Hello intrepid runners 🙂 How are you doing? How’s the running? What are you up to?
I started to think about envy after a visit to my dentist! I’ve been having a tooth problem and so have seen quite a bit of him recently. We always spend at least five minutes beforehand just chatting about running because he discovered running at the start of lockdown and he’s now as hooked as the rest of us 🙂
He had entered his first HM a few weeks ago and so when I saw him the other day he was telling me all about it. He wasn’t keen on the crowds, he didn’t really enjoy it, he hadn’t trained, he wasn’t feeling 100% on the day and he stopped four times on the way around. BUT, he finished it in around 1:45!!! (he’s not particularly “young” so he hasn’t got that in his favour).
Was I envious? No, I honestly wasn’t. I was thrilled for him and I was probably more pleased about his time than he was! He was a bit meh!
But on the way home I was thinking about any time when I felt envious of another runner for whatever reason. And I honestly couldn’t think of any. According to this article in Runner’s World runnersworld.com/runners-st... there are two types of envy, benign and malicious. I don’t think I’ve got either but what about you? Have you ever felt even a tiny bit envious of another runner? I admire others’ achievements as I know the amount of hard work that’s usually gone into them but they inspire me, not make me feel envious.
Tell us your thoughts on this. We’d love to hear them 🙂
Have a great week everyone!
From The Marathon Team x
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At the moment I’m envious of anyone who looks effortless, gliding along the road as if they’re on wheels. I’ve been watching far too many London Marathon YouTube videos recently and the latest one was a Vlog. He and everyone around him seemed to be going at the pace I do but he was chatting away without a bead of sweat on his brow, not a wince of pain crossed his face, and he came in at sub 4 hours. It was a really good video though!!
I tried to replicate his ease on my training run yesterday but I still looked like a sweaty, pained, stressed bunny by the time I’d finished. I don’t know how I’m going to look after 26.2 miles but it won’t be pretty!!
As a Scorpio, I’m afraid envy comes with the territory 🦂♏️😫
No one looks pretty after 26.2 miles. I also think that there are plenty of people who will look at you and think the same. When is your marathon? It’s just maranoia. You’d totally got this💪🏽
Thanks Tasha. I know and tbh I don’t really care, I just might be a bit smelly on the train home... As long as i’m still on my feet i’ll be happy. It’s 2nd October, so quite a way to go yet. I was fairly paranoid when I trained for my first HM and I’m approaching this in a similar way. I’m mainly paranoid that it will be cancelled or postponed just before like they keep doing with Bath!
I’m still in shock that I can call myself a runner! The only competition I have is with myself so I can honestly say that I don’t really envy anyone. I’m also the slowest person that I know on Strava so it would be foolish to play the comparison game 🤣
There’s so many different types of runners who all run for different reasons which is what I love about running.
I run more hills that most people on here RunWillie , rarely proper mountains! You, however, are a much stronger runner than you give yourself credit for 👍😀
I've already said in reply to your anniversary posts that your PBs aren't too far off mine and a fair bit faster than my usual more relaxed solo lollops when all I'm really doing is just pootling along enjoying being out doors and covering however much ground I do on any particular outing. I save my speedy stuff for Parkrun and any actual events that I'm entered into; the rest I just do whatever my legs decide they want to do on the day.
You are very speedy from what I’ve seen on the parkrun posts RW. I think you need to follow more people on Strava (including me, I’m getting slower all the time trying to build these slow twitch muscles!).And if anything can make us envious it’s those gorgeous photos! 😍🌞
I am indeed having a ball, especially at parkrun, it doesn't really matter if I am lapped, as long as I enjoy the run that is the main thing, I have noticed that at my home parkrun with the 3 laps the runners who come in sub 23 minutes lap me, my average time is around 33 minutes, I have noticed that runners who are +43 minutes are the ones I lap but I always say to them "keep going you are running so well".
The big four O, Irishprincess, I have run 40 official parkruns and 95 (not) parkruns, although I 'only' run two times a week, on a Wednesday and Saturday, the Wednesday longer runs are 10K's, I use my 5K split time for sending the (not) parkrun time to my home parkrun website which is Dunfermline,
Although he said he didn't enjoy the experience and probably wouldn’t enter another race, while I was heading out the door he muttered something about what his time would be if he trained properly….. 🤔
I'm envious of everyone who took part in the Bungay Black Dog running festival yesterday. I signed up for the Half Marathon and actually did almost every run in my training plan, which was much more than I did for the Chelmsford HM last October. Then late last week I developed what seemed to be a cold, and after I got chesty I very reluctantly decided not to go along on Sunday. This morning (Monday) I have finally tested positive for Covid. So probably just as well I didn't give it a try!
