Beginners and Beyond

Christmas gatherings bring ironic comments (Read 907 times)

Chloey


Run Like a Mother

    I was presently surprised at how well our holiday gatherings went in our families.  We spent Christmas day with DH's family and nothing was mentioned at all about my running, kinda nice.  Anything running related was purchased by my hubby and we opened our gifts with our kids before heading over.  When we celebrated with my family, I got a couple of concerned comments because I didn't run at all when we were there (3 days).  I haven't been feeling well and have some health stuff going on and not running was a red flag for them.  Other than that my step brother, who I don't see very often,was concerned if I tracked the miles on my shoes and how many I got out of them.  Kinda weird, but asked out of genuine concern.  My SIL bought me 2 pair of arm warmers.  I was so impressed, she looked up my pictures from my half to see what brand I had so she could get the right ones.  I guess I am lucky, I feel very supported.  My MIL routinely makes comments to my hubby about how lucky he is that his wife is educated, can bake, cook, sew, AND runs.  I guess in her eyes it is like the icing on the cake...I dunno, I'll take it Smile  My obese step-father who had his knee replaced last year tells me often how great running is and that he wishes he would have kept running (he ran when in high school).  He always says to not ever give it up and I'll never find myself in his position.

    CrisRuns


      I was presently surprised at how well our holiday gatherings went in our families.  We spent Christmas day with DH's family and nothing was mentioned at all about my running, kinda nice.  Anything running related was purchased by my hubby and we opened our gifts with our kids before heading over.  When we celebrated with my family, I got a couple of concerned comments because I didn't run at all when we were there (3 days).  I haven't been feeling well and have some health stuff going on and not running was a red flag for them.  Other than that my step brother, who I don't see very often,was concerned if I tracked the miles on my shoes and how many I got out of them.  Kinda weird, but asked out of genuine concern.  My SIL bought me 2 pair of arm warmers.  I was so impressed, she looked up my pictures from my half to see what brand I had so she could get the right ones.  I guess I am lucky, I feel very supported.  My MIL routinely makes comments to my hubby about how lucky he is that his wife is educated, can bake, cook, sew, AND runs.  I guess in her eyes it is like the icing on the cake...I dunno, I'll take it Smile  My obese step-father who had his knee replaced last year tells me often how great running is and that he wishes he would have kept running (he ran when in high school).  He always says to not ever give it up and I'll never find myself in his position.

       

      It is awesome to know that this is possible! You are surrounded by a great bunch of people.

      SkyFlash


          But I did manage to keep my snarky replies to myself.

         

        You and your daughters have super human tolerance.  I'd have let him have it with both barrels.  Not just for being a completely stupid moron, not just for providing the worst possible example to his entire family, but largely for trying to bring his granddaughter in with him in his little world of ignorance.  In fact, I'm a little disappointed in you for not reading him the riot act in her defense.

        kristin10185


        Skirt Runner

          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.

           

          +1

          PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

           

          I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

          wcrunner2


          Are we there, yet?

            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....

             

            You could have mention that you weren't sure how fast you could run one mile; the 8:00 miles were 26.2 in a row.

             2024 Races:

                  03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                  05/11 - D3 50K
                  05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                  06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

             

             

                 

            RSX


              I know a 10+ minute runner (no offense to any in that category) who when I told him about a friend running 6:30's in a race he had run, he mentioned to our group that it wasn't too bad. I had no comment to that.

              wcrunner2


              Are we there, yet?

                I know a 10+ minute runner (no offense to any in that category) who when I told him about a friend running 6:30's in a race he had run, he mentioned to our group that it wasn't too bad. I had no comment to that.

                 

                Well, it isn't - too bad, that is. Even at the marathon distance 6:30s wouldn't be sub-elite and at 5K it might not even place in any but the older AGs.

