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Why should I race? (Read 284 times)

    I've been running now for 4-5 years and absolutely love it.  I started off to lose weight, got addicted and now thoroughly love running.  I do it for my own reasons, mainly for exercise, but my running time is my thinking time, my relaxation time, just my time to get out and enjoy quiet time just for me.  I think if I did not run, I would literally go insane.

     

    So, I get asked all the time - do you compete?

     

    And I never have.  Not one race, not even a 5-K.  I could do a half easy because I run one every weekend.  But I have never entered a race because it's not why I run.  I run for my own peace of mind and I figure if I enter a race, I will go overboard training and maybe even begin to hate running...so I don't do it.

     

    Anyone else run for just the pure enjoyment and don't enter races?  Should I enter one?

    Don't carry 10,000 songs in your hand...protect them...

    The "stiff" one works best for me...

     



    Netizen Kane


      Races can be sociable, fun events where you can meet people, bring your family along and have a good time. It can also be quite motivating having an event to look forward to, they can be a reason to travel to a new place and the races themselves will often take you somewhere you haven't been before, especially trail runs.


      Joining a race does not mean you have to "race". Competing is a state of mind and you can (and many do) opt out of that aspect.


      Latent Runner

        Whether to race or not is purely a personal thing; my wife was a world class runner 40 years ago, and then one day she snapped, took all of her trophies, medals, plaques, and ribbons, and threw them in the trash.  We met nearly 22 years ago and in all of that time I've coaxed her to run one race, in 1999, a 10K in which she placed third woman, not third in Women's 40-49, third.  By contrast, she and I ran the same time and I finished third in the Men's 40-49.  Post race she said, "Nope, I quit for a reason, and I'm going to stay quit."  She *may* have managed to talk herself into running on her company's Reach the Beach - NH relay team this year, if only because RTB isn't *really* a race.

         

        I told you the above to say this, I get not racing, as I wrote before, it is purely a personal thing.  The only difference here is that my wife has raced and has lots of experiences from said racing, and you don't.  So, while I would certainly never encourage you or anyone else to race if it isn't something you want to do, you might find it kind of fun to do at least one race, just for the experience.

        Fat old man PRs:

        • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
        • 2-mile: 13:49
        • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
        • 5-Mile: 37:24
        • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
        • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
        • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
        robin from maine


          I've been running for about six years and rarely race. Each time I do, I wonder why (although I usually place first or second in my age group in my small local races).

           

          If I go for a walk it is pure recreation, my relaxing, thinking, stop to smell the roses downt time. If that's why you run, then don't race.

           

          If you find yourself pushing yourself, stretching to run a little faster, wonder how well you can do, you might want to try racing. It is almost always a convivial, enjoyable gathering, where if someone else does well, it doesn't take away from how you do -- and may even enhance your performance.

            It'll cost you 25 bucks and 30 minutes or less of your life to see if you like it. But, fwiw, you can both train for recreational races and find peace, thought and enjoyment in everyday running at the same time.

             

            Or, train for a race for a 2 months, race it, and take a few months off. It's not some heroin like addiction where if you do 1 race you're down the rabbit hole and condemned to a life of hardcore speedwork and long runs and obsession...mostly.

            Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
            We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
            NikoRosa


            Funky Kicks 2019

              I hate racing.  I've been a runner off and on, mostly on, all my life.  Three years ago I got it in my head that I should do a race to see how I compared to other women my age.  I did really well, but it was incredibly nerve wracking.  I did the same race the next two years, and actually got first place both times.  But I did not enjoy it.  I think I just took the experience way too seriously and made winning way too important.  I felt like if I didn't get first place, I was no good at all.  And knowing that I was making it such a big deal, when it really wasn't, I decided not to race this year.  I know that some day, someone better than me is going to kick my butt and I will feel terrible.  So why put myself through it?  I know if I were a better person of stronger character I would be braver and more willing to lose to the better runner.  But I'm not.

               

              I don't need a race to give me the motivation to train, I have no problem running every day.  I really love to run, and I love to run alone.  I will never have a wall full of medals or a stack of race bibs.  And I do feel jealous of the people who have a medal for every time they ran a half marathon, because I run that far just about every day.   But I don't have anything to show for it, or proof that I can and do run a lot.  But for me, the negative aspects of racing outweigh everything.

               

              So I 100% agree with how you feel.  I think that sentiment is in the minority, because it seems like everyone else is racing, and you are weird if you don't have some race on the schedule that you are training for.  But you are definitely not alone.

              Leah, mother of dogs

                Yeah, I have the motivation to get up early and run because I absolutely love it.  It's a zone kind of thing I guess, it just takes me to somewhere I don't ever get to go doing anything else.

                 

                Definitely in the minority, funny how I get asked ALL the time why I don't race, as if because I run I HAVE to race.

                 

                Heck, maybe I will at some point, maybe not.  Not gonna stress about it actually, just gonna go run...

                Don't carry 10,000 songs in your hand...protect them...