And for those of you who think you are slow, I bet I'm slower, and there are no mountains and not many hills around here, so I have no excuse. It did dawn on me the other day that one reason I haven't started running until I'm in my sixties is that I feel people won't expect me to go fast at my age, but in fact I have never been able to run fast in my entire life.
I can understand why your dentist might not be thrilled with his HM result Irishprincess . Personally I'd much rather enjoy the experience and end up with a slower time than run faster but without enjoying it.
As for that Runner's World article, I find it utterly infuriating. Yet again it's assumed that "faster" and "better" are synonymous. Other forms of challenge, let alone enjoyment, just don't figure. I guess that makes me maliciously envious because no, I can't see why I'd want to make myself miserable simply to beat someone else's time and get bragging rights for "better" numbers.
On the upside, I was so angry at the article that I went out and ran around randomly, mostly up and down fields (in the wrong shoes) for just over an hour, just because I can. See photo! 😄
Completely with you on the faster/better thing. Sometimes I run fast (for me), e.g. at Parkrun or an organised 5k/10k/HM event, but usually I'm just lolloping along at whatever pace my legs have settled on, taking in the countryside and the wildlife along the way, most often covering around 12-16k, sometimes more, sometimes less.
For me it's just about the activity itself as a way of unwinding and destressing after work; my pace (unless I'm specifically focusing on it, which I rarely am) is just whatever it happens to be when I press stop on Strava at the end of the run.
Yes, most articles and running magazines seem to be geared towards speedy runners.Perhaps we should start one for the rest of us!
I mentioned to nowster above that as I was leaving the dentist he wondered what his time would be if he trained properly so he may enter another event. Then again, maybe not.
That’s a gorgeous photo 🙂
And running just because you can is the best reason for doing it 😍
If it’s any consolation misswobble, Katnap is feeling just the same. He’s just been out to walk the eldest kitten (as we don’t have a dog) and he’s very fed up.Good luck with the dentist 🤞
Oh yes I agree! I remember once sitting in a hospital bed waiting for a minor operation and I saw a runner run past the window. That was the running gods’ wicked sense of humour on full display 🤬😂
Hope you get on ok at the dentist and no further trips are required 🤞
I have to say, I don't envy other runners achievements. We all different and we all have our own goals and targets. Yes, I'm slower than a lot of people, but I'm also faster than a lot of others too. I may consider myself slow compared to others but I know there are people who would love to be "as slow" as me. It's all relative. The only person I ever really compete with is myself.
I do, however, occasionally feel a twang of envy when I meet runners out doing their thing when I'm on a rest day, particularly if the weather is nice. I get that fleeting" maybe I could just... " thought, but then I remind myself that rest days are non-negotiable and that, anyway, tomorrow it'll be my turn to run again.
For me, running is largely a meditative process. I don't concern myself with pace. I have a vague notion of what route I might take and I just head off, leaving my pace to be whatever it is when I hit save on my watch at the end of the run.
It's a very personal thing for me, so I really don't worry about what others do.
It's been said so many times, usually by me.... Comparison really is the thief of joy, and I feel Envy comes in there somewhere.I can, I think honestly say, I have never envied anyone and their running achievements, the only twinges have been felt when sitting on the IC.
Thanks for the reminder too IP...need to book a check up at the dentist !
I don’t feel envy at all. When I see people out running, I will them on! Ok, so I do sometimes have FOMO though.
The only thing that does frustrate me is when some (and there are few and far between, luckily) speedier runners go on and on about how rubbish their run was when they’ve ‘only’ managed a 20 minute 5k etc etc. Yes, it’s all relative, but sometimes I just think 🙄
I know! I was really excited for him and kept grinning but he was very laid back and “whatever” cool about it all. Perhaps he was secretly delighted but didn't show it. I did ask to see his medal 😂
I agree about some speedier runners. I’ve read so many running books from “ordinary” runners who go on about their slow runs but then mention these really fast times (to me anyway!)
Ooh. I have lots of runner envy! All pretty positive though I think. When I'm injured I envy every single person I see out for a run, in an event I envy all sorts of outfits, postures, styles of running. Often when I read posts here I envy the running location, or the weather conditions or maybe the boost the runner has felt. I'd say my envy tends to be inspirational though, more of a 'congratulations, lucky you' type of envy 😊. Oh, and don't even get me started on swishy ponytails .... 😍
Ha maybe not envy but fascination and inspiration, yes. I see a runner and my mind is immediately working out where they are on their journey and their run. 🙂When I hear a friend has crossed a major milestone I am deeply happy for them because I know what it means for them and how hard they’ve worked. Running is intensely personal and most of my battles are for my future self. I’m old enough to know I can’t keep up with the young ones, but that is how it should be and it should not stop us from at least trying.
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