Most annoying question that non-runners ask?

How many miles do you run in a day?

"Have you ever done a marathon" is a reasonable question, but when you've done 150 or whatever 20 milers, you really feel like simply answering "no" is going to leave the wrong impression of how serious a runner you really are, which is obviously the purpose of the question in the first place. Then, if you say no, but..., they've probably already dismissed you once they heard "no", or they're still not that impressed since none none of those runs were marathons, or, they think you are a conceited a-hole out to impress them with something they didn't ask about or care about.

handelandj wrote:

agip wrote:

it's always

'so you training for the marathon?'

Yup.

But it's "So, do you do marathons?"

People here complain that Track/XC is not more popular but when people who don't know much about it take interest, it's interesting to hear that they look to put those people down.

Be happy people are asking these questions.

Dude, I just said it is a reasonable question.

Taking Interest wrote:

People here complain that Track/XC is not more popular but when people who don't know much about it take interest, it's interesting to hear that they look to put those people down.

Be happy people are asking these questions.

It's more the comment after I answer the question 'How much do run?'

Which is: Wow. I don't know how you do it. I can barely run a mile!

Like most runners just hop off the couch one day and immediately can run 8mi per day. I always responded with yeah neither could I when I started.......

A question I just recently started hearing is something along the lines of "Don't you think you should take a day off of training?" or "It's not healthy to run 7 days a week!"

Two problems with this:

1) The advice-giver clearly does not understand the concept of recovery runs

2) A non-runner is telling a runner how best to train. Huh?

"Why? You're already so thin!"

"How far can you run?"

"Isn't all the pounding bad for you?"

"Have you heard of Dean Karnazes?"

"Who are you fundraising for?"

+comments

"I know this guy who's run like 20 marathons!"

"5k isn't far - I could do that!"

"It must be easy for you since you're so tall/have long legs"

"I've heard doing triathlons is even harder"

Big Red wrote:

"Have your knees gone yet?"

I've been running since 1972. I'm almost 60. I'm a 35 mpw guy. My %#$@&*%! knees are fine, thank you.

Let's not talk about my $#%&@#! right achilles tendon though.

This was going to be my response. I get lots of questions about the state of my knees (which are fine).

Not exactly a question but when people don't get why your half marathon pace doesn't sound much different than your marathon pace.

Half the distance doesn't mean you can run at twice the speed!

do you think Lance Armstrong would've won the Olympics?

"wannabe Jamin" wrote:

do you think Lance Armstrong would've won the Olympics?

Great question!

"What are you running from?"

-usually said by a d-bag who follows baseball or football exclusively.

Surprised no one has mentioned this one yet.

Just wow... wrote:

"Have you ever done a marathon" is a reasonable question, but when you've done 150 or whatever 20 milers, you really feel like simply answering "no" is going to leave the wrong impression of how serious a runner you really are, which is obviously the purpose of the question in the first place. Then, if you say no, but..., they've probably already dismissed you once they heard "no", or they're still not that impressed since none none of those runs were marathons, or, they think you are a conceited a-hole out to impress them with something they didn't ask about or care about.

I like to just say "no, I'm working up to it." Either it's someone I'll never speak to again so who cares, or else they'll figure out sooner or later that I'm serious about running.

"How are you guys doing tonight?"

in japan wrote:

"What are you running from?"

-usually said by a d-bag who follows baseball or football exclusively.

Surprised no one has mentioned this one yet.

Is it actually a common thing to be asked this question? I'd imagine I'd come pretty close to 2-piecing someone who would ask such a strange question.

so many wrote:

"It must be easy for you since you're so tall/have long legs"

THANK you.

Hahaha yeah screw jamin

sub-30 wrote:

I like to just say "no, I'm working up to it." Either it's someone I'll never speak to again so who cares, or else they'll figure out sooner or later that I'm serious about running.

So to be serious about running, you have to NOT run a marathon?

Just wow... wrote:

"Have you ever done a marathon" is a reasonable question, but when you've done 150 or whatever 20 milers, you really feel like simply answering "no" is going to leave the wrong impression of how serious a runner you really are, which is obviously the purpose of the question in the first place. Then, if you say no, but..., they've probably already dismissed you once they heard "no", or they're still not that impressed since none none of those runs were marathons, or, they think you are a conceited a-hole out to impress them with something they didn't ask about or care about.

handelandj wrote:

Yup.

But it's "So, do you do marathons?"

I've already dismissed you. 150 20 milers with breaks isn't a marathon. Unimpressed.