Why the discouraging comments?

"Mandy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

UGH! WHY would someone have this attitude-or at least why does she
not keep it to herself? The "mediocre" runners (I include myself, btw,
I'm no fastie at 1:27 for the 10 miler!) are at least putting
ourselves out there, doing something good for our health, trying to
improve, trying to enjoy the weather, trying to have a good time, etc.

They sound like an [censored]. Don't let it bug you.

Dave

Mandy said:

I did a ten miler (race) this past weekend, and I was delighted with
the camaraderie of the vast majority of the participants! It was
awesome, as I passed someone, I would hear "looking good!" "keep it
up!" etc. It was great. That said...

...one of my friends told me that as she was about at mile 8.5 (at her
10-11 mpm pace) there was this one woman who obviously had finished a
while before and jogged back to run in with some people she knew (I am
pretty sure she is a coach/trainer and was looking for some of her
clients or something) and comments to another person, "there sure are a
lot of mediocre runners here today."

UGH! WHY would someone have this attitude-or at least why does she
not keep it to herself? The "mediocre" runners (I include myself, btw,
I'm no fastie at 1:27 for the 10 miler!) are at least putting
ourselves out there, doing something good for our health, trying to
improve, trying to enjoy the weather, trying to have a good time, etc.

I mean, I know there are a lot of subtleties that separate running
snobbery and genuine insight or giving advice based on concern for
others. For example, while I hate this kind of comment--someone
criticizing complete strangers (or even friends!) based on how slow
they run--I understand and totally agree when a veteran runner advises
a newbie against trying to go from zero to marathon with an inadequate
base (I've been given and taken that kind of advice), to be patient,
put in the training and not expect to be able to short-cut it. But
here, it wasn't like she was annoyed that they were undertrained and
clogging up the race or anything-she didn't know anything except
that they were running 10 minute miles!

It sucks, because the vast majority of the fasties I see (and the ones
I know personally) are totally supportive (at least outwardly, who
cares if they secretly hate slow runners) of both new runners and those
who have been running for a while but are less athletically gifted.
But when I hear comments like this, I think it's no wonder that when
I pass an overweight runner on one of my normal morning runs (I'm on
the slow side, but not overweight) they look down, as if embarrassed to
be compared to the other (slim) runners on the road. Attitudes like
that woman's make it that way.

I'm just sayin.

Mandy

Mandy that's life. Whether it's running, the workplace, or any group
you're going to meet people like that. Just do the best you can and
enjoy. Better to be a mediocre runner than a couch potato.

oh mandy you're giving a low self-esteem hater too much weight.
disregard'em entirely. i'm just glad that you came and you gave
without taking, but I sent you away, mandy well,
you kissed me and stopped me from shaking, and I need you today. Oh,
Mandy!

Mandy said:

I did a ten miler (race) this past weekend, and I was delighted with
the camaraderie of the vast majority of the participants! It was
awesome, as I passed someone, I would hear "looking good!" "keep it
up!" etc. It was great. That said...

...one of my friends told me that as she was about at mile 8.5 (at her
10-11 mpm pace) there was this one woman who obviously had finished a
while before and jogged back to run in with some people she knew (I am
pretty sure she is a coach/trainer and was looking for some of her
clients or something) and comments to another person, "there sure are a
lot of mediocre runners here today."

UGH! WHY would someone have this attitude-or at least why does she
not keep it to herself? The "mediocre" runners (I include myself, btw,
I'm no fastie at 1:27 for the 10 miler!) are at least putting
ourselves out there, doing something good for our health, trying to
improve, trying to enjoy the weather, trying to have a good time, etc.

I mean, I know there are a lot of subtleties that separate running
snobbery and genuine insight or giving advice based on concern for
others. For example, while I hate this kind of comment--someone
criticizing complete strangers (or even friends!) based on how slow
they run--I understand and totally agree when a veteran runner advises
a newbie against trying to go from zero to marathon with an inadequate
base (I've been given and taken that kind of advice), to be patient,
put in the training and not expect to be able to short-cut it. But
here, it wasn't like she was annoyed that they were undertrained and
clogging up the race or anything-she didn't know anything except
that they were running 10 minute miles!

