Non-runners negative perceptions/comments

Blueskye

Sorry for a rant so early in 2010, but what is with non-runners negative comments/perceptions of running. I seem to be hearing a lot of them recently.
- oh you're knees, won't you damage them?
- don't run in sub-zero temperatures, you'll get a lung infection...
- it's got to be bad for you heart, legs, body etc.,
- marathon runners have an increased risk of heart attack
- you could really injure yourself
- why do you need to run so much?
Seriously?? Exercising regularly, improving your mood, getting fit, losing unnecessary weight and having fun in the process cannot be good for you?? Ugh, I think I might just head out for a run

paulocon

Blueskye wrote: »

Sorry for a rant so early in 2010, but what is with non-runners negative comments/perceptions of running. I seem to be hearing a lot of them recently.
- oh you're knees, won't you damage them?
- don't run in sub-zero temperatures, you'll get a lung infection...
- it's got to be bad for you heart, legs, body etc.,
- marathon runners have an increased risk of heart attack
- you could really injure yourself
- why do you need to run so much?
Seriously?? Exercising regularly, improving your mood, getting fit, losing unnecessary weight and having fun in the process cannot be good for you?? Ugh, I think I might just head out for a run

I was walking up the snow-covered drive today in a pair of shorts to be met with my sister in law driving in laughing and beeping at me. Had a great 6.5k run and arrived home feeling great while my sister in law sat in the kitchen gulping Lucozade in a rather futile attempt of keeping a hangover at bay... Let them laugh away I say!!

RacoonQueen

I regularly just get told I'm mad. :pac:

One that gets me is if it's cold or raining etc people say ''you didn't train in that did you?" - "of course I bloody well did I'm an endurance athlete living in Ireland if I was to shy away from the weather I wouldn't be building much endurance." :rolleyes:

Zuppy

People are right, running is only for nutter's :D:D

aero2k

RacoonQueen wrote: »

One that gets me is if it's cold or raining etc people say ''you didn't train in that did you?"

I got that from someone one day - I replied "sure it's a lovely day, the sun was coming in through the trees and the park looked beautiful!" Granted, it was raining and fairly breezy, but I chose to accentuate the positive. The funny thing was, I think she thought I was taking the p1ss...

Got a few funny looks today, and one "is it okay for running?" Better than okay, way better than last week's ice, I was warm and dry, the sun was shining...OP ignore the negative comments and enjoy your running.

Pharma

They are jealous simple. People seem to think you go running because you think you are better than them. It is the typical irish mentality. You can't be seen to try or make an effort at anything. Same thing in school, to do well was seen as a bad thing.

Simple rule, never tell anyone anything about your running. You'll only piss them off, keep it to yourself. No one else needs to know. No boasting about going out in the wind and rain, no smugness about your recent P.B. Sometimes runners deserve the comments they get.

As for the knees, running does not damage your knees unless you injury them falling or twisting. If you get a cruciate or medial ligament injury then yes you may have problems in future but otherwise it helps to be active.

Cold wet weather does not cause illness, if you don't eat straight away afterwards then yes you might get sick as your immune system isn't working as well. You get wet in the shower afterwards but no one seems to think that might make you sick.

Blueskye

ZuppyLurk wrote: »

People are right, running is only for nutter's :D:D

Guess we're all nutters so!!!

violator13

Its the drinking culture in this country. Was out last night and the amount of overweight people and general "knackerism" is unreal. Its now normal to be overweight and fat. Im toned and fit yet regarded as mad.Lucky a couple of good mates are like minded but we were all up training this morning after a good night out. Problem in this country is its all or nothing regarding drink etc.

Running Bing

Yeah it does kind off piss me off when Im constantly told by people I'm mad. Im also sick to the teeth of people being so shocked that Im going running when its raining/cold out.

Tbh I try to keep my running to myself as much as possible unless somebody genuinely wants to know about it. Its all to easy to come across as smug.

I love my running, I get a lot out of it personally, Im training more than I ever have in all sorts of conditions and I feel better mentally and physically than at any other time in my whole life. If the price for that is a few odd looks and people questioning my sanity I think its worth it.;)

violator13

In fairness the running boom especially amongst young women has helped see running now as pretty cool. Maybe its the running in winter thing that draws the negative comments.

