Does anyone race not to win? (Read 948 times)

I haven't always run to win the race, but I've always had some sort of goal or workout planned for every race that I run. And if I am racing, then I am trying to win, even when there is better talent there that I haven't got a hope of beating. Every once in a while, I do beat them.

The irony of "Run to Win" being first to respond to your question is pretty delicious stuff.

As for your question: hardly anybody competes to win. [...] That said ... I think most of us are trying to win something. One of the things I like about running is that the competition is within; and my competitor is always going to be just one step ahead. That personal challenge, beating your own weakness ... working so hard to improve your own abilities ... it makes running special for me. I don't care much about awards and medals. But I'd be sad if I wasn't competing for something, even if its just against myself.

That's basically how I took this question; any goal could be considered a win, even if it isn't the first person to cross the line. You have very little control over the performance of your competition, so the first thing that you need to look at is what you are personally trying to do.

There are only a handful of folks here who even have the potential to win the races they enter (see, for example, RuntoWin).

I'm not actually that good; I need a good confluence of events in order to win a race. (The biggest factor in whether I win a race or not usually depends upon how many of my teammates show up. The more there are, the faster I'll run, and the greater the number of people who will beat me.)

What the monkey ape said. Very few of us here have the capability to win, even in age group, unless it's a very small race. Even our local tiny 5k had a couple of guys who showed up in Atlanta Track Club singlets and ran sub-20---in the 50+ age group.These same guys can be seen every weekend at various small 5k's around North Georgia, collecting trophies. I guess they showed us yokels. I compete against myself, and maybe a goal like BQ, which I have so far failed to achieve. If races only had runners who had a realistic chance to win they would be very small. I have a goal in each race, it might be BQ, PR, course record, or maybe just training run. Never to win.

The irony of "Run to Win" being first to respond to your question is pretty delicious stuff.

How is that irony?

The irony of "Run to Win" being first to respond to your question is pretty delicious stuff. As for your question: hardly anybody competes to win. There are only a handful of folks here who even have the potential to win the races they enter (see, for example, RuntoWin). Me, I just placed in my age group for the first time, and I was ecstatic; if I ever won something, it'd be be a happy accident - and would require all the fast folks to stay home. That said ... I think most of us are trying to win something. One of the things I like about running is that the competition is within; and my competitor is always going to be just one step ahead. That personal challenge, beating your own weakness ... working so hard to improve your own abilities ... it makes running special for me. I don't care much about awards and medals. But I'd be sad if I wasn't competing for something, even if its just against myself.

You impress me sometimes JK. When I saw the subject of this thread, i immediately opened it up looking for your sarcastic, witty or smartass comments...but your response is dead on perfect.

I know this sounds like a dumb question, but when you set off for a race are you trying to win it? Are you trying to improve your time? I set off for a race with the intention of not getting LAST even in small hometown races. I'm really just pleased to finish a race and I always wonder before the gun goes off if I'm the only one. I don't care about my time or performance or winning (I did win my division once, but they was only 10 people in it ) I just do it to do it. Are there others like me?

3 posts in a row Chloe, honestly somedays I hope some of the faster people stay at home. I like awards, accolades, prizes, medals etc and I am not ashamed to admit it. If I win an age group award I am happy to say "I was the fastest 40-45 yr old male there THAT day" MTA: Especially if I've run a good race. 2 of my age group awards came on bad days and I felt weird taking the prize (but I took it). That said, I don't go home upset the 99% of the time I go home empty handed.

I usually just run to meet/beat my own goals. Sometimes one of the goals is to place in my age group, but otherwise there is no competition with other people in a race. More common is to aim for a PR, achieving a milestone (<20 5k) or even just finishing (marathon). i've also done some races just to join in with friends who are doing them. if an all out effort doesn't fit into my schedule, i'll just take it nice and easy and run along with one of them. 5k)="" or="" even="" just="" finishing="" (marathon).="" i've="" also="" done="" some="" races="" just="" to="" join="" in="" with="" friends="" who="" are="" doing="" them.="" if="" an="" all="" out="" effort="" doesn't="" fit="" into="" my="" schedule,="" i'll="" just="" take="" it="" nice="" and="" easy="" and="" run="" along="" with="" one="" of=""></20 5k) or even just finishing (marathon). i've also done some races just to join in with friends who are doing them. if an all out effort doesn't fit into my schedule, i'll just take it nice and easy and run along with one of them.>