It sucks, because the vast majority of the fasties I see (and the ones
I know personally) are totally supportive (at least outwardly, who
cares if they secretly hate slow runners) of both new runners and those
who have been running for a while but are less athletically gifted.
But when I hear comments like this, I think it's no wonder that when
I pass an overweight runner on one of my normal morning runs (I'm on
the slow side, but not overweight) they look down, as if embarrassed to
be compared to the other (slim) runners on the road. Attitudes like
that woman's make it that way.

I'm just sayin.

Mandy

I was inspired to start running by those "mediocre" runners. I used
to go to the high school cross country meets and practice runs when
my sons ran. They are fast kids in good shape and always ran up in
the pack but the ones that impressed me the most were those kids that
went out and trained hard, put in 30-40 miles a week and never got
even close to the top seven on the team. But they didn't quit.

Sluff it off, there are no mediocre runners.

Frank

Oh, believe me, it isn't going to discourage ME--I made it to Division
I college sports on average talent and working my booty off, I don't
embarass or discourage easily--I just hate to think it would discourage
people just starting out...but I'm glad we agree that she's a loser. 🙂

If I'm cooling down on a course after finish I'd be encouraging
those still running. Cutting them down because they're not your
speed seems quite infantile. I guess I could puff myself up and
cut down anyone who doesn't run at least 2:40 for a marathon. But
then why would I expect the 2:20 guys not to cut me down? Unless
you hold the world record it's all just perspective.

Sing it, brother.

Mandy said:

I did a ten miler (race) this past weekend, and I was delighted with
the camaraderie of the vast majority of the participants! It was
awesome, as I passed someone, I would hear "looking good!" "keep it
up!" etc. It was great. That said...

...one of my friends told me that as she was about at mile 8.5 (at her
10-11 mpm pace) there was this one woman who obviously had finished a
while before and jogged back to run in with some people she knew (I am
pretty sure she is a coach/trainer and was looking for some of her
clients or something) and comments to another person, "there sure are a
lot of mediocre runners here today."

UGH! WHY would someone have this attitude-or at least why does she
not keep it to herself?

The discouraging part about this is that she may be talking about her
own runners, if she's out there running them in. She is really poor.

There's many insecure people like that in the world. Ignore her.

Those "mediocre" runners are speedsters compared with me, but
everybody's out there having a good time and doing their best.

Dot

--
"It's not football, but it is trail running." - Julie Udchachon, Women's
US 50k trail champion 2005

"Mandy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

...one of my friends told me that as she was about at mile 8.5 (at her
10-11 mpm pace) there was this one woman who obviously had finished a
while before and jogged back to run in with some people she knew (I am
pretty sure she is a coach/trainer and was looking for some of her
clients or something) and comments to another person, "there sure are a
lot of mediocre runners here today."

Including, if they were back there, her own clients!
I sure wouldn't want a coach like that.
(justice would be: they heard her say that -- & fired her superior ass!)

Quoted message said:

UGH! WHY would someone have this attitude-or at least why does she
not keep it to herself?

Because they're jerks.

Quoted message said:

The "mediocre" runners (I include myself, btw,
I'm no fastie at 1:27 for the 10 miler!) are at least putting
ourselves out there, doing something good for our health, trying to
improve, trying to enjoy the weather, trying to have a good time, etc.

I'm a 2hr + 10 miler -- and not even sure how many I've still got left in
me. But I'm way ahead of the couch potatoes, & I can impress my friends &
relatives just by doing the distance.

When I'm a very old lady in the nursing home, nobody will know how little
competition I had when I won those age group awards. 🙂

Quoted message said:

It sucks, because the vast majority of the fasties I see (and the ones
I know personally) are totally supportive (at least outwardly, who
cares if they secretly hate slow runners) of both new runners and those
who have been running for a while but are less athletically gifted.
But when I hear comments like this, I think it's no wonder that when
I pass an overweight runner on one of my normal morning runs (I'm on
the slow side, but not overweight) they look down, as if embarrassed to
be compared to the other (slim) runners on the road. Attitudes like
that woman's make it that way.

I'm just sayin.

Mandy

I know what you mean.
I guess I just got old & ornery enough not to care what anybody thought
about how I looked or dressed or what I carried when I
ran/walked/jogged/pooped out.
bj

Quoted message said:

oh mandy you're giving a low self-esteem hater too much weight.
disregard'em entirely. i'm just glad that you came and you gave
without taking, but I sent you away, mandy well,
you kissed me and stopped me from shaking, and I need you today. Oh,
Mandy!

