I, a 45 year old hobby jogging man, feel increasingly silly for being a runner

Winning the Arms Race wrote:

John Utah wrote:

So you're a fatty now?

It isn't fat. I SAID it is MUSCLE if you could only READ. I like how it looks on me and I like how it looks on other guys too.

Who cares what you or other guys look like with muscles. Gross. Are you gay or something?

an old man wrote:

I really wish I was trolling here. IAnd it's not so much that others view me as a weirdo, it's that I think I'm a weirdo. Like I can't let go. Imagine if an old football player was still going around jumping in pick up games full of guys half his age...and he did this every weekend.

So I really do feel foolish for continuing to run and race. Yet I truly do love it. It's a weird love-hate thing. I love it, but I hate the fact that I love it.

Sounds like you don't like how you appear to spectators when out-kicking a young rival. Don't be so self conscious. I like racing and will race whoever I happen to be running with in a particular race. I just enjoy the tactics of racing. More often than not, these days, I'm racing very young kids, young but overweight hobby joggers or old experienced lady racers. If I were racing someone my own vintage I would enjoy that too. Whoever is there! Racing is fun.

an old man wrote:

I really wish I was trolling here. IAnd it's not so much that others view me as a weirdo, it's that I think I'm a weirdo. Like I can't let go. Imagine if an old football player was still going around jumping in pick up games full of guys half his age...and he did this every weekend.

So I really do feel foolish for continuing to run and race. Yet I truly do love it. It's a weird love-hate thing. I love it, but I hate the fact that I love it.

Bill Lee was pitching in pick up baseball leagues when he was in his late 60s. He still may be playing somewhere. Rafael Palmero just took his bat, glove, and PEDs to an independent league in Texas at 53. guys like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have or had people drive them from the home, figuratively anyway, to the golf courses where they were playing. Many, if not most, road races now have more entrants on the high side of 40 than on the low side. i don't know what you're looking for here. Most non runners think runners are kind of weird and won't understand you because you run. What's wrong with doing something weird if you like it?

i've found in life, that as long as you're not harming someone, it doesn't matter what you are doing nearly as much as how well you are doing it. There's nothing silly about running, at any age.

fromtheheart wrote:

Keeping oneself fit and healthy denotes a way different scenario than weirdness or silliness to me. At almost 67 with the benefits of over a half century of running under my belt no sympathy is offered to those whose ignorance prevails. No talent befell me, no exceptional genetics. But a bit of well deserved self righteousness exudes from the soul when the wind brushes the face, the road passes rapidly under the feet. As it should for all who dare to be a runner and share in it's intrinsic glory.

One benefit of being retired is you can get shitfaced during the day. What a load of shite.

I'm 30 and still somewhat competitive on the local scene (16 min and 33 min) . I see a lot of other local guys taking it too seriously and I admit I fall into that trap too, basically marking up the calendar with every St Patrick's, Memorial Day, July 4th race there is. It feels great to run in a close race, but when you win by 2+ minutes and realize you're the most serious runner that showed up, it feels silly. Like, getting nervous the night before and going through the whole process just to win by a huge margin where 2nd place is a 48 year old man....then doing a cooldown and standing around in your singlet waiting for that $50 giftcard like it's an olympic gold. It feels good to validate your training but at the same time, is isolating.

an old man wrote:

I've run since junior high track. Ran in college, lots of marathons and other road races in the years since. I'm still competitive in a local hobby jogger kind of way, and this leaves me feeling increasingly foolish. I am often the first master at local races, and it feels outright dumb to be trying to out kick some high school kid to the finish. I know they think I'm a weirdo.

I love running and racing as much as ever, and it brings joy to my life. Yet I feel really weird for doing it. I mean, I'm still playing the same kid's game I played 30 years ago.

"Weirdo" is a man who claims to be a woman.

Man Overboard wrote:

1/10

an old man wrote: I know they think I'm a weirdo.

If you were really 45 you wouldn't care (or notice) that kids thought you were "a weirdo".

yeah. Thank god I wasn't running when I was a kid. So I don't feel bad kicking as at 45.

Winning the Arms Race wrote:

I've put on probably 20-30 lbs of muscle, too. I look back at pictures of myself 5-10 years and realize how pathetically wimpy I looked after decades of running 60-80 miles a week. I look like a man now. Broad shoulders and chest. Powerful arms. I eat very few carbs to stay lean. That's the not-fun part.

so you look like a bouncer now? Do you shave your head? If you had an education you wouldn't need to want to look like a gym clown.

HRE wrote:

What's wrong with doing something weird if you like it?

