DUDES only RUN (Read 551 times)

SillyC


    The times I finish with-- let's say a 24:00 5K-- are times that a lot of guys can just roll out of bed and hit, without a lot of serious training.  But most women running those times are either naturally talented or at least a little serious about their training.  It's a different experience racing a bunch of guys who run maybe once or twice a week versus the experience of racing a bunch of women who are pretty dedicated and serious.

     

     

     

    I'm about the same ability, and I agree wholeheartedly!  When I run a shorter race like this, I am surrounded by mediocre dudes.  Often I look around and cannot see another woman!  While some of the guys are phoning it in.  At a women's only event, the dynamic at this pace is completely different.  It's a lot more competitive!

     

    Jeff, are you beginning to see what's going on?  There are plenty of reasons these races are fun and well attended, and there's a market for them.  But so far as I can tell, nobody's come up with a convincing benefit for the DUDES only RUN.

    obiebyke


      A lot of what I would've said has already been said. I've been mostly sitting back and enjoying. One question, though: Does anyone know what races' policies on trans folk are? Can trans folk run in women's only races? Can folks register as M or F for races, or does it have to match their driver's license?

      Call me Ray (not Ishmael)

      stadjak


      Interval Junkie --Nobby

        Locally there is a Men's 4-miler (for prostate cancer) and a Women's 4-miler (for breast cancer).  They are held on different days.  Each has a training program associated with it to cater people getting of the couch.

         

        The men's 4-miler has trouble fielding 350 people.  The women's 4-miler sells out in less than a day for about 4,000 people.  That seems to be true of a lot of "Pink" (women only) events -- they are very popular.

         

        I think there's a lot to be said about offering races where you are competing against your relative peers.  There is a Masters' Mile race event locally, that pits old-fogies against each other on the track.  It's a completely different experience than an Open race.  There's just something about finishing in an unqualified position: winning the race is different than being 1st woman finisher, or 1st master's finisher.

         

        I think the Men's race isn't as popular because men are mostly competing against themselves in Open races already -- and the slice of humble-pie you eat by getting chicked is good for you.

        2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

          "Trans folk"? Really..

          And we run because we like it
          Through the broad bright land

          DoppleBock


            +1,000,000

             

            I'm a dude and I don't give a shit.

            Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

             

             

            obiebyke


              Why "really"?

               

              "Trans folk"? Really..

              Call me Ray (not Ishmael)


              sugnim

                A lot of what I would've said has already been said. I've been mostly sitting back and enjoying. One question, though: Does anyone know what races' policies on trans folk are? Can trans folk run in women's only races? Can folks register as M or F for races, or does it have to match their driver's license?

                 

                I can't say how world-class races would respond, but I'm pretty sure that most local events wouldn't include any gender verification as part of their sign up.  Check which ever box you identify with, and enjoy the run.

                stadjak


                Interval Junkie --Nobby

                   I can't say how world-class races would respond, but I'm pretty sure that most local events wouldn't include any gender verification as part of their sign up.  Check which ever box you identify with, and enjoy the run.

                   

                  I think these are "convenient" policies that don't really address the problem.  You won't really know where an RD stands until a trans-person wins the race.  Fortunately, most male-to-female trans people are not interested in exploiting their physical advantages and making a social probably for themselves.

                  2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

                  obiebyke


                    Thanks Sugnim. I have one female-to-male friend, no hormones, who registers as female, with his feminine given name. I'd never talked to him about why and I was wondering if it was policy.

                     

                    I think you're right, stadjak. Much of the physical advantage would go away, though, after some time on hormones, if they've decided to go that route.

                     

                    Reminds me a little of the Semenya crap. And it makes the whole dudes only race idea a little blurrier.

                    Call me Ray (not Ishmael)

                    Julia1971


                      I'm on a smart phone so I can't be but the last sentence of your third paragraph is why the anti-chicking behavior/comments bothers me. It's as if those guys (not all guys!) didn't realize there was a woman's race and I was competing in it. As far as the finish, though, races do typically put out tape for the men and women finisher. And, technology is even making it possible to announce master's winners. They did this at a race for me and it was pretty cool.

