A bit fed up

[Deleted User]

Don't other people just annoy you sometimes?

Just need to vent a bit of steam here, so ignore me! I am having a bit of a hard time keeping motivated at the moment...just done a couple of 10k races and it really has worn me out! I took a week off and am now getting back into running regularly again. This time of year is always a bit depressing, what with the nights drawing in - and I find it difficult to fit in runs.
So, I took myself off to the gym in my lunch hour. Did 3 miles, felt great! (I don't have time to go any further unfortunately).

Went back to work and got all the smart comments like - "are you sure it is doing you any good this running lark", "gosh you are very redfaced, look like you are going to explode" etc, etc. (ha ha)

It just gets on my nerves and I felt the need to speak out to folks who might have to endure the same. Sorry !!

At least I got off my posterior and did some exercise. So, I guess I can continue to feel superior!!

There, I have talked myself into feeling better already :-)

Go-slow

[Deleted User]

Know exactly what you mean! I've got shin splints at the moment ,happened to mention to a friend I'd been running but it hurt......and you could just see the total lack of comprehension on her face. Motivation is hard enough when people are behind you, but my family and friends do think I'm wasting my time. Ah well, just have to keep plugging away despite the comments.
Good for u Go-Slow you have every right to feel superior you are in the top 5% of the population.........the elite!!!
Del.

[Deleted User]

Hi Go-slow, invite your workmates to join you on your next run or gym session I'm sure they will think of lots of excuses not too.

Anyway why are you running, for yourself I hope, you are doing something most people can't or won't do.

[Deleted User]

Hi Go-Slow - I know what you mean. I went to yoga last night, and managed to fit in half hour on the treadmill before hand, but cut the time a bit fine, so arrived at Yoga a bit flushed. To which I get - 'Have you had to run here', so I explained, and got some very strange looks and similar comments, you'd have thought I had come off another planet!

I think a lot of people just forget that we're all different, and are surprised when we slot running in amongst other things, whereas that is how it works best - at least for me!

I've decided on the 'ignore them and sit and think smug thoughts' approach. I enjoy how things are going with my running, I'm feeling the benefits and I'm not hurting anyone, so that'll do for me!

By the way - fitting a run in at lunchtime gets major points from me - I can cope with after work, but am amazed by people who can run before or during work. :-)

[Deleted User]

Hello Go-Slow - I run at lunchtime too and find it's a great way to squeeze in a run, especially when it is so much darker in the evenings. My colleagues thought it was hillarious at first but have become quite supportive now they are used to it - people just like to comment on anything different you do. You have the high moral ground, after all, because you got your butt out into the cold whilst they sat around drinking coffee!

The thing that really annoys me is when people say 'I don't know how you can run, it must be so boring!' Now I think they must not like their own company very much, which is quite sad really!

On the getting red in the face thing, I used to go very red when I first started running (2 years ago - but I was totally unfit then) but it seems to have improved now - has anyone else had the same experience?

WildWill

I take the opposite approach – I wind up all those that don’t train – mentioning how they are starting to look old / fit / unfit etc etc – It’s a bit of getting my own back as most of them think me mad for training up to 10/11 time per week.

It is having an affect though – a number of the lads have started getting out on their bikes, some going swimming and even others running

So just look at it this way you may be subconsciously getting people (at least) thinking about getting off their butts.

Will

[Deleted User]

Hi,
I get fed up with people's negative comments aswell. At least you're getting up off your butt and doing something, better than those sados who spend there evenings glued to the box - they're probably too scared to even try (reality might kick in).
I love to exercise until I'm breathing hard, have a red face and am sweating like a mad woman - it makes me feel great and I know I've done something.
Those comments are coming from jealous and cowardly people - I'd like to see them join you out on the roads or in the gym.
Well done, keep it up, stick up for yourself and kick some ***.

[Deleted User]

By the way well done with the 10K's...what's next?

[Deleted User]

Get them a bumper sticker:
"Those who can, run; those who can't, die younger!"

