Is running a 'sport' for people with no sporting ability?

rodeoflip

I've seen plenty of matches in person (and played in a few when I was younger). Yes, there are changes in direction. Yes, the ball doesn't kick itself. All I was saying that running in short quick bursts over a 10K distance over 90 minutes shouldn't be desperately difficult for a very highly-paid athlete at the peak of their physical fitness.

Guarddog

Then you would know that there is a lot more to playing the game than just effectively standing still whilst nowhere near the ball. I played mostly as a central defender and my action, or reactions, were dictated to by the person I was tasked with marking. If he moved I moved with him, whilst also bearing in mind my position in relation to my fellow defenders and those playing in midfield in front of me. If the forward stopped I'd be assessing what was needed. If we had the ball did I need to move into space to support a teammate. If they had the ball did I need to react to his movement, was he looking to pull me away from my position to create space for someone else, could I anticipate what was happening to intercept. Rarely was I standing still. And I played at a very low level.

I don't think players do find running 10K in short bursts over a 90 minute period desperately difficult. That's what they're trained to do. But I think if I were asked to do 10K over a 90 min period based on short 50m runs with a few seconds recovery in between I'd certainly struggle. It's using different energy systems and muscle twitch fibres for a start. As I said before, I played a couple of years back and I have never ached so much. Someone else had the same experience playing hockey having done a half marathon and being able to do a sub 40 10K. To compare the fitness requirements of running with football is difficult as it is very much horses for courses.

rodeoflip

Ok, perhaps I underestimated the effort required. I stand corrected :-)

It's a different sport, I understand. But if I'm running a marathon, then I'm thinking the whole time and watching around me the whole time as well. I was just thinking in terms of hard facts and the physics of time and distance, and wondering why the hell a professional footballer can be so tired at the end of a game. I accept that there are probably footballers who are very fit and not worn out after 90 minutes, but you do see pace tailing off towards the end of a game often, and players reluctant to chase after balls which they might have nearer the start.

But I do maintain that running requires sporting ability (as well as fitness and mental toughness).

Guarddog

Trust me I played with a lot of guys who underestimated the effort required and refused to put that effort in 

I suspect there's a number of factors that could be associated with being worn out at the end of a game. The conditions, if it's too hot. Or playing in freezing, driving rain (that never made me particularly happy). The position you play in, obviously a goalkeeper will look a lot fresher at the end of a game than a midfield player who is continually running from one box to the other. Also the type of style demanded by a manager. The current vogue is for a pressing game where you're constantly trying to close down the opposite team when they have the ball. That puts a lot of aerobic pressure on players. Compare that to the 80s when 'route one' was in fashion and most players were in danger of just getting a stiff neck from watching the ball fly over their heads.

And absolutely running requires sporting ability. Follows the ABC of requiring Agility, Balance and Co-ordination. It's also tactical in terms of deciding how you are going to run a race, how you pace it, how you react to others. I admire anyone who gets out and runs, regardless of how far or how quickly they go.

Simon Coombes 2

All I remember is playing against those annoyingly fast 'fat' defenders

The types you think 'oh yeah i'll have him easy..one decent long ball over the top and I'm there!' and then you find out otherwise..Agree very hard to compare footballers and runners. Professionals I would expect to be tip top due to training all the time.

Did I post about Gareth Bale originally? Still reckon he's be good over 1 mile. 4.50 I reckon..just need to test my theory..somehow

Guarddog

It was small players for me. I'd look at them and think I should have them in the air, but they'd have a really good leap. Not much fun being beaten to a header by someone who comes up to your shoulder   The larger forwards would tend to be more one dimensional, but you knew they wouldn't move much and you could normally have a good laugh with them. Smaller players seemed to be a bit more aggressive.

I remember one game we played, beautiful crisp, sunny November morning with a lovely dew on the pitch. The first time I cleared the ball the forward followed through on me and clattered me to the ground. I got up, shook myself off and played on. This then happened twice more.

On the third occasion I inquired what his problem was (although I used other words) to which he replied "They call me The Cat," which was a rather strange response. 10 minutes later their side played the ball down our left touchline. He got the ball and started sprinting forward, at which point I ran across and using the dew on the pitch went into a sliding tackle the got the ball, but also got him (they wouldn't allow it now, but 25 years ago it was deemed the perfect tackle). He went 3 or 4 feet in the air and then came down, landing on his back. I got up and just said "I thought cats were supposed to land on their feet?" at which point he got up and started to move towards me. I thought at the very least he'd have words and that I'd possibly get chinned, but as he got to me he laughed, slapped me on the shoulder and said "Fair play to you, quality comeback" 

Big_G

Are people only really fit in the sport they do?  I like to think of myself as relatively fit from running, but I have a mate (who let's just say is on the large side) that plays badminton regularly.  I secretly thought I was going to whip his arse when I played him, but actually he whipped mine, and I expect he couldn't do 5k much quicker than 35mins.

bigballer69

Palio Di Canio ran the Swindon half a few yeears ago by mistake (was meant to start the race and then run a shorter race but took a wrong turn and decided to do the half). He ended up doing it in under 1hr50 which is not great even for a man in his 40's but considering he did it on a whim without much training is not bad either. I imagine a footballer in his prime would be able to do a 1hr30 half with not much training. 

Simon Coombes 2

That's a pretty decent time to be fair. I remember seeing Steve Claridge doing some kind of superstars type thing, they had a flat 800m grass sprint to do - wasn't on a track and he did about 2.13 which was decent. He would have still been playing at the time though.

Guarddog

I saw something on Robbie Savage doing the Great North Run about 5 years ago in 1:58, but it didn't say how much training he'd done.

julianclar

Honestly, I do not consider that running is a 'sport' for people with no sporting ability. I would say that they are not having enough competition between them, and running is the only thing that actually entertains them that much. Moreover, it is a sport that does not require a lot of skills and talent. You just have to be very willful and work a lot on your physical condition. My brother is a runner, and he agrees that running is a straightforward sport and anyone can start practicing it

dangeroushamster

Was it not the Man Utd squad that were having the 5k challenges ? Think Scott McTominay got under 15m, even slabhead got 18m I think

You can't say that they are not truly fit people

As for the question, running is for all. You just need a pair of trainers and crack on... You can gain the same sense of achievement without having to break world record paces, just challenge yourself

joetuckeruj

> @julianclar said:
> Honestly, I do not consider that running is a 'sport' for people with no sporting ability. I would say that they are not having enough competition between them, and running is the only thing that actually entertains them that much. Moreover, it is a sport that does not require a lot of skills and talent. You just have to be very willful and work a lot on your physical condition. My brother is a runner, and he agrees that running is a straightforward sport and anyone can start practicing it. I still remember how he started running. He just ordered the best Lululemon joggers online after reading some reviews on https://lululookalike.com/lululemon-joggers , a pair of excellent running sneakers, and since then, he is a professional runner :D.

I think you have good point