                       

                      Locally there is a Men's 4-miler (for prostate cancer) and a Women's 4-miler (for breast cancer).  They are held on different days.  Each has a training program associated with it to cater people getting of the couch.

                       

                      The men's 4-miler has trouble fielding 350 people.  The women's 4-miler sells out in less than a day for about 4,000 people.  That seems to be true of a lot of "Pink" (women only) events -- they are very popular.

                       

                      I think there's a lot to be said about offering races where you are competing against your relative peers.  There is a Masters' Mile race event locally, that pits old-fogies against each other on the track.  It's a completely different experience than an Open race.  There's just something about finishing in an unqualified position: winning the race is different than being 1st woman finisher, or 1st master's finisher.

                       

                      I think the Men's race isn't as popular because men are mostly competing against themselves in Open races already -- and the slice of humble-pie you eat by getting chicked is good for you.

                      xhristopher


                         

                        I think these are "convenient" policies that don't really address the problem.  You won't really know where an RD stands until a trans-person wins the race.  Fortunately, most male-to-female trans people are not interested in exploiting their physical advantages and making a social probably for themselves.

                         

                        A quick google search says this was sorted almost decade ago by the IOC and USATF adopted the guideline. So any RD going against that probably does so at his/her own peril.

                         

                        The policy basically says:  "Since 2004, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), whose rules are used commonly throughout competitive sport, has allowed transsexuals to compete as their reassigned gender if the surgery has taken place at least two years prior to the competition and if the athlete has been on a regimen of hormones equal to that of a person born to the gender."

                          "Trans folk"? Really..

                           

                          FWIW, as a non-T member of the LGBT community, I see no problem with "trans folk."  There are several different nouns that the pre-fix trans- can precede, so use of the word trans as a stand alone inclusive adjective is both common and non-offensive.  And since it's common to refer to a group of people, particularly of mixed genders, as folk, I see no issue with combining the adjective and noun into "trans folk."

                           

                          If there's something I'm missing in other parts of the country, let me know, but otherwise there's no reason to berate Sugnim.

                          SillyC


                            A lot of what I would've said has already been said. I've been mostly sitting back and enjoying. One question, though: Does anyone know what races' policies on trans folk are? Can trans folk run in women's only races? Can folks register as M or F for races, or does it have to match their driver's license?

                             

                            Yep - IOC guidelines are  2 years post transition, and normal level of hormones for your reassigned gender.  NCAA says one year of hormone therapy.  There's a transwoman playing basketball at Mission College in California.

                            obiebyke


                              Yeah, I think it was actually me he was berating, and I think it was a bit of a transphobic troll moment. Someone has a case of the Mondays.  Wink I'm a non-T member of the LGBT community, too. High five!

                               

                               

                               

                              FWIW, as a non-T member of the LGBT community, I see no problem with "trans folk."  There are several different nouns that the pre-fix trans- can precede, so use of the word trans as a stand alone inclusive adjective is both common and non-offensive.  And since it's common to refer to a group of people, particularly of mixed genders, as folk, I see no issue with combining the adjective and noun into "trans folk."

                               

                              If there's something I'm missing in other parts of the country, let me know, but otherwise there's no reason to berate Sugnim.

                              Call me Ray (not Ishmael)

                                Why would running behind a woman be any less or more beneficial than running behind a man?  I'm not sure I understand this part.

                                Not specifically running behind women. It was random. Different women happened to be ahead of me and their pace helped me get faster. Just pointing out that staying behind as opposed to panting and passing them can actually be helpful as it was for me. If it were a guy who was slightly faster than me, I would follow him too.

                                running is somewhat like playing golf to me.   crappy shots all day long, ready to give it up & wondering why I'm trying so hard just to get this stupid little ball into a stupid little hole but then out of the blue comes a monster drive or a long putt that actually gets into the cup.  bingo! that one shot keeps me going for the rest of day no matter how crappy I continue to play & gets me back out again on another day.   strange. -- skyedog