LMAO! You know how to spot a troll Lance.
TBR

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and
more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day
the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the
White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
"Anyone with degrees from Yale and Harvard is presumed to be intelligent,
but George W. Bush has managed to overcome that presumption."

The Bill Rodgers said:

Quoted message said:

oh mandy you're giving a low self-esteem hater too much weight.
disregard'em entirely. i'm just glad that you came and you gave
without taking, but I sent you away, mandy well,
you kissed me and stopped me from shaking, and I need you today. Oh,
Mandy!

Lance, you forgot she pushed you away.
TBR

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and
more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day
the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the
White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
"Anyone with degrees from Yale and Harvard is presumed to be intelligent,
but George W. Bush has managed to overcome that presumption."

The Bill Rodgers said:

Lance, you forgot she pushed you away.
TBR

AND how it's left you a bitter, broken man, with nothing to live for.
TBR

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and
more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day
the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the
White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
"Anyone with degrees from Yale and Harvard is presumed to be intelligent,
but George W. Bush has managed to overcome that presumption."

Mandy said:

Oh, believe me, it isn't going to discourage ME--I made it to Division
I college sports on average talent and working my booty off, I don't
embarass or discourage easily--I just hate to think it would discourage
people just starting out...but I'm glad we agree that she's a loser. 🙂

There are always a few like this woman. I remember when I first started
racing. After one race I met someone and he was very friendly until he
found out my time. My impression was he considered me too slow a runner
to be worth talking to.

Thankfully the folks like this are clearly the minority.

Enjoy the run.
Ed

Mandy said:

...one of my friends told me that as she was about at mile 8.5 (at her
10-11 mpm pace) there was this one woman who obviously had finished a
while before and jogged back to run in with some people she knew (I am
pretty sure she is a coach/trainer and was looking for some of her
clients or something) and comments to another person, "there sure are a
lot of mediocre runners here today."

What a jerk. I suppose there are always a few of them out there. Not much
one can do about it. I sometimes run back in the opposite direction after
I'm done and give the slower guys some encouragement.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Although I have never said anything like that aloud, I have to
admit that I have thought it many times. Mediocre as a
description for what was described in the original post might
actually be a little generous. Even if you prescribe to the
"everyone's a winner" mentality, you have to draw a line
somewhere. This woman simply stated the truth, and sometimes it
hurts - get over it.

Christine

Quoted message said:

This woman simply stated the truth,

__

total nonsense. you don't know how challenging it may be for a person
or 10,000 people to run at pace "x". making snap judgements in total
ignorance is......."dumb".

"truth" you say? you're making judgements and determinations without
factual knowledge.

let me illustrate to all exactly how stupid you are Christine. You say
the woman "simply stated truth". What were the weather conditions in
this event where you assert the woman "simply stated truth"? You
don't know do you?

An array of factors can account for performance. In fact there's an
array of variables you're ignorant to....aren't there Chirstine? Yet
that does not prevent you from saying what you do......does it?

My point? partial information is sufficient for you to declare the
woman "stated truth".

Christine....I have just illustrated how you're a dope, not very
intelligent....not smart....just a simple minded "101 dope". I rank
you somewhere between a flatworm and a sponge......certainly a single
cell ogranism. But if it turns "Mark" on....fine...that's all that
matters. I apologize if I've offended Sponge Bob. Sorry about that...

I'll bet Mandy looks like a giant sack of hammers in her jogging
costume.

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 21:56:14 -0400, [email hidden] (Miss Anne

Thrope) said:

I'll bet Mandy looks like a giant sack of hammers in her jogging
costume.

You say that like it's a bad thing.
TBR

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and
more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day
the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the
White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
"Anyone with degrees from Yale and Harvard is presumed to be intelligent,
but George W. Bush has managed to overcome that presumption."

Quoted message said:

let me illustrate to all exactly how stupid you are

Or shall I tell you why you're so stupid Lance? You fell for an
obvious troll.
TBR

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and
more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day
the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the
White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
"Anyone with degrees from Yale and Harvard is presumed to be intelligent,
but George W. Bush has managed to overcome that presumption."