Runners and racers
Runners and racers
A few of my running friends (and I) have independently decided to take a sabbatical from racing.
Keep running yes, but the need for racing has lost its immediate fascination.
Anyone else in the same boat ?
Keep running yes, but the need for racing has lost its immediate fascination.
Anyone else in the same boat ?
"You're in over your head Donny..."
Re: Runners and racers
I have similar thoughts from time to time, especially after an extremely tough race!
These thoughts eventually fade and I find I need the motivation of an upcoming race to get me out the door, particularly in the winter.
These thoughts eventually fade and I find I need the motivation of an upcoming race to get me out the door, particularly in the winter.
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- Lynn Williams
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Re: Runners and racers
I have been pondering this for awhile. Partly cuz of my foot, partly cuz of cost, partly cuz why?
I like meeting maniacs. But apart from that, I am realizing that much of what I was doing was just fooling myself.
So why race? I can't yet answer the deeper meanings.
I like meeting maniacs. But apart from that, I am realizing that much of what I was doing was just fooling myself.
So why race? I can't yet answer the deeper meanings.
Athlete....Maniac 973....Marathon Maniac 6645
Live the most amazing life you can live - La
marathon runners are awesomeness personified - Ian
Bucket list: http://www.tassietrailfest.com.au/
http://ultramonk.blogspot.com/
Live the most amazing life you can live - La
marathon runners are awesomeness personified - Ian
Bucket list: http://www.tassietrailfest.com.au/
http://ultramonk.blogspot.com/
Re: Runners and racers
Sort of. My resolution is not to do any race that requires me to sign up months in advance. Unless I can register the week of the race, I likely won't do it. That means smaller races rather than the big ones that sell out quickly. That said, I'm already signed up for Disney (Jan) and ATB 2x15 relay (Mar), so obviously I'm doing those, but not signing up (in advance) for anything else in 2014.
"Maybe I will be my own inspiration." - UltraMonk (Laura)
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
-
- Tom Longboat
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Re: Runners and racers
I have a 10km race in November then probably think about it over the winter. Made BIG mistake over last winter and did not run - will NOT happen again!
Pauline
Boston 2008
10 km 2008 48.39
Scotiabank Marathon 2009 3.56.32 PB + BQ
Half Marathon 2007 1.50.00
5 km 2005 23.42
Around the Bay 2008 2.49.22
Boston 2008
10 km 2008 48.39
Scotiabank Marathon 2009 3.56.32 PB + BQ
Half Marathon 2007 1.50.00
5 km 2005 23.42
Around the Bay 2008 2.49.22
- richie-rich
- Bill Crothers
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- Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:32 am
Re: Runners and racers
totally. running for enjoyment these days. no races in about a year.
Re: Runners and racers
I like having races - gives me focus. It's hard to run 6-7 days a week in all conditions.
Re: Runners and racers
I went through a running funk last year when I was training for my first full. I went hog wild when I first started running and burned myself out. Between racing a ton, training, training someone else, magazines and reading about it all the time, I just felt sick of running.
Now I do races that I think are fun and maybe one big one a year. I stopped training the lady I was running with. I am also trying to do more races with my friends. This weekend 6 of us are doing the Ottawa Oktoberfest run as a team (Team Bad News Beers) and I did the Energizer race with friends earlier in the summer. I needed a little break and I'm glad I took it!
Now I do races that I think are fun and maybe one big one a year. I stopped training the lady I was running with. I am also trying to do more races with my friends. This weekend 6 of us are doing the Ottawa Oktoberfest run as a team (Team Bad News Beers) and I did the Energizer race with friends earlier in the summer. I needed a little break and I'm glad I took it!
Re: Runners and racers
fingerboy wrote:I like having races - gives me focus. It's hard to run 6-7 days a week in all conditions.
I agree 100%.