[Deleted User]

Go-Slow, those t*ssers are just trying to wind you up because they think they can. Don't give them the satisfaction. It's very bad manners to make uncomplimentary remarks about someone's personal appearance, and if they start it then it's a free-for-all. How about "My face will look normal in 15 minutes and you'll STILL be ugly," or "Are you sure you should be eating that biscuit? Looking a bit podgy around the gills, aren't we?"

I've got the ultimate put-down, of course - "YOU are the one who is in MY building because you need a doctor".

[Deleted User]

Try hanging your running medals off your computer
Wish I was allowed a lunch break to go running---

[Deleted User]

Hi folks,

Thanks for your comments and support! I might have been a wee bit tetchy about it all I guess - I am sure they didn't deliberately mean to wind me up! I was just on one of those moods... :-)

Went and did some more training today - I find treadmills SO boring, I just can't seem to concentrate on them, or try as hard. Even with music or TV on in front of me. But I am going to have to get used to it - I don't have time to get out during daylight in the week and won't go running in the dark.

Thanks again, it has been interesting hearing your strategies and comments - keep em coming!

Go-slow

[Deleted User]

Go-Slow

Get promoted several times then even if they think it they won't dare say it coz you can sack them.

Nick

PS it may be a slight touch of post-achievement blues, don't forget you've still got Brass Monkey to focus on and how cool it felt to see your picture on a running website. Like you I hate the dark weather (we don't have many roads with pavements or streetlights round here) but I will keep going because I have a goal which is important to me.

[Deleted User]

I work in a health & fitness club and everyone thinks that I can train at any time. I wish this was the case I never seem to have the time or energy to train anymore. I have lost all my motivation and enthusiasm at the moment. I need a short race that is not too far away to get me going again. I love running when I do manage to get out. I usually have to run alone which I do not have a problem with usually but I wish I could find someone to get me going at the moment.

[Deleted User]

Where do you live Memsahib?

[Deleted User]

Go Slow
Don't take any nonsense from them !
Look them in the eye and say
" I don't care what other people say about you, I like you "
or " I don't think you're like that at all, it's not true "
or
" People say you're not fit to sleep with pigs, but I say you are"

[Deleted User]

I call it 'a healthy glow'. They're obviously not familiar with the concept. You have the moral highground, you should be able to spit on them from there!

Muttley

Whenever I get any kind of hassle like this (not often, more friendly mocking), I always think to myself:

"I can run 13.1 miles non-stop at about 7 and a half minutes to the mile. Can that plonker?"

[Deleted User]

I tend to get the opposite - more awe at the fact that I'm willing to go out in the cold and dark 3 or 4 times a week. They don't realise what a draw the warm house and warm wife at the end make. (:

[Deleted User]

People do get on my nerves when they can't show support or encouragement, or be honest and admit that the reason they are putting you down is because (as the above post rightly says)they are being defensive and they don't have the 'get up and go' to actually get off their lard-arses and walk, let alone run.
I've had some ridiculous comments this week.

1. A 20-something girl who thought I was 'absolutely mad'for getting up at 6.15am to run, 'why would I get up so early to run?', and how she is lazy, eats 4 KFC meals a day, doesn't like vegetables, and doesn't do any exercise.
I suppose she thought I was jealous and that she was impressing someone, but I'm not jealous and she certianly wasn't impressing me. Silly girl. Let's see her in 10 years.

2. My boyfriend, who insisted terming my morning runs as 'jogging', even though he has never seen me run as he is zzz-ing up the walls at that time in the morning.
I told him that I do about 11kmph and he started to shut up a bit and ask questions about how far I run etc etc as if he was interested. Really, he is just envious that he doesn't have the inclination to exercise and now he has realised that he is so far behind me in the fitness stakes that he will probably never catch up. With men, I find, it is all about competion, and he'd hate to admit I was fitter than him!

3. The old chestnut, which I am sure we have all heard 'running isn't good for you.' 'It's bad for your joints. I read it somewhere'. Yeah - where'd you read it? The 'lard-arse times'?
Sure, it's soooo much better to do no exercise isn't it! I mean all activities have their risks, and sitting down all day and night certainly carries the biggest risks to your health!

