Does It Count?

[mrrun]

I always run alone and know that some of my results, especially 10K and half marathon are actually quite alright for a bloke not far from 60. But given that nobody is there to verify them, do they count? Or even better, do I care if they count? Do you?

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

There are various pace calculators out there that will give you an age category. I had a brilliant link once so will try to find it.

I’m generally not bothered for everyday running but I will always look at them after a race. It’s a nice little measurement but only insofar as it gives me something to work towards 🙂 so therefore I do care.

I mentioned my age category results in my post from a 10K race last Sunday as I was chuffed about them (6/19). One good thing about getting older is there are usually fewer people in my age category 🙂

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I once put some of my numbers into a comparison thingy. It concluded I was national standard over 1k and slower than a dying snail over marathon distance. I concluded it didn't work for me and my running! 😉🙃🤣

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Cmoi]

My 42km and 50km results are plain poor in terms of timings but I can do those distances when many others can't, so I'll take that.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I've decided to simply run my distances. For me the medals are for competitive runners and I, even in my youth, was nowhere near any serious level, hence bling means nothing to me. As for the times? I only look at world records and can only achieve them when driving my car, not running. 😀

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to mrrun]

Bling means nothing to you!!!!! 😱

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I know.... Terrible, right? No bling craving, retro basketball gear, high maintenance, colour coding. To an untrained eye I may appear weird. LOL 😉

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to mrrun]

I’m only teasing. I know lots of runners aren’t into bling. Me? I only increased my distance to 10K to get some bling. I’m the proverbial “bling slut” 🏅🏅😂

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Haha!! And I am 'bling skeptical'. For me, in my twisted logic, bling should only go to pros competing for highest accolades. The rest of us get high fives and chocolate eggs if we really put in an effort (I bet you'll never see your bling in the same way again). 😍

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to mrrun]

The lady’s not for turning…..

[Frenc Half Marathon]

Yes they count! Mind you I always chuckle when I get a little second fastest time medal on Strava - I’ll have only ever done that bit twice anyway 🤣. Happy solo running mrrun! 😊😊😊

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Frenc]

At one stage I thought, man I wasn't bad at all. And then realised that I was way behind Boston marathon qualifying results for the ladies' entries who were older than me. Then I focused on myself only and getting from A-B.

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to mrrun]

That’s all we can do. I entered the Great South Run this coming October and I had to tick the slowest time they had box 🤣.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Frenc]

Well, needs must. I'm ok with times up to HM, can pull them off without falling apart. With marathon though, the strategy is to cross that line in less than 5 hours and ignore the gazelles. Being realistic means half the job is already done.

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

You know they do... if you care about such things.

I think we all care... to an extent. I care less now than when I was trying to get to my first 26.2.

Comparison, remember, is the thief of joy, best not to care too much 👍🏻

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Exactly! 😀

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Totally agree. Comparison can ruin many a thing, can even get you injured. I'm glad I'm out there doing my thing, competition (in this field) has never been my driving force.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Do they count to you? That's all that matters! Whatever you measure, however you measure it, the only thing that counts is 'does it make you happy'? Right?

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Yes, that's my criterion nowadays. The Garmin algorithm seems to struggle with happiness! 😀

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

I count my achievements by measuring my distances. I am fairly good on that front and managed, at one stage, over 300km per month. Speed? I've got no speed. Plus, running fast whilst being dressed up elaborately would make me look even more silly.

[Cmoi Marathon]

I've been running 19 months and have taken part in precisely two organised events, neither of which turned out to be a standard distance. Apart from that I always run alone.

I started off looking for PBs, always wanting to run faster or further, comparing myself (always adversely) to others. Nowadays I run for me. What that means also changes; right now it means doing my own thing without any regard to numbers. That might well change come next year. Who knows? I don't. I'd just like to keep running, happily, whatever that means. I hope that counts.

[nowster Metric Marathon]

They all count for me. The only official timings I have are from parkrun and the single 10km race I was in at the end of October. The rest of my runs are solo.

I only rarely chase pace, for example doing a 1km speed challenge this year and last year. Most of the time I'm just running in my comfort zone and the PBs come as a surprise.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to nowster]

Nothing better than a comfort zone when the heart is not racing madly. For me at least. I've never attempted any organised event, not my thing, except (to an extent) when I turned up at my local park where the runners were about to start their Park Run. Well, I wasn't about to join them and going home wasn't an option either so I compromised. They ran clockwise, I ran anti-clockwise. By the end of it we knew each other really well.

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to mrrun]

You will have encountered all the runners at least once each lap by doing that. Running in the same direction you wouldn't have met most of them.

(It's a similar situation to a stopped clock briefly showing the right time twice a day, compared with a clock that gains a minute each day, which will take nearly two years between showing the right time.)

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to nowster]

I knew I was doing something right! 😎

[Teresa1632 Half Marathon]

Of course it counts. It counts because it great for your physical and mental health. And your non running peers can look on with envy, exclaiming "look at that fella go". 100 year old runners are breaking world records, you're still a pup, and not peaked yet.

(PS: I qualified as a running coach for British Athletics this year, at the age of 65. You could almost hear the youngsters thinking "she has no chance". Seven out of the 10, (including me) qualified. The ones who came in with a bit of arrogance failed) Old age and wisdom will always trump youth and arrogance 🤣)

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Teresa1632]

This is all about physical and mental health. And fun. And being able to go when many other guys have given up, or never even attempted it. Running gives you that special feel that you can go on forever. And maybe we can, who knows? 😉

[HeavyFoot Half Marathon]

There would be no point in deceiving ourselves or others about distances or times.

We do what we do.

Apart from Parkrun , I nearly always run alone and even at Parkrun, other than conversations before and after, we’re on our own for 5km. It’s lovely and quiet at the back!

One thing I’m glad of is double checking the distance just before my first half marathon. I had thought it was exactly 21 km and would have been mortified to stop 100m short.

Do what you do, mrrun!

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to HeavyFoot]

Quite a number of people on my trail marathon would've been happier if the organisers had thought to check the distance! 😜

In fairness, they'd had to modify the route a couple of days beforehand due to a small number of idiots not understanding the difference between doing a recce and trespassing on private land that was only open on race day.

Even so, it's disconcerting when you think you're going to run 42.2k and end up running 46.45k!

[HeavyFoot Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

I remember being horrified by your post at the time. Running a trail marathon is hard enough, without the “bonus” at the end.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to HeavyFoot]

Actually, when I was doing my 50k I barely registered the 42k mark when I passed it. The brain was only interested in another target. Bodies and minds are amazing.

[Reggit Marathon]

Being fairly new to this running lark however at 19 months into it I think I’ve fallen deep into the rabbit hole!I’m dog slow, actually been told I’m not but I don’t believe them as folk always pass me and I pass no one.

When I was really new at running I worried about not being able to keep up with anyone, it was a complete game changer when I realised that no one cares how fast you run as long as you run!

Oh, I’ve only ever done one organised race, a nearly 11k relay leg at the Manchester marathon - official timing gave me the 10k in 32 minutes something, whereas Strava was 1hr 09’ and a bit. I know which I believe 😂

Keep debating entering a half next year, but have to check cut off times to see if I’m fast enough 😂