~ Tim ~
2014 Race Results:
Re-Fridgee-Eighter 8 mile - 22 February - 56:22 (PB)
Around the Bay 30K - 30 March - 2:29:10 (PB)
Sulphur Springs 50 miler - 24 May - 10:12:20 (PB)
Summer's Night Classical 5K - 9 July - 20:10 (PB)
ENDURrun International - 10-17 August - 1:39:41 (PB)/1:11:00 (PB)/2:59:29 (PB)/1:20:51 (PB)/2:48:50 (PB)/44:22 (PB)/3:55:42
Oktoberfest 5K Fun Run - 13 October - 19:55 (PB)
Next Races:
???
2014 Race Results:
Re-Fridgee-Eighter 8 mile - 22 February - 56:22 (PB)
Around the Bay 30K - 30 March - 2:29:10 (PB)
Sulphur Springs 50 miler - 24 May - 10:12:20 (PB)
Summer's Night Classical 5K - 9 July - 20:10 (PB)
ENDURrun International - 10-17 August - 1:39:41 (PB)/1:11:00 (PB)/2:59:29 (PB)/1:20:51 (PB)/2:48:50 (PB)/44:22 (PB)/3:55:42
Oktoberfest 5K Fun Run - 13 October - 19:55 (PB)
Next Races:
???
Re: Runners and racers
I LOVE races! I like to have one a month usually. This year I've had none (b/c of my injury) and I find it very hard and depressing!!
Sonia
7 marathons (PB 5:01)
31 halfs (PB 2:10)
----------------------------
The plan for 2014: 10K des glaces & Apocalypse 5K
2015: No plan at all!
7 marathons (PB 5:01)
31 halfs (PB 2:10)
----------------------------
The plan for 2014: 10K des glaces & Apocalypse 5K
2015: No plan at all!
- scrumhalfgirl
- Lynn Williams
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- Location: Ottawa
Re: Runners and racers
I really enjoy racing, but I found I've cut back a lot since having C - I generally do about one per season. I think it's mostly because of trying to juggle family time, plus if I run a shorter race, I lose out on my longer run for that weekend. While I love racing, if you told me I could never race again, but keep running every day and enjoy long runs with my friends indefinitely, I'd take that trade!
Jesse's 2017 Plans
April - Boston Marathon
May - Sporting Life Ottawa 10K
May - Ottawa Half Marathon
April - Boston Marathon
May - Sporting Life Ottawa 10K
May - Ottawa Half Marathon
- Doonst
- Abby Hoffman
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Re: Runners and racers
I am definitely racing less these days, just once this year. It just seems sort of pointless when you're not in top form. It takes some adjustment to get such lousy results and still enjoy it. If only I would run more than 20 K a week I could be a contenda!
next up:
This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day
So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day
This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day
So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day
Re: Runners and racers
I also love to race, and it keeps me motivated, but I never forget, once in a while, to just run for the sake of enjoyment. I truly do love to train though! I can see myself coming to a point where I'm less motivated to race though.
It's not the size of the dog in the fight...it's the size of the fight in the dog! 11K Marker post - 2010 ATB.
Introducing 2017
GoodLife Half Marathon.
TBD
Introducing 2017
GoodLife Half Marathon.
TBD
Re: Runners and racers
I missed racing a lot while I was injured, and I loved being out there again when I was able to run well again. I will keep entering races for as long as I can.
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Re: Runners and racers
timc wrote:fingerboy wrote:I like having races - gives me focus. It's hard to run 6-7 days a week in all conditions.
I agree 100%.
I used to be like that, but then I found that having a race looming stressed me out and I started to lose the enjoyment of running because I felt I *had* to do it.
"Maybe I will be my own inspiration." - UltraMonk (Laura)
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
Re: Runners and racers
Between getting older and being set back by a very long injury hiatus, I don't think I'd ever be able to race for personal bests anymore so I don't see myself entering any races. (Exception for the Utica Boilermaker, because it's the Utica Boilermaker.) I'm running 5 or 6 days per week now just because I like running, but at maybe 40km/wk it's not really anything that will improve my fitness. I just enjoy the activity, and I'm more into other sports these days.