Dothehustle

Blueskye wrote: »

Sorry for a rant so early in 2010, but what is with non-runners negative comments/perceptions of running. I seem to be hearing a lot of them recently.
- oh you're knees, won't you damage them?
- don't run in sub-zero temperatures, you'll get a lung infection...
- it's got to be bad for you heart, legs, body etc.,
- marathon runners have an increased risk of heart attack
- you could really injure yourself
- why do you need to run so much?
Seriously?? Exercising regularly, improving your mood, getting fit, losing unnecessary weight and having fun in the process cannot be good for you?? Ugh, I think I might just head out for a run

i get this one the most from the o/h
she can understand that i like it , why i go out for a hour or so every couple of days she once told me that she felt like a marathon widow

- it's got to be bad for you heart, legs, body etc.,
i love this one cause sitting on you ass is so good for you


all tho 2 years ago i was with them thinking you where all mad running in the rain
but now i am one of you, i have seen the light:)

seclachi

There just jealous runners have the minerals to go out in this weather. I know I am

Cartman78

Agree with all the above - rarely talk about my running to anybody these days but still get a kick going out in the crappiest weather possible.

I find there's 2 schools of reply when you talk to a non-runner

a) The completely non-informed but appreciative - " You RAN 10k non-stop?!??!?! I couldn't run 10 metres! Thats AMAZING!!"

b) The informed fat lazy couch potato - "So you did 10k in 42mins? That's what..like 16 mins outside the world record??"

RacoonQueen

Running Bing wrote: »

Yeah it does kind off piss me off when Im constantly told by people I'm mad. Im also sick to the teeth of people being so shocked that Im going running when its raining/cold out.

Tbh I try to keep my running to myself as much as possible unless somebody genuinely wants to know about it. Its all to easy to come across as smug.

I love my running, I get a lot out of it personally, Im training more than I ever have in all sorts of conditions and I feel better mentally and physically than at any other time in my whole life. If the price for that is a few odd looks and people questioning my sanity I think its worth it.;)

Why should we keep our running to ourselves? They have no problem telling us they had 10 bottles of Bud last night, 5 shots, half a bottle of wine and 2 vodka and cokes soaked up with a 12 inch pizza and now they're going of their breakfast...a chicken fillet roll with lots of mayo and cheese. :rolleyes:

Gringo78

The non-runners are very good at guessing times though...nothing 'better' than coming back in from a run at lunchtime feeling great after nailing 6 straight miles at 6:15 per mile in your tempo run and then have a conversation thus:

lardass: You didn't run in that weather did you?
me: Yes I did (actually want to say 'No you f**king twat, I normally put on shorts to go outside and eat my sandwiches')
Lardass: how far? 10 miles?
Me: 7 miles
lardass: 5, 6 min miles yeah?
me: Yeah, thats right. I just attempt the sub 4 min mile on tuesdays, otherwise I run 5 to 6 min miles recovery/easy pace.

metamorphosis

It's ingrained in Irish behavior to comment or complain about something.These commentators like to focus more on everybody else's life rather than their own.

Pisco Sour

ULstudent wrote: »

It's ingrained in Irish behavior to comment or complain about something.These commentators like to focus more on everybody else's life rather than their own.

Agreed. Reminds me of the hundreds of thousands of couch potato's who felt they were qualified to slate Sonia O'Sullivan for losing 1 big race, after 3 years of destroying the world's best. Even to this day people focus on Atlanta than on her glittering career. I think its a mentality that if we cant do something great then lets knock somebody who does.

village runner

Gringo78 wrote: »

The non-runners are very good at guessing times though...nothing 'better' than coming back in from a run at lunchtime feeling great after nailing 6 straight miles at 6:15 per mile in your tempo run and then have a conversation thus:

lardass: You didn't run in that weather did you?
me: Yes I did (actually want to say 'No you f**king twat, I normally put on shorts to go outside and eat my sandwiches')
Lardass: how far? 10 miles?
Me: 7 miles
lardass: 5, 6 min miles yeah?
me: Yeah, thats right. I just attempt the sub 4 min mile on tuesdays, otherwise I run 5 to 6 min miles recovery/easy pace.

