Got my arse rocked at the local turkey trot lastThursday... not sure I should even continue running.

I know it sounds bad, but running a 21 minute 5k is better than what about 95% of people in this country can run. Don't beat yourself up lol.

just go to an untimed event next time. they are all the new rage.

Really what do you expect? Your getting older (not old) and you didn’t train. All those people in front of you ran more.

Has been or possibly never was... wrote:

I'm 30 years old.

(...)

How do you old timers do it? I know I hadn't trained, but back in the day, I would've been able to run 19:30 or faster off essentially no training. I feel like I'm all washed up and that I'd never be able to run fast again, even if I could train.

I’m 43 and it feels like I’ve aged 15 years running-wise just this past year. Not only one injury after another, but I swear it feels like I’m running with a 30-lb backpack on my back even though I weigh exactly what I did in high school. My marathon finish time from September is too awful to mention. I remember staring at the back of a guy old enough to be my dad. So it’s back to basics for me: more time at the gym, more stretching, eating food that matters, taping whatever’s hurting at the moment, and reworking my entire training plan. My next race’s not till February. I skipped the turkey trot altogether.

I can’t decide whether reading the master’s thread on here is inspiring or depressing. Also, SNL’s Lowered Expectations theme song keeps playing in my mind.

If your 30 and you still care about this crap, you won't quit, it's in your blood. You might tell yourself your quitting, but you'll keep coming back to give it one more try.

Mid 19's is damn good for a 9 year old.

Has been or possibly never was... wrote:

Four hobby joggers absolutely walked me down in the final stretch in front of the crowd. I couldn't respond.

Fixed it for you.

Sounds like you went out too fast

"I would've been able to run 19:30 or faster off essentially no training. I feel like I'm all washed up and that I'd never be able to run fast again, even if I could train"

This is your answer. You would have had it handed to you even at your best.

Why do you think you should have run fast with no training? I know a guy who ran 14:20ish for 5,000 and low 31 for 10,000 last spring as a D1 senior and then didn't run at all until October and decided to do a one mile all out and he couldn't break 5:30. He hasn't gained weight either.

How do old timers do it? They train.

Wait until you are 45. At least you were healthy enough to run!

same except i ran a minute slower. i fkn suk now. i used to be a d1 runner now i'm getting sniped by 10 year old girls w pig tails. oh well back to my desk job.

If you really want to feel like you're passing people, just start in the last wave. Guarantee you'll at least *feel* faster than everyone else. Plus with some training, you that top-25 chip-time place you so covet.

Really? That's impressive.

You fat OP? You're probably fat. Drop the cals

Has been or possibly never was... wrote:

How do you old timers do it?

You have to train your ass off; there's no other way. Every year you need to train 105% as well as the previous year just to keep up with what you did before.

I wish I was half as disciplined at 20 as I am at 49 - I would have been much more accomplished.

Man Overboard wrote:

Has been or possibly never was... wrote:

How do you old timers do it?

You have to train your ass off; there's no other way. Every year you need to train 105% as well as the previous year just to keep up with what you did before.

I wish I was half as disciplined at 20 as I am at 49 - I would have been much more accomplished.

This is all you need to know. Post 40, I up my mileage and intensity every year just to run the same times. Every year I convince myself I’m in better shape based on workout paces, mileage, etc. and every year I run EXACTLY the same 5k time.

You should quit. You don’t have what it takes to be a hobby jogger. Call it a day.

You need to run the fun run next time.

YOU DIDN'T TRAIN.

What the hell did you expect? 'Back in the day' you hadn't gone 10 years since you last trained. Now you have. This may be one of the dumbest whines I've ever read on this forum.

That 9 year old has been alive less than the number of years since you last ran. Think about that. That's a third of your lifetime. Get off the God damn couch and run for cripes sake. It's not rocket science. Get a grip.