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Re: Runners and racers
dgrant wrote:Between getting older and being set back by a very long injury hiatus, I don't think I'd ever be able to race for personal bests anymore so I don't see myself entering any races. (Exception for the Utica Boilermaker, because it's the Utica Boilermaker.) I'm running 5 or 6 days per week now just because I like running, but at maybe 40km/wk it's not really anything that will improve my fitness. I just enjoy the activity, and I'm more into other sports these days.
oh, its on, shallonge accepted, Elder Jogfest 13!
next up:
This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day
So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day
This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day
So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day
Re: Runners and racers
Doonst wrote:dgrant wrote:Between getting older and being set back by a very long injury hiatus, I don't think I'd ever be able to race for personal bests anymore so I don't see myself entering any races. (Exception for the Utica Boilermaker, because it's the Utica Boilermaker.) I'm running 5 or 6 days per week now just because I like running, but at maybe 40km/wk it's not really anything that will improve my fitness. I just enjoy the activity, and I'm more into other sports these days.
oh, its on, shallonge accepted, Elder Jogfest 13!
Haha, we should meet up at the Boilermaker next year, for old times' sake. You might have to piggyback me for a couple miles... 15km is a marathon to me now.
- Doonst
- Abby Hoffman
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Re: Runners and racers
dgrant wrote:Doonst wrote:dgrant wrote:Between getting older and being set back by a very long injury hiatus, I don't think I'd ever be able to race for personal bests anymore so I don't see myself entering any races. (Exception for the Utica Boilermaker, because it's the Utica Boilermaker.) I'm running 5 or 6 days per week now just because I like running, but at maybe 40km/wk it's not really anything that will improve my fitness. I just enjoy the activity, and I'm more into other sports these days.
oh, its on, shallonge accepted, Elder Jogfest 13!
Haha, we should meet up at the Boilermaker next year, for old times' sake. You might have to piggyback me for a couple miles... 15km is a marathon to me now.
Will you get off my back about doing that old race! Things have changed, races have changed.
http://electricrun.com/ I must have maximum neon, that hasn't changed.
next up:
This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day
So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day
This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day
So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day
Re: Runners and racers
If I am running a 5km or a 10km race, I tend to race them. If I am running a marathon I tend to just aim to finish them. I don't consider it racing.
If you have to ask me why I Run, You probably wouldn't understand!
Re: Runners and racers
I've also decided to stop racing, training for races doesn't leave much left in the tank for other activities, and every time I would play a lacrosse game I would injure myself.
Sports are more fun than running for me, so my plan is to keep the running to 15-20k a week and see if I can play without injury, so far so good.
Sports are more fun than running for me, so my plan is to keep the running to 15-20k a week and see if I can play without injury, so far so good.
No Penguins were harmed in the making of this post
Re: Runners and racers
Here's the thing for me- if I didn't have any races on the schedule, I'd have a hard time getting out of bed at 5am day after day to go run- it's way too easy to make excuses, and slowly my fitness would slip away. I really like maintaining a fitness level where if I can run as far as I want, and as fast as I want, whether I'm racing or not. The racing helps with the motivation to train, and I enjoy racing too. I just try to not get too carried away with it as it can get quite expensive and time consuming.
Keep on rolling, just a mile to go. Keep on rolling my old buddy, you're moving much too slow.
Re: Runners and racers
Jump145 wrote:I've also decided to stop racing, training for races doesn't leave much left in the tank for other activities, and every time I would play a lacrosse game I would injure myself.
OTHER Sports are more fun than running for me, so my plan is to keep the running to 15-20k a week and see if I can play without injury, so far so good.
Fixed that for you.
Running is a sport too.
It's definitely hard to do running at a high level while also doing other sports.
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Re: Runners and racers
I run to just run, but I like following a schedule so I may as well do a race at the end of the schedule. I like seeing Maniacs, and going to a race once or twice a year is a good excuse to see friends and meet new ones. I doubt I would race if I wasn't a Maniac, but I would still run.
I wanna live like there's no tomorrow
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Re: Runners and racers
I don't need the races as motivation to run but I find racing such and enjoyable part of the sport. My problem now is that I've been putting too much pressure on myself to improve and try to get faster. I need to back off and just let it come naturally or else I'll keep finding myself injured!
There are lots of reasons to enter races other than for PBs and I have to remember that.
There are lots of reasons to enter races other than for PBs and I have to remember that.
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