RunningAHEAD - Topic: Runners that take themselves too Seriously

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Runners that take themselves too Seriously (Read 1184 times)

SurfNRun view log Shake it!	posted: 3/24/2008 at 4:44 PM
	Quote from Marcus L S on 3/24/2008 at 3:42 PM: He claimed he felt the road better when high. is this true Jeff ?
	"If I had only two days to live, I would invade a neighboring country, and force my own ideology on them, whether they wanted it or not. "

PacerChris

posted: 3/24/2008 at 4:50 PM

I don't know your group, but if I'm not happy about a race result, that doesn't mean i don't enjoy the race or the effort. Running is like golf to me - some people just have fun with it, some people take it too seriousy, and some people take it seriously but enjoy themselves. I'm the last one - I train my butt off but I enjoy doing so. I race hard and I enjoy that too. I talk trash with some of my running partners but I also try to give them a lot of support if they're trying to improve.

I think it may be a bit of a stretch to say your running partners don't enjoy it - they just want to improve. If that's not a priority to you, that's cool too but they may not understand that.

I've found it's good to run with several groups of people. I've got friends I run with when I want to push myself, some are just for fun/sociabe runs, and some are in-between. It makes for a good balance for me. If you take every run as life & death, it WON'T be enjoyable, but it's also good to push yourself every now and then. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

spaniel view log	posted: 3/24/2008 at 5:28 PM
	Kimmie, there certainly IS a place for it! As I described in my post, it's an individual thing. You can be in the middle if you so desire, that is fine. My point was that it's an individual choice/goal. It's fine for them to always be hungry, and it's fine for you to be happy where you are.
	"Talent" is a cop-out for not wanting to try harder. marathon - 2:28 HM - 1:09:53 10K - 30:57 5K - 15:18 (2nd half of above 10K)

Mr R	posted: 3/24/2008 at 7:24 PM
	It sounds to me like they're taking THEMSELVES too seriously, but not their training. When I opened this thread, I expected to rush to the defense of the runners that you're talking about, since I take competition very, very seriously, myself. After reading about the situation, I'm inclined to take your side. A serious runner should not be upset after every race, particularly long road races, which are mostly non-tactical. They should know what they're going to run based on their training and their workouts, so there should be no surprises. Being constantly upset indicates that they are fantasizing about performances that they're not earning with their workouts. This negative attitude also reflects an unbalanced view of competitive running, whereby the race is almost holy. Many runners have a hard time being happy when they put too much psychological emphasis on the race at the expense of the training and lifestyle. This distinction is even apparent at the professional ranks, where some athletes are able to stay relaxed and perform consistently in races, shrugging off the occasional poor performance, while others are sporadically brilliant, but consistently under perform. Deena is a good example of the former; Webb has been an example of the latter (though I think he's finally getting the mental side of his running in order). I'm all for taking competition seriously, but there are only two healthy ways to look at a sub par race: 1. Determining a weakness in training that lead to the poor performance, and addressing it. 2. Realizing that that the performance did not reflect one's fitness, forgetting it, and moving on.
	What was the secret, they wanted to know; in a thousand different ways they wanted to know The Secret. And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared to believe that it had not so much to do with chemicals and zippy mental tricks as with that most unprofound and sometimes heart-rending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottoms of his training shoes. The Trial of Miles, Miles of Trials. How could they be expected to understand that? -John Parker

HStreet Older and Slower	posted: 3/24/2008 at 7:42 PM
	Marcus- you hit on what I was going to say, which is that one cure for being overly-invested in your race performance is AGING! I remember sulking for several days over missing a marathon PR by less than a minute (3:08 on a hilly course). Little did I know that never again would I see a time anywhere NEAR that! I grew to be happy with results based on where I was in my training and in my life! I think there is a time and place for putting a lot of emotional energy into results, but it shouldn't seep over onto others. It used to be that my husband would be extremely anxious about my race performances- mainly to see how big a B1tch I was going to be! Now at 55 (and H 63), we celebrate the lesser victories.
	"It's not who wins the workout..." 5K PR 19:21 1/2 M PR 1:29:25 Marathon PR 3:08:55 Recent PRs 5K 26:16 1/2 M 1:59:24

Ennay view log Bif! Bam! Pow!	posted: 3/24/2008 at 8:01 PM
	Quote from Mr R on 3/24/2008 at 7:24 PM: A serious runner should not be upset after every race, particularly long road races, which are mostly non-tactical. They should know what they're going to run based on their training and their workouts, so there should be no surprises. Being constantly upset indicates that they are fantasizing about performances that they're not earning with their workouts. This negative attitude also reflects an unbalanced view of competitive running, whereby the race is almost holy. Many runners have a hard time being happy when they put too much psychological emphasis on the race at the expense of the training and lifestyle. . I think that was kind of what I meant too. Its ok to have a bad race now and then, but if every race makes you miserable there is something wrong. I think there is a fine line between not being satisfied (competitive) and being miserable (down on self).
	Beware the Pink Boxing Gloves of DOOM! "It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds" - Captain Hammer 2009 Goals New PR's in 5K 10K HM M I failed the 12 minute run in 11th grade...