Sorry for the venting there...Beth ;-)

Unknown

Beth -- lard arse times !!! THAT made me slurt tea all over the PC!!! hee! You are so right though. I have the same problem with the Mr although, give him his due, he does work nearly 12-18 hours a day (don't ask!!) at the moment and feels thoroughly miserable that he can't do much exercise... doesn't stop me going on about it though

V-rap -- your put down really made me laugh I used to be able to say more or less the same thing ... afterall what better motivation is there than working on a cardiac surgery ward!!

Unknown

forgive typo's

slurt = splurt

popsider

Sounds like I have it easy.

There are 5 people in our department that run regularly including 3 that race and 3 or 4 in another department that run including two guys that do 10k in sub 35 minutes - this is what got me into running - we also have a gym with decent free weights room which is literally 20 seconds from my office. We are in a small university satellite campus right next to beautiful quiet country lanes and our sports pitches and adjacent rugby club are used for cross country league races. Perfection!

It's amazing how difficult it is to get non-runners to even give it a try though isn't it. They'll quite happily shell out several hundred pounds on a gym membership though and promise themselves that this year, unlike last, they really will keep going!

[Deleted User]

Hi Folks,
Thanks very much for all your brilliant put downs and reasoning - made me smile! I shall employ all said methods tomorrow when I get back from the gym....

Lard arses had better watch out!

I am struggling a bit with my own lard, but that is only coz I gave up smoking in July and like chocolate..! I do need to make more effort when I go out running, it is too easy to let things slip. Thanks to all of you for your messages and re-kindling my enthusiasm.

Go-slow

[Deleted User]

I just keep picturing Paula Rad. blow London away and how High she looked.

I also remember the times when I used to run and how when it was really good I felt like i was flying.

And then theres all the brilliant places I've run - especially Greece at 7 in the morning and that makes me want to do it again.

I used to love to run up hills -cos it was easier than walking up and the feeling of achievement that I got was better than anything.

I'm walking at the moment but I know I WILL RUN AGAIN because I dont want to 40 fed up and fat.
I also want to stop saying 'when I used to run...'

Nessie

When trying to coax my colleagues to sponsor me for the Loch Ness Marathon, I got the usual "Oh, running is bad for your knees". I was delighted to be able to tell them (thanks v-rap) that being overweight was more likely to cause arthritis than running. I also tell them I'd rather be a 95 year old arthritic than dead at 50 of a heart attack.

After the marathon, when I was more than a little bit stiff, their comments of "Told you you were mad" were met with "I burned off enough calories yesterday to cover a whole box of Mars Bars". Not strictly true, but none of them knew enough to contradict me.

[Deleted User]

Go-slow,
Don't hate that treadmill too much just yet. Get a gym instructor to teach you to program it. Most decent gym machines will provide you with a varied program of diffrent speeds for spells during you runs that not only break the monotony but do wonders for teaching you to run faster, Motivation isn't usually a problem if you simply refuse to be beaten by a dumb machine.
As for other treadmill diversions, try talking to the guy on the next machine. He is quite possibly feeling the same as you are.

[Deleted User]

Isn't it funny how people are amazed that you actually want to run? A friend of the Mr's said to him over the weekend.. 'I saw Michelle the other day, and she was RUNNING..!!' (as if he couldn't quite believe it.) The Mr said, 'Yeah, she runs all the time..' and this bloke said, 'Why?'
Oh Purleeeeeze!!!!

[Deleted User]

There are a couple of people in my office who run regularly, in fact the department head of the client I'm currently working with helps organise some of the fun runs in my area, runs 8 miles to and from work every day, and has a PB 4.01 mile (which pissed him off no end, not surprisingly - imagine missing the 4-minute mile by a 10th of second!)

[Deleted User]

My work are now asking me regularly when my next race is, after being a bit funny about it previously
Yhe ward receptionist hugged me today after hearing about GNR, and even the porters have been asking how I got on
Not bad for a 1000 bed hospital
Should have got them to sponsor me
Maybe they cant believe that this lard arse runs