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you're so selfish, you're so weird, you're obsessed, runners are too thin, they've no social lives,
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sometimes, when people find out youre a runner, they loo upon you in a toally different light, like youre some other person, who they feel uncomfortable being around, because they are a non runner. sure you get the normal remarks from the kids on the street, but the worst, that's no hassle. but it's comments and one sided objections from loved ones, and those who you've known for so long, which get me down so much.
my mum still thinks running is the weirdest thing in the world, like who would want to put themselves out like that, and she looks upon me as totally obsessed and unhealthily comitted, just becuse i get up early to go to races and go training in the evenings. it makes me ashamed to talk about running in conversation with her and careful of my references to sport because she'll just refer to some anonymous friend who fell ill for four months after.
anyone else there who has ever had an objection or comment made about them and their running which cut them to the bone?
well, don't get disheartened, what do they know, (even if you love them dearly) it doesn't matter what they think.
sorry for the gut spilt all over the forum there, but i just got called a freak for racing twice in the week there.
has hat ever happened to you lot? tell me so i don't feel quite so strange. it makes me want to give up running.
phil
my mum still thinks running is the weirdest thing in the world, like who would want to put themselves out like that, and she looks upon me as totally obsessed and unhealthily comitted, just becuse i get up early to go to races and go training in the evenings. it makes me ashamed to talk about running in conversation with her and careful of my references to sport because she'll just refer to some anonymous friend who fell ill for four months after.
anyone else there who has ever had an objection or comment made about them and their running which cut them to the bone?
well, don't get disheartened, what do they know, (even if you love them dearly) it doesn't matter what they think.
sorry for the gut spilt all over the forum there, but i just got called a freak for racing twice in the week there.
has hat ever happened to you lot? tell me so i don't feel quite so strange. it makes me want to give up running.
phil
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Comments
Cos im large
But now Ive done a marathon, there is a quite shock, and occasionally an enquiry as to how the training is going
it would help if i didnt look like my namesake
There was 1 other guy from the village who was a runner, he did ultras and specialised in 100k but lived in Athens and only came back occassionaly.
Still it was refreshing in the lead up to the Spartathalon every year as a few of the runners that did the event and would stay in the village for a couple of weeks aclimatising themselves for it.
Since I've been back in the UK only one realy negative comment from a guy at work "Why would any one want to pay money to enter a race". Thats his loss not mine.
I totaly agree with big Al. But don't tell yer Mum.
Don't let other people spoil your fun in running! Some people aren't good at seeing anything from anyone else's point of view, and that's why they can't understand why you like to run. That's their loss, though, not yours. When they tell you their gloomy stories about all those unhealthy runnres just take a deep cleansing breath, smile politely and carry on with what makes you happy! That's what I try to do in similar situations, anyway
I suppose these sort of reactions are somewhat negative, but they don't bother me too much. I've only taken up running recently, so I can still remember how I felt about, and although I respected people who run, or otherwise stay fit, I must admit that I used to wonder why on earth they put themselves through it. Now that I know, I sort of feel sorry for non-runners.
One thing I have learned is that most non-runners have no interest whatsoever in how far I ran on the weekend, or my latest race results. I would think that if I didn't restrict that sort of information pretty severely, I'd be asking for trouble!
The kids I teach display this sort of behaviour: Take a kid that's bright (esp if a boy), and wants to do well, and can communicate with adults well, and works hard, etc then slowly pressurise them until they start to misbehave, stop working, withdraw from any positive teacher contact and basically stop being themselves and living their lives the way they want to. -All because it's easier to do that than it is to take the positive steps to be successful yourself.
In school it's called bullying, in life it can have the same effect. (I'm not suggesting your mum is a bully btw, just doesn't understand, mine doesn't either) I'd rather run and be 'different'than conform to make others feel better becuse they lack the determination to do what I'm trying to do!
I know from previous experience that my 'ex-in-laws' would have been negative and critical, but I choose to mix with different people now. I
n some respects I think running has made me more focused, "You can either lead, follow, or run alongside, but don't stand in my way" <-- very aware of how selfish that sounds.