Sometimes it's illegal.

lonely at the top wrote:

I'm 30 and still somewhat competitive on the local scene (16 min and 33 min) . I see a lot of other local guys taking it too seriously and I admit I fall into that trap too, basically marking up the calendar with every St Patrick's, Memorial Day, July 4th race there is. It feels great to run in a close race, but when you win by 2+ minutes and realize you're the most serious runner that showed up, it feels silly. Like, getting nervous the night before and going through the whole process just to win by a huge margin where 2nd place is a 48 year old man....then doing a cooldown and standing around in your singlet waiting for that $50 giftcard like it's an olympic gold. It feels good to validate your training but at the same time, is isolating.

Wait until you are 48 and still doing what you're doing and second place is a 30 year old.

an old man wrote:

I've run since junior high track. Ran in college, lots of marathons and other road races in the years since. I'm still competitive in a local hobby jogger kind of way, and this leaves me feeling increasingly foolish. I am often the first master at local races, and it feels outright dumb to be trying to out kick some high school kid to the finish. I know they think I'm a weirdo.

I love running and racing as much as ever, and it brings joy to my life. Yet I feel really weird for doing it. I mean, I'm still playing the same kid's game I played 30 years ago.

Keeping in mind this may be a troll ripping on their "non elite" competitors..However, If you really think you're lame for being 45 y/o and remaining competitive and fit, then I am truly sorry. Enjoy the fact that you're trending well into adulthood, remaining fit and healthy, don't take any run for granted. I work at a place where adults can't even take care of themselves (and I am not talking about senior citizens), so by you being 45 and still running strong, you my friend are blessed. I've been motivated by the Masters runners in my local area more than anybody else, you never know who's watching.

an old man wrote:

I really wish I was trolling here. IAnd it's not so much that others view me as a weirdo, it's that I think I'm a weirdo. Like I can't let go. Imagine if an old football player was still going around jumping in pick up games full of guys half his age...and he did this every weekend.

So I really do feel foolish for continuing to run and race. Yet I truly do love it. It's a weird love-hate thing. I love it, but I hate the fact that I love it.

But that’s a bad comparison. Football isn’t meant to be a lifelong sport.

Do you think it is weird for old guys to be out playing golf? Or tennis? These, like running, ARE lifelong sports. Enjoy it, pops.

lonely at the top wrote:

I'm 30 and still somewhat competitive on the local scene (16 min and 33 min) . I see a lot of other local guys taking it too seriously and I admit I fall into that trap too, basically marking up the calendar with every St Patrick's, Memorial Day, July 4th race there is. It feels great to run in a close race, but when you win by 2+ minutes and realize you're the most serious runner that showed up, it feels silly. Like, getting nervous the night before and going through the whole process just to win by a huge margin where 2nd place is a 48 year old man....then doing a cooldown and standing around in your singlet waiting for that $50 giftcard like it's an olympic gold. It feels good to validate your training but at the same time, is isolating.

No man, you've got it all wrong. Winning by two minutes is awesoem, even if the reason you won is because the competition is slow. For that one day, you're the unchallenged alpha, the champ. Embrace it, live it up, bask in the glow. Because tomorrow you're completely forgotten.

Plus, if you keep dropping those times, some of the other fast guys might see your results, crawl out of their hole, and actually show up to race.

A buddy and I were talking about this a couple weeks ago. His comments, "Why bother to do this? I'm at the high end of my age group. I can't set another world record. (He set a WR two years ago.) I can't win this year at masters nationals. Why bother?"

Having been there myself, I could relate. So I do what is fun for me.

I've stopped doing 5Ks and longer runs because they aren't beneficial to my competitive 400/800m goals. I seldom run on pavement.

I do track workouts at least twice a week with a group... alternating between three groups of very different runners. I do solo trail runs because I like them. I lift way more than necessary and carry more muscle than my competitors at the national level. But I lift because I like it and the socialization that follows. These modifications keep me in the game. They keep running from getting stale.

For me, running is health insurance... a healthy, lifelong hobby.

In the end, no one wins the game of life.

Thank you for this. Exactly. No matter the speed or talent, that bit of “intrinsic glory” surpasses all questions as to “why.” After decades of running, I no longer grapple w/ the “whys?” - the identity issue was resolved years ago.

Quit racing, not running.

"I know they think I'm a weirdo"

Your body, your life, your sport!

If you still want to train, race hard and beat as many people as possible that's your choice. If anyone questions your motives, tell them that sport is by definition competitive and the the general idea of running is to win the race or, if this is no longer physically possible, to beat as many fellow competitors as possible.

No genuine runner will be offended by that - or think it in the least strange or weird. The opinion of anyone else, frankly, isn't worth even thinking about.