Training or racing

tunney

Take a second and think about the question. I thought I knew my answer before I did. Which do you prefer - training or racing? What gives you your kicks from the sport?

scottreynolds

I love the rhythm of life that comes with training which is why I picked training..... but at the moment (and for the last year) I've been training for specific events.

When that event is up I find another goal event but I don't know if I choose goals to make my training meaningful or train for my races.

TFBubendorfer

Hmm. All of the above?

christeb

I enjoy racing after the event if that makes any sense? I'm not sure anyone can enjoy that excruciating pain during the final few miles, although in saying that it's great when you're motoring along to begin with.
I also enjoy the atmosphere in races, the Dublin Duathlons (I know I know tunney) and local Raheny races (and of course DCM) spring to mind.

So that's why I picked eating lots of crap! Just had a choc muffin. It's fine, I have 10 in the sched for later

mloc123

I picked racing... but I'm not sure.. it goes in phases. All summer it was racing but since the season wrapped up it has been the training and knowing that at the end of each week I had put the time and effort in.

Running a 5k this Saturday and have taken it easy for the last day or two, now I fell like a lazy c*nt

misty floyd

christeb wrote: »

Just had a choc muffin. It's fine, I have 10 in the sched for later

Thats a lot of calories

I'm with you there Christieb. I always feel nervous and wake up the morning of races feeling anxious and not wanting to get going. Its knowing that you have to put yourself through pain and suffering. Racing is great for lots of reasons but you also can't wait to get to the finish. Its after a race that is the best part of being a runner.

Scott, your right. That rythem of life that comes with training is great. The point of training for many people is to get you to some point at the end of a race (PB or win or top X position).

I'm saying racing......but part of me is on the fence eating crappy food.

--amadeus--

It's actually quite a complicated question because it's not easy to separate the two.

For me I usually don't enjoy the majority of my training while I'm doing it. I feel great when it's done, just not the actual process itself, usually. What I do like though are the fringe benefits - eating crap, being slim, being fit and so on.

Races I really enjoy - normally it's a marathon and usually in Europe so it's a weekend away, big crowds, great atmosphere and a great feeling afterwards. But I race maybe 2 - 4 times a year. This year it's been the Plassey 10k, the Rotterdam Marathon and - in a couple of weeks - Amsterdam. And that's it.

So while racing gives me my kicks it's totally infrequent and I'm pretty sure that if I did it more often or ran smaller races it wouldn't be as exciting. And so I get more frequent though smaller "buzzes" from the training, because even though I hate it at the time teh feeling after a tough session is second to none.

So I do it because of the races but I probably keep doing it because of teh training.

robinph

christeb wrote: »

I enjoy racing after the event if that makes any sense? I'm not sure anyone can enjoy that excruciating pain during the final few miles, although in saying that it's great when you're motoring along to begin with.

I was about to say that I did actually enjoy the pain at the end of races, but thinking about it I suppose it's actually during that pain you know that the finish is coming and it will all be over soon.

I guess there is a good burst of feel good something-or-other chemicals start rushing round your blood stream at the end then as well which has to help with the "fun" factor.

token56

A bit of an awkward one. But for me it has to be the racing. Even the pain that comes at the end. There is no feeling like crossing the line at the end and knowing you performed to your best and gave everything you had to give, even if you didn't win or do well by other peoples standards.

Of course if you run a bad race you are equally annoyed. But it makes you train that bit harder and the feeling after the next good race that bit nicer.

kennyb3

Racing all the way for me, its what gives me the buzz, esp when it goes to plan or better

shels4ever

I went for racing myself,Thats why i cant wait for the winter as i've more races to do.

gerard65

Racing - 100%. I don't think I'd be bothered running around the streets in the middle of winter if I had no races to train for. I can never understand people when they make the excuse for not turning up for a race because they 'have to train'.

Oryx

This is my first full year, and so far, I love the buzz of events. Perhaps that will taper off as I train longer. I wouldnt say I race, but I take part, but I push myself harder when Ive a race number on, than not. So this is the option I picked.

I have found myself loving my training most of the time, and missing it if I even skip one day. Its addictive. And obviously if it means I can eat chocolate, result!

Git101

robinph wrote: »

I guess there is a good burst of feel good something-or-other chemicals start rushing round your blood stream at the end then as well which has to help with the "fun" factor.

I think that may be called "Guinness"

For me it's the race. I haven't done many but I really enjoyed the few that I've done.

Training is, get out, get it done, get home, feel good afterwards.

Krusty_Clown

Racing and training, but if I had to choose, Training.

A race, when it goes well, is one of the finest things life has to offer. Everything working together, every component running smoothly - strategy, muscles, energy, fuel. But still, it's only fleeting. It's just an acknowledgement that everything you did for the x months before the event was bang on. Like a kid at Christmas, the excitement and wonder only lasts for hours before you wonder if you set your sights too low, and could you have gotten something better.

Peterx

Racing all the way. I don't like training.
I generally race better then I train except for the odd total meltdown of a race after which I tend to train very well.
Angst - motivation for the masses...

I like training even less since I started doing more of it and started getting better results as that meant I'd have to keep it up or watch an inevitable decline in results.

Going hard hurts so much more when I'm not wearing a race number.

I like bike spins and hillplods more then racing though.

confessional Friday:)

Blueskye

Training for me. I enjoy most of my training runs, not all but definitely most so that's what keeps me running. I've taken part in a good few races this year and have enjoyed some, but mainly they stress me out and only afterwards I feel good about them.

gigantic09

def racing.At the end of the year ill be able to remember all the races iv done and pick the best ones,most enjoyable etc.Training is a means to an end forgotten shortly afterwards-having gotten into the whole training diary thing as off yet.Off course the two do complement each other and a good race result makes the next weeks training feel less like a chore.To use a gaa ref trainings the "leauge",used as a testing ground which will hopfully lead to a long sucessful run come summer.Running is the "sam mcguire".

thirtyfoot

Probably racing but training is more fun. Our training group always have great craic and there isn't a training session I don't look forward to going to, sometimes we can be messing, slagging and acting the eejit so much training can suffer! But I could never just train and not race or compete and I hate training on my own, its terrible. So, racing it is for me when I weigh things up.