Something that struck a chord

There's a lady who writes about running and I pass by her site from time to time, and this post really resonated with me...

momrunsforfun.com/2017/11/0...

She is citing people being apologetic for not having yet done a marathon as if that makes them 'proper' runners. Let's look at Usain Bolt - bit of a wimp, only does 100 metres and 200 metres at a push. We wouldn't say he wasn't a proper runner all that gold bling notwithstanding! Yet, somehow there's a sense that marathons are the gold standard.

Her article resonated with me, because often friends and family will ask oh 5k that's great, are you aiming for 10k?. Or 10k? - well you could do a half marathon. It's as though the reaching of one milestone, isn't sufficient to make us 'runners'.

And it occurs to me that these questions others ask us, we may well ask ourselves. 5k in 30 minutes, I'm only doing it in 45 minutes - should I be faster etc., etc., And I have fallen into that trap myself.

I think we are all 'proper' runners, whether fast or slow, long distance or short, walking intervals or none. Oh and I am not being disrespectful to marathon runners, if that's your running thing, then blooming good luck to you.

'How runner are we?' - Very runner in my view

Happy running fellow runners.

[Whatsapp Graduate]

Good Friday afternoon post Hidden . To paraphrase William Shakespeare: "I run, therefore I am."

Distance, or indeed surface underfoot (i.e road, grass or treadmill) should never be a deciding factor. I have avoiding extending my runs so far. 5k training fits nicely into my shedule 10k, HM or indeed marathon training requires the sort of commitment I don't have the time for.

I've not been pestered about marathon running, but many I meet believe the only true path to athletic happiness lies with a triathlon. No thanks.

[Hidden in reply to Whatsapp]

I so agree with you, Mr JCR is a cyclist and he doesn’t get these questions, I have a friend who is a swimmer and he doesn’t get these questions either. So is it just a running thing? For me it’s about the running, the quality of my experience I feel is way more important than a time/distance yardstick. And I am with you on the last point, triathlons no way, not for me! But I do respect those that can and do.

[Jenny1970 Graduate]

Great post! I’ve was just fretting about how incredibly slow I am. I will stop fretting and just enjoy x

[Gaspode1 Graduate in reply to Jenny1970]

I’m the same - very slow - but am learning to not worry about it too much. I still have 4 runs until I graduate 😊

[Hidden in reply to Gaspode1]

Isn’t it interesting that we fret about speed and distance, and to be honest I did and occasionally still do. But now I am increasingly focussed on doing it not measuring it. Good luck for graduation

[Gaspode1 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I try not to think about it too much now after reading so many posts on here about going slow and steady. I’m just over the moon to be running at all to be honest lol

Thanks for your good luck wishes 😊

[Razouski]

Excellent point Jan. Ever since I did my first 5k Parkrun people kept asking me if I would be doing 10k. Having achieved that they now keep asking if I’m doing a half marathon.

We should all be happy that we’re out there running at all. 😀

[Sadie-runs Graduate]

Thanks for sharing, JCR, I really enjoyed reading this. I for one am a runner and one who runs for fun! Very happy with my "almost-five-km"! x

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Interesting article there Jan. I think it depends on each person and what their goals are. In the four years of runnng I've never been asked when I'm going to do a marathon, probably because I bore people to death first about all the benefits of running in general 😕 I don't consider myself any less of a runner because I'm probably never going to do one but I really respect others who do. Each to their own.

Today after my pilates class we were three runners (including one who'd done five marathons and one who use to run and has given up) who chit chatted about...... not marathons or speed but about...... all our injuries ☹️

[Hidden in reply to Irishprincess]

Now that’s true the Injury chats bring us together in a way time or distance can’t!

[caterpillar61]

Oh yes I can see that ... last time I did this plan I heard the same thing and then piled the pressure on myself! 5k - not good enough. Had to get to 10k asap ! 10k? Not far enough! Etc. No time to enjoy myself - now 3 runs til graduation and I will be a happy 5k’er

- am tying my laces now! I love an evening run after a long day 💪

[Hidden in reply to caterpillar61]

Loving it and enjoying it, seem a much more healthy view, than the arms race of distance or speed. Hope you enjoy tonight’s run

[J9_54 Graduate]

Oh I am so glad it's not just me. Since I graduated I've had the same question "what's next 10k?" constantly; I almost felt ashamed when I told them "no 5k is fine for me". As a reformed couch potato exercising is now a regular part of my week and I'm happy with that.