Class.......They wont ask again.

violator13

It's just pure ignorance. I avoid negative toxic people in general now. Better to cut these people out of your life. It's not just about sport,it's usually down to making excuses for their own insecurities.We have a lot of them in Ireland. At least the Americans are very positive. One of their better traits.

uglyjohn

i dont tend to bring it up but if it comes up in conversations the ususal response is "are you mad!" or "wow you must be so fit" which just makes me blush

one time though, i was browsing in AH and i came on a thread about what someones hobbies say about them. The OP had posted something about runners are loners who run because they cant do team sports which came as a shock :eek:

Jip

You guys need to move to different circles. I've been running/cycling for years and never once received such a comment.

goofygirl

I've never had negative comments from anyone either! Evidently I am surrounded by good people My favourite though was the night before the Dublin Marathon when I was over in a friend's house:

Friend's Sister: So how long is the marathon then?
Me: 26 miles.
Friend's Sister: And you're going to run the whole thing? How long will that take you, an hour?
Me: Eh, probably a bit longer than that.

metamorphosis

goofygirl wrote: »

I've never had negative comments from anyone either! Evidently I am surrounded by good people My favourite though was the night before the Dublin Marathon when I was over in a friend's house:

Friend's Sister: So how long is the marathon then?
Me: 26 miles.
Friend's Sister: And you're going to run the whole thing? How long will that take you, an hour?
Me: Eh, probably a bit longer than that.

haha i love those comments.

another one:

Friend:'sure you run marathons the whole time don't ya ... you just did one there yesterday'
me: 'ah no that was a 10 mile race'
Friend: 'sure whats the difference? ...sure arent they all marathons?'

RacoonQueen

I hate being asked how long the marathon is. I've known how far a marathon is since I was a kid, loooonnnng before I was running.

Tootle

goofygirl wrote: »

I've never had negative comments from anyone either! Evidently I am surrounded by good people My favourite though was the night before the Dublin Marathon when I was over in a friend's house:

Friend's Sister: So how long is the marathon then?
Me: 26 miles.
Friend's Sister: And you're going to run the whole thing? How long will that take you, an hour?
Me: Eh, probably a bit longer than that.

I think its so funny when someone asks you how long a marathon is? Its those damn 'mini-marathons' that have caused all the confusion.

The best comments I get are from my mother. During training for 2009 DCM my mother was concerned that I was running too much (she thinks consecutive weeks of running is too much!). I was showing her my holiday snaps in August and she her reaction was "Jesus! You're anorexic!" and then other comment was "You're so thin, you're like a Bi-afrian". I dont know about anyone else but I haven't heard that description since the 1980's.
One other response for those "you'll injure your knees" crew, "Running doesn't injure your knees, injury injures your knees!" I heard this one from a specialist knee surgeon. :rolleyes:

nerraw1111

I'm sure describing non-runners as lard asses and of being jealous is more offensive then people not having a clue the ins and outs about running.

robinph

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I hate being asked how long the marathon is. I've known how far a marathon is since I was a kid, loooonnnng before I was running.

Likewise, I also remember having an argument with one of my primary school teachers who was trying to tell us that a mile was 1500meters. Dunno the reason they brought it up but guess was some kind of maths thing we were doing.

Slogger Jogger

Got some weird looks running today. At one stage a 4x4 JCB (perhaps the ideal snow vehicle) slowed and the driver asked what runners I was wearing and had I fallen yet? Pearl Izumis and no was the answer. At that stage I was clipping along nicely on the fluffy snow and moving nearly as fast as he was. Its funny to see people's faces when you run in these conditions. An hour later as I neared the end of my run the self-same JCB drove past. Yer man saluted me. Probably all the more surprised that the snow runner (!) was still at it.

TrackFan123

The worst i had back when i was an active athlete (100m sprinter), I used to go over and run in the British League in England so I would be gettin flights over to London, Manchester, Gateshead etc etc ...