"Obsessed is just a word lazy people use for someone who is committed"
Enjoy you're running, training and rest! And I've raced 4 times in the same day, although it's in rowing the effort is the same.
As Al says **** 'em, it's their loss.
If there is a general p**s take going on I just let them get on with it, shrug my shoulders and go anyway. After a while people just accept it and do start asking how things are going, even re-living their own glory school days sometimes, just don't take the p**s back I have offered loads of encouragement to people if they want to come with me some accept, most don't.
The plan this year is to get my wife out the door with me, no matter how slow it is at least she will be out. My kids want to go with me but are too young really, by the time they are old enough they will have changed their minds probably.
Apart from my mum who still thinks I do too much and am too thin but that is just the way mum's are.
the subtext being: "why do you make such a fuss about and and run every day? don't pretend there's anything special to what you're doing, cos I could roll out the pub right now and do just as well. you only have to try so hard because you're not a natural athlete. I, on the other hand ..."
or maybe it's just the people I mix with.
suffice it to say, you'll get nothing but respect around here, Phil. what you do is awesome.
Hmm, sorry to hear you've had this from people you want to support and encourage you. And it would be nice to have your hard work and results acknowledged as achievements wouldn't it?
Strange how people rarely accuse workaholics of being obsessive or doing too much - that's OK because it's tied up with money and status, much easier to brag about 'of course my son's doing very well at Mc Corp plc'. (by the way, have you noticed that most senior managers/directors are fat and probably couldn't run to their executive bathrooms if they had to).
If you want to be good at something you have to work at it - I can see this appears 'obsessive' to lots of people because most people don't have a single focus they're committed to. In my eyes, many runners like other sports people, or artists/musicians for that matter, are individualists and have to tune out negativity from others to pursue their goals. If you're afraid to stick out from the crowd you're much less likely to find yourself the target of this kind of criticism in the first place.
- they're threatened by the difference between them and you (people don't like difference, too scary).
- your 'obsession' gives them excuse not do do anything themselves to change.
- (in the case of bragging blokes down the pub) know full well they've let themselves go but their egos could never admit it.
- (most likely from women who are unfulfilled) still culturally unacceptable for women to pursue their own interests, and be good at them, maybe even (gasp) leaving their families to manage by themselves from time to time.
Must stop ranting!
Good thread anyway.
Question for you all though - should we encourage golfers? No, thought not. They should be stopped, for their own good.
Come to think of it, that would be quite a good way of doing interval training. About 50 intervals of 50 - 200 yards over a 1 hour or so.
Naahh...
My dad plays golf, but only as at 65 he's cut his squash games back to a couple a week. He only goes to courses where shorts are allowed as he's a scruffy b***er!
AND many golf clubs are socially elitist misogynistic institutions belonging to a bygone age... rant rant foams at mouth...
Tjis consultant will NOT play golf
(or buy an AUDI)
Dont want a TT
2. im not into cars
3.its consultoid to have an Audi
4. Im taking a pay cut and having to pay for 2 living places for a bit
One of my work colleagues joing in conversations I'm having with other runners by saying things like "Oh, yes, I do a bit of running sometimes, but I wouldn't enter a race unless I thought I was going to win", and I have to resist the temptation to "out" him as a pretentious tosser who hasn't sweated in public since his university finals.
I always get very negative comments from my Grandmother about anything I do from running to baking cakes.
"What on earth do you want to do that for?" is the comment I get from any activity I tell her about BUT the really annoying thing is later in the conversation she will always admit "Oh yes I used to do it when I was younger" - So why is it not a legitimate activity for me to do now?
I'm always disappointed that my Dad doesn;t take much interest but I was so pleased recently when I suggested meeting him after a 10k race one hour after it started. "10k? That's 6 miles you'll never do that in an hour". Unfortunately he couldn;t be there on the day but I was very pleased to report back that I had over 2 mins to spare before the hour was up!
You just have to ignore them and make the most of the people who do take an interest
Linda
So, are we supposed to give it all up at 63 then? Possibly another example of I can't run so don't you do it.