[Hidden in reply to J9_54]

I am starting to have proper full on tippy tantrums about it! I was so chuffed doing 10k and I’ve only done 3 of them since restarting and thought it was a great achievement. Any running is good running, except for noses of course!

[Cornet-Carolyn Graduate]

5k fits in nicely with all the other things I do. Any running is better than doing nothing which is where I was 10 weeks ago. I'm off to a park run with a friend tomorrow for her graduation run. We are going to run at our pace, whatever that is, and just enjoy the experience. Happy running to you and all other runners 👏

[Hidden]

Such a great post. I haven't had many questions about running further, mainly because those who know me are still in shock that I am running at all. I can just about fit 2 or 3 30 minute runs in per week. Any more would be impossible. I am very happy with 5k and park runs.

[poppypug Graduate]

Hear Hear Jan !

I get this totally . I run because I love it so much and it has changed my life so much for the better . I will never be a fast runner , I just like to go at my own pace and enjoy it . ( most of the time ha ha )

I do like to set myself little challenges though, and I love taking parts in events I am not competing against anyone , its just the for the sheer joy of running . Oh and a nice piece of bling , of course ! xxx

[SuzyKK Graduate]

So, SO true... I realised my enthusiasm for running was waning & all because I kept thinking I had to run faster, or longer... now I just try & ensure I get out to run 2-3 times a week... & if I do that, I'm happy

[Hidden in reply to SuzyKK]

And that is all that is ever necessary in my book!

[HeleneCorsa Graduate]

Great article - thank you for sharing it!

During all of the C25k programme, with the exception of my graduation run, I didn't use anything to measure my progress. I had a rough idea of how long the route I took was but knew that some of it was taken up with warm-ups and cool-downs, and if I had the time I liked to just wander a bit afterwards anyway. I judged my runs basically according to whether they were "great", "fun", "ok", "a bit tough", or "horrid" and that subjective categorization served me very well. I had no idea if I was fast or slow, or anything.

I decided to start using Strava for W9R3 and it was great fun. It was fascinating to see how I was getting on and to apply a different set of criteria to what I was doing. But this is definitely a very double-edged sword. On the one hand I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was going faster and farther than I thought, but now of course it is difficult not to make the comparison with previous runs. Why did I go slower today? How come this was less far, if I ran for the same amount of time on the same route? What if it doesn't record my run? Then I managed to leave both my phone AND my work keys in the office, on a Saturday no less, and had to wait until midday on Sunday to get them all back. I went for a run that morning, for about half an hour-ish according to my watch, without music, without Strava, and just enjoyed being outside.

There is plenty to be said for monitoring your progress but it can become a tyranny that detract from the simple pleasure of just getting out there and putting one foot in front of the other. I don't know if I'll ever run a marathon, or an HM, or a 10k, or even a formal 5k quite frankly, as I don't think I care much for running surrounded by lots of people. Maybe I'll do a race at some point to see if it's my thing, although I'm not fussed really. But scampering about through the park looking at the glorious autumn colours and morning dew, or through Roman ruins, and feeling that all is well with the world if only for that enchanted half-hour, really is something I can get excited about.

I do agree that the sense of achievement involved in running is one of its best aspects, and that monitoring and improving performance and having goals are all part of that, but our goals can be very personal and not necessarily quantifiable.

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

Brilliant post Hidden , as ever...& brilliant post by @momrunsforfun too...it’s like everything in life though isn’t it?? We always think that one step in front & doubt ourselves if we can’t do it...our Mums have always taught us to ‘do our best’ & that’s all we can do but actually, even at school, our best is no longer good enough, it’s always ‘yes, thats good but....’ & I think that’s where we fail, because if we can’t improve or do that little bit extra it’s easier to pack it in coz ‘what’s the point??’ Well, how ever far we run in whatever time, no matter how long it takes we are doing what people on the couch are not...

[HeleneCorsa Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

Exactly! Often we can't see the wood for the trees.

[Hidden in reply to HeleneCorsa]

Spot on!