"What distance are you running?"

"100m"

"So you're going all the way to London to run for what ... 8 seconds?"

I simply walked away in disgust

Cartman78

Agree Tootle - the term mini-marathon absolutely does my head in.

Also get the same line from my mother too strangely -- I tend to look a bit gaunt if i'm training for something & always get told off for it

It seems that being a sedentary, overweight, borderline alcoholic is more socially acceptable than being health & fit concious

ronanmac

This time last year, I was a "solid" 15 stone. By autumn, training and eating sensibly had me down to 11 and a half stone. I was feeling great, loads of energy, running injury-free, yet the amount of concern for my health, especially at work, was nuts. "Have you lost too much weight", "are you sick?", I was being asked all the time when I had never been in better physical shape! Seems the 15 stone beer paunch was a healthier look!

cantona56

04072511 wrote: »

Agreed. Reminds me of the hundreds of thousands of couch potato's who felt they were qualified to slate Sonia O'Sullivan for losing 1 big race, after 3 years of destroying the world's best. Even to this day people focus on Atlanta than on her glittering career. I think its a mentality that if we cant do something great then lets knock somebody who does.

i think its ironic you give out about people focusing on negative aspects of athletes' careers when your tagline is 'i think Thierry Henry is a shameful cheat'.
I do recall him being one of the most prolific goal scorers in football at one point in his career and you slate him for a natural reaction in an intense match!

Pisco Sour

cantona56 wrote: »

i think its ironic you give out about people focusing on negative aspects of athletes' careers when your tagline is 'i think Thierry Henry is a shameful cheat'.
I do recall him being one of the most prolific goal scorers in football at one point in his career and you slate him for a natural reaction in an intense match!

The hint is in the name, its called FOOT-ball. Surely the "natural reaction" of a FOOT-baller is to try reach for the ball with his FOOT.

Henry cheated, Sonia had a bad race. Ridiculous comparison. Not to mention taking this thread off topic.

cantona56

sonia is an amazing athlete...fact...and sorry for going off topic and i agree that henry cheated....but its one match in his whole career....what about all the work he has done against racism and charity work he does....hes a fantastic athlete who just like sonia had an off day....albeit different circumstances....time to build a bridge i think!...sorry...rant over!

Jay Pentatonic

blueskye wrote:

marathon runners have an increased risk of heart attack

:eek:WAAH!!! :eek:but all this time I was trying to get healthy!!:(

louthandproud

One that annoys me somewhat is people(who have never run in their lives) who inquire about your time in a race and then immediately proceed to tell they know someone who ran it faster e.g.:


Lardass: So what time did you do in the 10K?
Runner: 34 Minutes (for effect I don't even run this fast in my dreams)
Lardass: Not bad, well done, did I tell you my girlfriends sisters boyfriends mate ran one in 31 minutes there recently, he doesn't really train at all though. Did you do much training?
Runner: Yeah I trained really hard! I guess your girlfriends, sisters, boyfriends mate is just more talented than I am or something.

Blueskye

louthandproud wrote: »

One that annoys me somewhat is people(who have never run in their lives) who inquire about your time in a race and then immediately proceed to tell they know someone who ran it faster e.g.:


Lardass: So what time did you do in the 10K?
Runner: 34 Minutes (for effect I don't even run this fast in my dreams)
Lardass: Not bad, well done, did I tell you my girlfriends sisters boyfriends mate ran one in 31 minutes there recently, he doesn't really train at all though. Did you do much training?
Runner: Yeah I trained really hard! I guess your girlfriends, sisters, boyfriends mate is just more talented than I am or something.

That's harsh!!

toomuchdetail

Maybe its the meath blood in me but I have thick skin so most of those comments dont bother me only 2 things that really get up my nose is :
The look I get when i tell people I run/cycle/have done tri's etc (I am heavy so the look usually starts with a top to toe stare and a look thats says you couldn't climb the stairs you fat git)
The OH telling me whay can't I sit down and relax and forget about running for a day or two ... doesn't seem to grasp that this is how I relax.