Teresadfp view log	posted: 3/24/2008 at 8:21 PM
	I like how my son handles a "bad" race. He starts laughing at himself! He'll just shake his head, smile, and say, "I can't believe I started out too fast and butchered that race like that!" And that will be after he gets a PR. But he learns from each race and keeps getting faster. I do like his positive attitude - it's contagious.

dnephin view log Jeff right, me left.	posted: 3/24/2008 at 9:38 PM modified: 3/24/2008 at 9:39 PM
	Quote from HStreet on 3/24/2008 at 7:42 PM: I grew to be happy with results based on where I was in my training and in my life! That is among the most sage wisdom you are going to read anywhere. On anything.
	Boston 2008 DWARP Marathon Madness Mob

finney

Resident pinniped

posted: 3/24/2008 at 11:15 PM

Sounds like a lot of the people you run with are putting way too much pressure on themselves. This was something I was guilty of as well and also part of the reason why, when I first started running, I was hurt all the time. Anything less than perfection was failure and since I couldn't be perfect, I failed in a major way while trying.

Now I'm coming back from a little under a month of no running and I know I'll be disappointed at how much I've lost, but I need to lose the competitive streak (with myself, that is) and just run to run while I build back my fitness. When I first started running, I would have just given up because I couldn't have stood to see my so-called failure. These people sound in the same vein and really, they will suck the fun out of your running.

As for why you're getting slower, maybe you do need to do a little speedwork (that is, if it bothers you...it might not). The only way you can run faster is to teach your body to run faster, and the only way to do that is to run faster. Kind of a futile cycle. If you don't like speedwork or intervals just make one run a week Fartleks.

AKTrail	posted: 3/25/2008 at 6:44 AM
	Quote from Teresadfp on 3/24/2008 at 8:21 PM: I like how my son handles a "bad" race. He starts laughing at himself! He'll just shake his head, smile, and say, "I can't believe I started out too fast and butchered that race like that!" And that will be after he gets a PR. But he learns from each race and keeps getting faster. I do like his positive attitude - it's contagious. Sounds like your son will do well in whatever he does. A person can be happy and still recognize room for improvement.
	"So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog

NaderAlfie

view log

posted: 3/27/2008 at 7:13 PM
modified: 3/27/2008 at 7:14 PM

Quote from anutherfinemess on 3/24/2008 at 4:43 PM:

Kimmie,

I feel you on the original post. That's exactly why I never have, and probably never will enter a race. It's just not what running is about for me.

I have been running for about 3 years and am only now starting to enter races. What attracted me to running was how it might help to transform and improve me as a person. I think this is the case with a lot of people, who then get lost in acronyms and gadgets. If running does this to me, I hope I have the good sense to catch it.

Marcus L S Monkey Scratch	posted: 3/27/2008 at 7:20 PM
	Quote from NaderAlfie on 3/27/2008 at 7:13 PM: What attracted me to running was how it might help to transform and improve me as a person. I think this is the case with a lot of people, who then get lost in acronyms and gadgets. Brilliantly put! There is a strong trend out there of overcomplicating something as basic as running and we runners have created the market for gear, electronics, supplements, books, magazines, etc when most of us don't need any of it. If more people ran as much as they planned their runs or analyed their data, they might get some where. Left foot, right foot, quickly repeat.
	all you touch and all you see, is all your life will ever be Obesity is a disease. Yes, a disease where nothing tastes bad...except salads.

hup

posted: 3/27/2008 at 8:09 PM

I know some runners who fit the mold that you describe. It's sometimes hard for me personally not to get sucked in by it. I just smile and nod, and thank goodnes that racing doesn't make me miserable like that.

The point about finding some new partners (while not abandoning your old ones) is a good one, if it's feasable.

Hstreet also hit the nail on the head with the comment on aging. It's not easy slowing down due to age (I'm living it). Some people get perspective from it, others don't.

If I can just mention my pet peeve .... that's people who always have an excuse for not running as fast as they think they should have. That's one thing about racing that I love. The clock doesn't lie. My time on thgat day is what I had (all things considered). If I'm gonna complain about it, I need only look in the mirror for the person to blame. Too slow? I should have run faster. Period. Blaming your shoes or the course or the weather or other runners is just whining, IMO.

Good running to you
hup

BadDawg view log	posted: 3/27/2008 at 8:50 PM
	Quote from hup on 3/27/2008 at 8:09 PM: If I can just mention my pet peeve .... that's people who always have an excuse for not running as fast as they think they should have. That's one thing about racing that I love. The clock doesn't lie. My time on thgat day is what I had (all things considered). If I'm gonna complain about it, I need only look in the mirror for the person to blame. Too slow? I should have run faster. Period. Blaming your shoes or the course or the weather or other runners is just whining, IMO. Here's another great snippet from a nearby club's site, about the Winners Circle Running Club's Whine Line: Here is your chance to whine to the WCRC board: "The course was too long", "The clock ran too fast", "The race director was rude", "The beer was too warm", ... the possibilities are unlimited! Use the Whine Line to pass on your anonymous feedback to the WCRC board - positive or negative. I just LOVE "the clock ran too fast".
	Ed Tuesday Good Times 5K series in Lowell, MA HTFU "The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self." Whitney Young

HStreet Older and Slower	posted: 3/27/2008 at 9:49 PM
	You just have to be sure that when someone asks you what your time was, that you "open" with all the reasons why it wasn't faster- i.e. "I was training through this" or "I've been sick" or "My knee has been hurting all week so I took it easy". It especially helps if you can find a way to announce all this BEFORE the race to anyone who will listen to you. Our favorite was always the standard "I'm just doing this as a training run."
	"It's not who wins the workout..." 5K PR 19:21 1/2 M PR 1:29:25 Marathon PR 3:08:55 Recent PRs 5K 26:16 1/2 M 1:59:24

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