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Article on Running Plays into Culture Wars (Read 427 times)

    Pretty sure Amos was being sarcastic bro.

      The odd thing about the communism argument is this: if you know _anything_ about talent-selection (sports, chess, academics, etc) in communism[1], it's pretty damn cut-throat and no one is coddled.  You are told in first grade what you are good at and what you are not.  Then you're heavily tracked.

       

      My wife was told she was bad at hiking.  Hiking?!  How can you be bad at hiking?!

       

      [1] communism as implemented historically, not communism in theory blah blah blah.

       

      Yeah, this made me smile. Lenin's writings about organizing socialist competition -- and Stalin's practice of the concept -- were the opposite of "hand holding."

         

         

        [1] communism as implemented historically, not communism in theory blah blah blah.

         

        I really like this footnote Mr. Stadjak. Well said.

        beat


        Break on through

          I think the guy was not being totally serious with his communism comment.

          "Not to touch the Earth, not to see the Sun, nothing left to do but run, run, run..."

          sport jester


          Biomimeticist

            Its psychology 101

             

            That those whose bib numbers are multiple digits with no chance in hell to win any race, will still choose to find other ways to get noticed. Its a basic human need of recognition.

             

            100,000 years ago it was simply to survive another day which proved our physical abilities. Making it through winter was reason enough to be admired.

             

            Well our survival isn't at stake, and most of us don't hunt for our food, so how many points on an antler they can post on their cabin wall is no longer a measure of skill.

             

            So now we "run". Well most of us will never win any race, so their only choice is to find other ways to stand out. Cute outfits, the latest in fashion, or what phone they have has replaced our primitive hunting and survival abilities in their search for recognition.

            Experts said the world is flat

            Experts said that man would never fly

            Experts said we'd never go to the moon

             

            Name me one of those "experts"...

             

            History never remembers the name of experts; just the innovators who had the guts to challenge and prove the "experts" wrong

            sbpbrent


            Ludwig Classic Maple

              That article in the OP led me to observe:

               

              1.  The M 50-54 and/or 50-59 age group is a tough group.  I know because I have to race in it.  My own theory is that the fifty-something men who are still running competitively at an age that exceeds 18th century life expectancy, have to be pretty tough.

               

              2.  I'm a racer, but I've spoken with folks in the "50-marathons-in-50-states" crowd, folks in the "100+ marathons" crowd, etc.  They aren't running for time, but they get some great vacations and race discounts.

               

              3.  I can get some good race discounts myself, if I could swallow my pride and run multiple marathons in a short period of time to qualify for "Marathon Maniacs".  I would have to settle for some slow times, but according to one of the Maniacs I spoke with, they get some good deals.

              Marathon PR: 3:25:35 Fall Classic, 2014

              1/2 Marathon PR: 1:35:59, Mt. Sneffels Half Marathon, 2014

               

              SShaw490


              SShaw490

                Anyone who thinks younger generations arent competitive and willing to work hard isnt following very many sports. In addition to running, I have been a competitive motocross racer for 40 years, and there has never been a more competitive group of riders than the 16 to 25 year old groups for the last decade. Those guys train to the point of chronic fatigue syndrome, take risks that only a crazy person would accept, and dedicate themselves to a sport that runs from January through the end of September criss crossing the country a dozen times and racing in every condition that we could imagine - and after following the sport all these years, I can say that no group of riders in history could compete with them.

                 

                if young people don't dedicate themselves to running like they used to, maybe its because they dont have the ability to make the money in it that they used to.

                AmoresPerros


                Options,Account, Forums

                  if young people don't dedicate themselves to running like they used to, maybe its because they don't have the ability to make the money in it that they used to.

                   

                  That seems rather counter-intuitive, as it stands.

                   

                  But maybe rather it's a factor of not being as willing or able to live poorly enough to run full-time.

                  It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.


                  Tiefsa

                     

                    My personal take on the 40 -49 being such a competitve age group is that this is the point of life where you have more time to dedicate to yourself. e.g. More time to train

                     

                    Your kids are more self dependant, your career is underway, you are hopefully financially fit, less worries. I'm 48 and I'm lovin where I'm at right now.

                     

                    I'm no more committed today than I was in my 30's but I am putting in more training time...cause I can!

                     

                    You nailed it right there.  Once we had our third child (when we were both 32), it was out with any serious running.  I also quit coaching at the high school too because I wanted to be around my kids when they actually want me around.  I am already looking forward to when my kids are involved in after school activities, so I can go running while they are at practice.  I'll be in my 40's when this happens.

                      And here's a less emotional, more fact-based rebuttal from an RA'er: http://jsdeluca.blogspot.com/2013/09/why-i-think-that-guy-got-it-all-wrong.html

                      Runners run

                      Julia1971


                        I think there's a famous quote about not letting facts get in the way of a good argument.  Edited to add: I agree that it appears the author is missing the fact that participation is way up and that's skewing the times.

                         

                        Good read. Thanks for sharing. (Is there an RA "blog roll" somewhere?)

                         

                        And here's a less emotional, more fact-based rebuttal from an RA'er: http://jsdeluca.blogspot.com/2013/09/why-i-think-that-guy-got-it-all-wrong.html

                        stshipley7


                          Having read the original article and the two rebuttals, my opinion is somewhere different than "That guy's right/wrong."

                           

                          Perhaps it's possible that simply participating in a race/run is better than past generations because more folks are actually participating, rather than doing absolutely nothing. One thing I see that is more common these days than 20 years ago is an entire family running a race: mom, dad and 1-3 kids. If you are talking about growing an interest in running, that's progress.

                           

                          Part of it also has to be that there is increasing competition between races. Here in the ATL there are usually 5-10 races every weekend . . I don't race every weekend, but if I wanted to, I could. I can choose races based on whether the course is hilly , if it's close to home, what the distance is, etc quite easily. It's incredibly easy to find races here. The "elite" runners have to pick and choose the same as me, so not every race can have a stacked field. Many are going to be filled with slower runners, and that's AOK.

                           

                          Just my 2 cents.

                           

                          -STS

                          AmoresPerros


                          Options,Account, Forums

                            .... One thing I see that is more common these days than 20 years ago is an entire family running a race: mom, dad and 1-3 kids. If you are talking about growing an interest in running, that's progress.

                            Great point.

                            Part of it also has to be that there is increasing competition between races. Here in the ATL there are usually 5-10 races every weekend . .

                            And another great point.

                            It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.


                            Why is it sideways?

                              Another thing that bothers me about these sorts of articles is that they seem to miss the point of why competition is good -- or at least don't spend enough time thinking about why they want us or our culture to be more competitive.

                               

                              To me, competition is good because it is tied to participation and community. When competition works the right way, it ensures that we don't just participate, but that we bring our best selves to the table. And -- at least in my experience -- competition works to foster deep and lasting friendships among and between competitors precisely because we show each other these selves.

                               

                              So, it's not as though competition and participation are opposed values. Further, it seems to me that there is very little necessary association between competitive spirit and race times.

                               

                              Anyways, the problem with competition going away is not that fields get slower -- it's that we lose a vital aspect of participation. Competition ensures that we participate together -- that we notice each other, that we engage with each other, and that we do so with intent and purpose. That's why we want it.

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