I'm a bit depressed!

nothing serious but I thought I did quite well yesterday in doing my first half marathon in a tad over 2 hours. Nothing special there I know, but I'm 54 and have only been running for a year or so. I see the results today and in may age group I'm 71st out of 78!!!

If I was doing any other physically demanding sport at my age, at my level of fitness, I would expect to do quite well, but oh no, I take up a sport which leaves me in the bottom 10%!!

Tiddlywinks anyone?

Comments

  • This will make you feel better - I want to run my first ever half next spring, and doing a time of just over two hours would be a dream come true for me - and I am only 27!! I always come in the bottom half of races, but I don't care. It sure beats sitting around on my arse all day. Think of all the people your age who can't even run ten steps. They, too, are you 'competition', not just the speedy guys ahead of you. So really, you're in the top of your age group, trust me on this, I know I'm right.
  • Dont beat yourself up too much OB.I bet if you look at the results you ran a faster time than some guys in younger age groups.
    Also a lot of the vets have been running for years.
    You may have finished in the bottom 10% of your age group within this race but what percentage of 20yr olds could just go out and run 13.1 miles like you just have?
  • I'm happy to trust a woman with a halo! thanks Hildegard.
  • HillyHilly ✭✭✭
    Cheer up Oldbones! You are a fit 54yr old who if measured against the population of males in this country would place very high indeed. Continue running happy!
  • Oldbones - you did brilliantly well. Gosh you finished only 20 mins behind people 24 years younger than you, who are serious fitness freaks.... I know - I gave 2 of them a lift to the race.

    You are far far far better than the average bloke who 'works out at the gym' but who
    doesn't run cos he's scared he's no good - and far far better than the people who don't even do that.

    Do it for yourself - not as a measure of yourself against others but as a measure of how you'd be if you stayed in bed each morning and did nothing. You know you're doing well.

    Maybe you're suffering from pre-cold viral syndrome or something - I was nearly suicidal last week and it had nothing to do with the need for crampons to get up hills .. rather the bug I later came down with.

    What did you say before the race - 'you felt bad enough that if it hadn't have been a race you wouldn't have run'...

    You did FAB!!

  • Cheer up oldy
    You are still faster than me.

    SS how went Vyrynwy?
  • you were probably in a race with loads of older runners.most people your age dont run so chin up old boy i think you should be proud of your achievement!
  • Vyrynwy?
    How do they play Countdown in wales?
    Consonant please Carole,err s*d it just give me another eight of them!
  • Totally agree with hilly,you're probably among the fittest 10% of all 54 year olds in this country.Be very proud !!!
  • Hello Old Bones
    I know the feeling, entered a race when in my home country (Hollland). It was a 10K through a beautifull nature reserve for the first 8K, the last 2K where ove the beach.

    Since I wasn't well prepared (too hot to train properly here in Ankara in the summer months) I decided to take it easy and just enjoy the secenery. At the time I really really enjoyed the run, wasn't even that dissapointed when I found out it had taken me over an hour to arrive.

    However, two weeks later when reading the results on an internet site, I felt very embarresed. I am only 33 years old, have been trainging for two years and I came in 7th out of the 8 women who entered the fun run.

    Still can't understand why this upsets me since I thoroughly enjoyed the race at he time.

    By the way if I would be able to run a half marahon in 2 hours I am sure I would be very proud.
  • thanks folks - you've made me feel better. I know I did well for me it was just the comparison with all the other old gits that surprised me.

    SS - you remember everything I tell you don't you? Do you take contemporaneous shorthand notes?
  • Oldbones I can't even spell contempwhateveriitis. But you're right, I've probably got a short hand to go with my short leg....Perceptive of you to spot that as you scorched past me at mile 0.5.

    Barkles - Vyrnwy was fab thanks. You MUST do it next year. Blazing hot sun - with trees giving shade all the way round.
    I've never ever run faster - 10min 40 sec miling all the way (with a HR of 195 for 2hrs 20 mins apart from the top of the dam when it reached 203++).

    I got desperately sore at 11 miles and started limping badly and was sooo glad it was a 1/2 and not a whole marathon !
  • SS
    It's a date.

    What is the date?
  • SS

    Well done - fantastic time.

    Hope you are recovered by the 29th.

    Oldbones - I felt a bit down after coming last in a 10k a couple of weeks ago (despite being delighted at 61 minutes when I had hoped for under 65). The I saw the results of the 5k race on the same day, and saw an ex-schoolmate, aho had always been much fitter than me, had taken 39 minutes for half the distance. So rather than being 50th out of 50, I suddenly realised I was 50th out of the hundreds and thousands of 34y.o.s who couldn't run 1 mile never mind 6.
  • Nessie - well done to you. You're right, a bit of perspective is always necessary! I've looked at the results in more depth and as someone mentioned here, I beat a lot of much younger people. Ah well - must keep plodding on!
  • Do you have to keep rubbing it in, OB??
  • Dearest Oldbones

    You are being utterly ridiculous. Firstly you came in at under 2 hours because why should you add on the two minutes that it took for us to get to the start. Secondly there must have been something special about your agegroup on the day because they beat an awful lot of younger people and you beat over 300 people! Thirdly how many of those 54 yearolds were accompanied by a harem of THREE beautiful women??? And fourthly I wouldn't have chosen any other 54 year old to run with on that gorgeous day on Sunday (except maybe one who didn't abandon me to sprint off at 8 miles...!!!)

    love badge
    xxxx
  • Oh badge - how kind you are!! I'm feeling ok about it now especially with the reminder of the harem and yes, why did I choose to leave such lovely company?

    OBxxx
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