Beginners and Beyond

Christmas gatherings bring ironic comments (Read 907 times)

RSX


    My brother started dating a runner, and it was nice to talk about places to run, gyms etc. at a family gathering. It will be nice if it lasts.

    MrNamtor


      My father irritates me because he keeps saying, "You know you're not getting any younger.  You should take it easy."  No Dad, if I take it easy, I won't make it to a ripe old age. Or at least, I won't want to.

       

      I am several years younger than my husband, and I think my dad has always felt that I push my husband too hard.  What he doesn't understand is that my husband wants to be out hiking etc. as much as I do.  It really frustrates him that he can't do the things we used to do, but he will never accept that he won't be able to do them in the future.  As soon as his leg heals .  . .  In the meantime, I get to run.  I may be old and slow, but as my husband always says, "I'm going to live until I die."

       

      This is absolutely one of my pet peeves. I see people in their 40's 50's and 60's blaming their poor physical condition on age.  And then they tell other people to "slow down" and keep reminding them how young they aren't. Meanwhile THEIR poor physical condition is almost always due to their attitude and NOT their age.  It's like they've put these artificial limitations on themselves and then get upset if you don't drink the cool-aid with them.

       

      Anyway, my role model is this guy. My best information is he's in his 80s.

       

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLQ3Uz4ALb0

      buchy2009


      Bjørnmannen

        I have found that family gatherings and pretty much anything involving alcohol brings out snidely commentary.

         

        Anyway, Christmas aside, we get this thread every few months.... "I'm tired of people coming down on me because I run", "people are making fun of me because I'm skinny", etc etc etc.

         

        Yeah, "how long was your marathon" gets old... but this is all the way of the world.  Be happy you got some family time even when they are annoying.  Some day you might miss it.

         

        This reminds me of the time my girlfriend's friend asked us how our "4-mile marathon" went. Haha


        YAYpril - B-Plus

          I was at the gym yesterday doing some leg swings as part of my dynamic warmup. One of the trainers (who has known I'm a runner since I started 2.5 years ago) comes over and tells me to "take care of my hips because I'll be old someday."

           

          Uh... Roll eyes


          Village people

             

            Aw, poor weimer.  He's probably hyperactive due to a lack of exercise.  They are champion runners.

             

            My Weimaraner doesn' t seem to like running. She tolerates it, but seems to prefer walking or sniffing in the woods. She needs to work her mind as much as her body.


            Ultra Cowboy

              When I'm not sure what to do I just ask the obese girl in the office, and do the opposite of her advice.  It hasn't failed me yet.

              WYBMADIITY

              Save

              FlippyNoodle


              Not a dude

                I have the opposite problem. My mom runs and that is all she ever talks about. It drives me nuts. I made some comment about high heeled shoes and she said "Oh, I never wear high heeled shoes. I run and wouldn't want to damage my feet." I just rolled my eyes a bit and mentioned that she never wore high heeled shoes even when she didn't run. I like running and I like to talk about running, but not all the time and not always in mixed company. My SO and my kids don't want to have every conversation be about some time you ran with your dog.

                MrNamtor


                  I have the opposite problem. My mom runs and that is all she ever talks about. It drives me nuts. I made some comment about high heeled shoes and she said "Oh, I never wear high heeled shoes. I run and wouldn't want to damage my feet." I just rolled my eyes a bit and mentioned that she never wore high heeled shoes even when she didn't run. I like running and I like to talk about running, but not all the time and not always in mixed company. My SO and my kids don't want to have every conversation be about some time you ran with your dog.

                   

                  lol

                  MrNamtor


                    thought about this thread last night because dw and i were having dinner with some friends who we don't know very well (known them for 10 years from summers at the beach but we haven't hanged with them 1 on 1) Anyway the subject of how much I eat came up because I was thinking about ordering dessert (I didn't) and everyone else said they were stuffed.

                     

                    So the friend/wife said "oh you must have a very fast metabolism" and I said yeah i do (not true) but then dw said "oh, he runs like 10 miles a day" (also not true) and then the friend/wife said "oh, your knees must be killing you!" I thought it was so funny. I just said i didn't run that much and thank god the knees have held up so far.

                     

                    But it reminded me of the time i saw someone actually slip on a banana peel - it's so classic but you don't really expect it to happen.

                    happylily


                      During the holidays, I was having supper with a huge number of in-laws, when a BIL asked me how fast I run when I run marathons. I said close to 8:00 mpm. He then replied "Not bad... I used to run a 6:00 mile back in college..." I didn't say that it wasn't really comparable, I just kept quiet. But he made me feel inadequate in front of 15 non-runners. Thanks, grrrr....

                      PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                              Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                      18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                      MrNamtor


                        First of all, any boastful statement that starts with or includes "back in college " is pathetic. Second of all, a 6 minute mile "back in college" is nothing to brag about - though it's currently a goal of mine, but anyway. And third, I think everyone at the table saw that statement for what it was, and i would think it made him look inadequate if anything, not you. It was very wise of you to say nothing and just let it stand on its own.

                        xor


                          You felt inadequate, and he facilitated it, but he didn't "make you" feel that way.

                           

                          Lots of people.. maybe everyone... gets the subtext "back in college I could..." and processes it for what it really is.  Which is something that makes him look kind of douchey; doesn't make you inadequate even kind of.  It was a weak attempt that didn't/doesn't/will never land.

                           

                          You could always say, "well, let's go for a run sometime and see what you can do!"  Usually that will cause the other person to back down or paint him/herself in a corner with "college was a long time ago and I just drink beer now".

                           

                          8 minute miles kick ass.

                           

                          flarunner


                            During the holidays, I was having supper with a huge number of in-laws, when a BIL asked me how fast I run when I run marathons. I said close to 8:00 mpm. He then replied "Not bad... I used to run a 6:00 mile back in college..." I didn't say that it wasn't really comparable, I just kept quiet. But he made me feel inadequate in front of 15 non-runners. Thanks, grrrr....

                             

                            " Just a 6:00 mile? Oh, I do 26 8:00 mpm."  Wink

                              Glad to see that whom ever was the last person to lock the doors at RWOL, packed the "non runners suck" archives and brought them over for historical purposes.

                               

                              In other news, PF33 does NOT look like she is old enough to have 'grown' daughters.

                              Philliefan33


                                In other news, PF33 does NOT look like she is old enough to have 'grown' daughters.

                                 

                                Gee, thanks!  My "baby" will turn 21 this month.