                 2024 Races:

                      03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                      05/11 - D3 50K
                      05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                      06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                 

                 

                     

                Little Blue


                  Chloey, do you live in my spare bedroom?  Our family is quite the same.  Both of my SIL's have taken up running, MIL and FIL ride bikes.  Two BIL's are into working out.  Dinner at the IL's house is a exercise-fest.  Mom is so proud of her kids, she can hardly contain herself.  She's always bragging to her friends about us.  And she bought me new running clothes for Christmas. Big grin

                  kristin10185


                  Skirt Runner

                    So here's a new one.....

                     

                    I have this friend, who currently is basically bringing me back to high school with her passive aggressive-ness, snobbish-ness, competitiveness, and just all-around bitchiness. I'm a VERY easy-going person and very easy to get along with as I am always giving people the benefit of the doubt, don't hold grudges, ect. so it always takes me (and most of my friends) by surprise when someone has beef with me.

                     

                    Anyway..... so my friend is a runner. Or former runner really. She is 10 years out of college and was an athlete in college and ran as a part of training for other sports, and after college took up running on its own. She has run in countless races of distances 5K-marathon.However, she had a bad experience with the 2011 NYM and has backed way off racing and running in general since then and barely runs anymore and almost never races. I have been running for only 5 months on a regular basis and have only ran 3 races. She was very supportive at first of my running (in fact she was one of the people who when I was first trying to "get into" running over a year ago was very encouraging, full of advice, and was trying to convince me to sign up for a race.)  She offered to run a local race with me in November and pace me for it, though that race got cancelled and I ended up running a different race the next week.

                     

                    Anyway, she was apparently complaining to a mutual friend of ours, who ended up telling me, that I should, "shut the fuck up about running," that "nobody cares," (this was referring to one of the very few posts I have ever EVER posted regarding running on facebook as I generally don't talk that much about running to those who don't run, but I will every now and then post something on facebook in reference to a race or whatever) and that "she is sooooo much faster than me anyway."

                     

                    Ugh. I rarely deal with people who are so negative and condescending (I tend to keep positive people around me) so this comment really stung.

                     

                    Best I can come up with is jealousy, because I am out there running and racing and she really isn't much anymore. Because I never EVER EVER have claimed to be fast (god my "all out" 5K pace is just under an 11mm) and I'm JUST getting started.

                     

                    Whatever......

                    PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                     

                    I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to


                    YAYpril - B-Plus

                      Kristin, I post about running more than anything else on FB and while it probably annoys the hell out of my non-running friends, I get a tremendous response from my running friends. Sounds like she's just being a sour apple (jealous, maybe). I personally don't take crap from anyone and if that happened again I would unfriend her.

                       

                      Hell, if she doesn't like it, there are filters, groups, etc she can put you in to not see it. It's definitely HER problem - not yours. Try to not stress about it.

                      MrNamtor


                        So here's a new one.....

                         

                         

                        Kristen, this is the oldest story in the book. So often, people who were former what evers, and for some reason no longer practice the activity become bitter towards people just starting out and having the bad taste to show some enthusiasm.

                         

                        Maybe she was supportive in the beginning but as you've stuck with it and had some success with it, it's just probably brought out some bitterness.

                        RSX


                          I'm not on FB yet, but my running friends complain about runners who post splits on every run whether they race or not. Everyone has their pet peaves that only bother them. I know 2 trail runners who talk about their runs in great detail which is my issue.

                          MrNamtor


                            I'm not on FB yet, but my running friends complain about runners who post splits on every run whether they race or not. Everyone has their pet peaves that only bother them. I know 2 trail runners who talk about their runs in great detail which is my issue.

                             

                            Serious question - why does that bother you? This is not a rhetorical question- I am really curious.

                            RSX


                               

                              Serious question - why does that bother you? This is not a rhetorical question- I am really curious.

                              When I run roads about the most detail I go into will be that there was a close call or 2 regarding cars. Maybe I will mention about some new construction, people I saw, but that's it. I don't need to hear detail about how great running outdoors is, and that I need to be out there more often like they are trying to convert me. I have run trails twice, and looked out for roots the whole time.

                                When a non-runner brings up running, I try to politely answer their question, and then I change the topic as quickly as possible.

                                 

                                Same here.