 minute guy knows he's not elite.

This was one of the dumbest topics I've read on Let's Run. As others have said: DUH. Of course the people freaking WALKING half marathons are nice and want to chat. You know who doesn't chat? Someone RUNNING their hardest during the race in order to get a time they are proud of. As others have also said, sometimes people aren't "chatty" before a race when they've been training hard and want to run. Maybe they are nervous because they trained really hard for months in order to get their best time, which may only be breaking 20 mins in a 5k.

I'm sure the top corral guys are fun to chat with on an easy long run. On race day they're gearing up to push themselves and take on some significant pain.

Or if you are really digging that scene of chit chat and walking around you could start doing ultras. That's the whole scene there.

I think I will pick this one to respond to because it allows for the best encapsulating response. The fact is that races, albeit that they are difficult, should be a pleasant experience. Certainly, you are there to test yourself against a time clock, against your better or worst self, against your goals, against any personal difficulties that you may overcome to be at your best. Furthermore, it is true that in races you see where you stand against other people. However, it seems that in many races (I have done over 50 in the last 10 years) from marathon to half-marathon, the most decent people are in the corrals that start later. I understand, for many here, that this becomes a "what if we are going for a certain time" argument, however, many of the people in the other corrals not near the front have time goals too, just, relatively to the field, not as fast.This has been pretty uniform throughout most of racing. I ran cross-country in high school and was mediocre at best, usually averaging around the 21-22 minute mark for 5K. Those I would finish near were near the back of the field as well, but these were nice guys who would congratulate each other after what was a difficult race and finish (for us).Move time forward to 2006-2016, I have started with the 8 minute people, the 7 minute people and around the 6 minute people in 5K runs. I have started in corrals as far back as 24 in a marathon when I was walking the whole thing, up to starting in the 1:50 or less in a half marathon at Long Beach or around the 1:35 pace group for the same distance at La Jolla.It's just weird when you see nice people in the back corrals before the race, while in the upper corrals, you see people who only convene in the beer garden. It makes running a more hostile sport with a lot of throwing shade but generally not a lot of sunshine, though we run in it.Food for thought, you know. Good mental carbs.Mike

maybe this: wrote:

San Marcos Mike wrote:

However, my sentiment is with those that start later. They make races much more pleasant to do.

Are races supposed to be pleasant? Is it supposed to be one big rolling party or are you there to test yourself against others?

Likely, it means he did not. I've met Bernard Lagat. He wins. He does not have this attitude.Of course, he, like most elites, doesn't start in the same corrals as we do. Elites are a bit different, and thus, exempt from this argument in this context. Most true elites are good guys.

somebloke wrote:

cappy wrote:

I know.

I was in the top corral once and I was just trying to make small talk with this guy.

He just faces me and says gobble gobble Mother Fu*@#@##@ !

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

It means he won.

This is not real life wrote:

This was one of the dumbest topics I've read on Let's Run. As others have said: DUH. Of course the people freaking WALKING half marathons are nice and want to chat. You know who doesn't chat? Someone RUNNING their hardest during the race in order to get a time they are proud of. As others have also said, sometimes people aren't "chatty" before a race when they've been training hard and want to run. Maybe they are nervous because they trained really hard for months in order to get their best time, which may only be breaking 20 mins in a 5k.

Uh, yeah. I generally find women who are not in the process of giving birth to be calmer and more more upbeat. Women in the process of giving birth seem to always be screaming. I wonder if I'm the only one who has noticed this. I better start a LetsRun thread.

Same in rock climbing. The difference between a 5.13 guy and a 5.12 guy is the former knows he's not elite.

There is a reason for the expression "thirsty wannabes": all the second-raters that are convinced that if they only had an even break they would be rolling in gold medals.

Pro Magnon wrote:

Same in rock climbing. The difference between a 5.13 guy and a 5.12 guy is the former knows he's not elite.

There is a reason for the expression "thirsty wannabes": all the second-raters that are convinced that if they only had an even break they would be rolling in gold medals.

I don't want to take the OP's premise seriously, because in general it isn't true, however.

I was in the "elite" staging area at a marathon in Texas, and it was interesting that there was about 40 runners in the room, clearly over half were American, and no one was speaking English. People were talking in Swahili, Amharic, Russian, and some other Germano-romantic language (I'd guess Belgian), but all the Americans were reading the paper, listening to music, or zoning out.