                The "stiff" one works best for me...

                 



                  I can't say why you should race but I can say why I race. I race because I love it. I would still run if I couldn't race, but I would miss racing terribly.

                   

                  I love the camaraderie, I love struggle, I love the adrenaline high, I love the pain, I love the joy, I love the taste of copper in my mouth. I love going toe-to-toe with my friends/rivals over some distance--trying to kill each other--then laughing over a beer. I love the giddy anticipation, the nervous energy, the electricity in the air. I love big races with tons of hoopla and little races with a starting line made of a crack in the road and someone to yell, "Go!" I love the moment of total clarity that comes once in a while, but not always.

                   

                  I hate it but I love it.

                   

                  I love that you can never quite remember how hard racing is, until you're in that moment again in the thick of it and you say, "Jesus this is really, really hard." I love the feeling of having somehow cheated death ... or maybe just just stolen some more life. I love the utter simplicity, yet the depth of the experience.

                   

                  In ways that I can't even come close to explaining, I just really love to race.

                  Runners run

                    I like that dude, poetic as hell!

                    Don't carry 10,000 songs in your hand...protect them...

                    The "stiff" one works best for me...

                     



                      Yeah, I have the motivation to get up early and run because I absolutely love it.  It's a zone kind of thing I guess, it just takes me to somewhere I don't ever get to go doing anything else.

                       

                      Definitely in the minority, funny how I get asked ALL the time why I don't race, as if because I run I HAVE to race.

                       

                      Heck, maybe I will at some point, maybe not.  Not gonna stress about it actually, just gonna go run...

                       

                      actually I don't think you are in the minority by not racing.  on an online running forum yes, but there are many, many more people who run for the same reasons you do but do not race or do any running events.    I run for the same reasons you mentioned.  but I also do a few events during the year because I enjoy the experience & competition with myself & the occassional AG placing.  Don't let anyone ever make you feel guity for not "racing".   it's your life, do what you want.   If you don't want to race, then don't.    You could entertain the idea of volunteering at events if you don't want to race, just an idea.

                        Thanks skyedog, I don't feel guilty, had enough life experience to not really care what other people think at this point.  For now, I'm just going to keep running and enjoying what I do.  If I decide to race I decide to race.  And heck maybe I'll do it just to try it.  You never know, I may actually end up loving it!

                        Don't carry 10,000 songs in your hand...protect them...

                        The "stiff" one works best for me...

                         



                        NHLA


                          Why do you have such a negative attitude about racing?

                          You can love running for the joy of it and still race. If you get too competitive take a break.

                          Racing makes you a better runner because you run so much faster in a race. You can't run that hard against yourself.

                          The best thing is I see racing friends every day. Saw two this morning.


                          Latent Runner

                             

                                You could entertain the idea of volunteering at events if you don't want to race, just an idea.

                             

                            Well said, my wife and I volunteered at a race this morning, we were Course Monitors, and tomorrow we're volunteering at another race where we're directing parking traffic and then staffing a water table/aid station.  Since she doesn't race, this gives us a chance to do race related stuff together.  Smile

                            Fat old man PRs:

                            • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                            • 2-mile: 13:49
                            • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                            • 5-Mile: 37:24
                            • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                            • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                            • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
                            jerseyrunner


                            Half Fanatic 12680

                              I love to run and like to race, too. The reasons I like racing are:

                               

                              1. It gives me motivation and helps me plan my running. Sure, I enjoy just getting up every day and running some distance, but I prefer to map out a training plan that will help me improve and that varies the type of running I need to do. It gives me direction and a reason not to take the day off when it is 10 degrees and snowing outside.

                               

                              2. I like spending some time with other runners in my community who are out to support a cause and have a good time. I don't have a lot of friends who run so it's fun just to be surrounded by other runners for a fun time.

                               

                              3. You get to do run some amazing routes. It's great to just go out and run without having to stop for lights, worry about traffic, and there are water stops all along the way if you need them! I love running the Philadelphia marathon, the NYC marathon and half marathon just to be able to run through the streets of these cities. Heck, in the NYC half marathon, you get to run through the middle of Time Square! Of course, you don't have to run a race to find nice scenery, but there are some amazing race venues out there.

                               

                              4. It's fun to be part of something big. At the start of the NYC marathon last year, I was surrounded by runners from all over the world. 99% of the runners had no thought of winning, but were there for the experience. It was an amazing, joyful day. I could never experience that kind of thrill on any of my solo runs.

                               

                              5. I like to push myself from time to time. In a race, I race against myself and see how fast I can go. I think I push myself harder than on training runs and I think it helps my running in general.

                               

                              I would definitely run even if I didn't race, but I like to add races to the mix just to vary my running experience.

                               

                               

                                Thanks for all the support to get out there and race.  I don't have a negative attitude about it, just had never done it and never really had the desire to do it.  But it sounds like I would have some fun with it.

                                Don't carry 10,000 songs in your hand...protect them...

                                The "stiff" one works best for me...

                                 



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