no i didn't run, now bugger off!!
Seriously. I feel like wearing a sign that says that.
As Chelle mentioned yesterday, coworkers don't know when to shut up about the marathon-don't know it's a sensitive topic when you don't/can't run it. I wasn't even in the office for an hour yet and already a few coworkers asked how it went, did I run...just as I predicted. And I really don't feel like talking about it.
It's times like this when I wish I had an office instead of a cubicle so I can just shut my door right now.
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My parents are always asking me, "Did you run marathon yet?" (sic)
is this the jbl i think it is? ;-)
no, the only pressure i get from my parents is to beat my brother whenever. or "did you race this weekend" every weekend...
and they wonder why i got injured/overtrained...
I didn't see any "Didn't Run It" shirts at the expo. You could always make your own...
Seriously though, I can imagine it's annoying, but in a certain sense it's a compliment. It means that people associate you with the marathon, and assume that you'd run it. I can assure you that nobody (who doesn't already know) would automatically assume I ran the marathon.
To next year!
I'm waiting for the day when a non-runner asks me, "Did you run that 10k this weekend?"
haha...cute idea danny, maybe next time i am sitting nyc out, i will put that on my singlet :-D
in a way you're sorta right, my coworker did say to me "oh you're such an avid runner, i assumed you'd be doing the marathon"
I guess what they didn't know that my decision to defer...and what led up to it was very emotional and i don't feel like re-visiting that over and over again.
and...on the other hand, why does "running" have to equal "marathon"? i know plenty that won't do anything more than a 10k or a half-marathon and are fine with that. as much as i love the flyers...sometimes i wonder if they are a "running club" or a "marathon club"...as a non-marathoner (by choice) last year part of me felt like i didn't belong-like my (shorter) training goals didn't equal what everyone else was doing. yeah, i ran 5K, 4-mile and 10K PR's, and racked up 2 age-group awards last fall, but was that as impressive as those who ran marathons? i'm not too sure about that...
and i am still in awe of those who have conquered the marathon, who own those bragging rights...still the one thing that eludes me.
wow this was a long comment.
I agree totally! The Flyers are not the only club like that. I ran some pretty good (for me) 5K's, 10K's, and half-marathons that were all really hard to train for, but for some reason what people look at is my sub-par marathon. It's very frustrating.
-LS
i have quite a few teammates and friends who's marathon times don't "jive" with their half-marathon times (or other distances) and i think that only shows that the marathon is just something you don't take for granted-anything can happen, and a time that may not be what you hoped is not a true reflection of what your potential is.
my shorter race times would put my marathon time at 3:4x...doesn't mean I am gonna drive myself crazy to get that 1st time around.
I definitely got quite a few "did you run the marathon" questions monday! I tell them I just ran one a week earlier and I get a blank look in return...it's just better not to talk running with non-runners (not to be a running snob..ok I am).
As for why always the marathon...thinking back I was the exact same way. I used to think running was only to be able to run a marathon. I didn't know any better..now that it is part of my "community"...I know there's a lot more out there to chase in the running arena. Hence, my reasoning for taking next year off..even though that 5 minutes is so damn tempting to chase.
On the bus to Staten Island the guy next to me said "as a runner, you earn your stripes with the marathon".
I'm not sure why exactly it is, but there is some truth to it, mostly to non-runners. You've made me think about it a little, and one reason I came up with is that just finishing it is an accomplishment. "I ran the marathon" is enough. For a 5K it's about the time really. So you (and other runners) may be able to appreciate what a 20 minute 5K means, but most non-runners have no idea. And telling them "I ran 5 kilometers" just doesn't have the same effect as the marathon.
Just a thought.
(As a side note, no non-runners can appreciate that I'm a little disappointed with my marathon time. All they care about is finishing. To them, a 3 hour finish is the same as an 8 hour finish.)
it's all relative, i guess :)
(and believe me, i am not making less of what marathoners have accomplished-i will be one of you someday!)
part of my decision to defer was-did I want to death-march just to say i finished a marathon-or did i want my first marathon to be quality and memorable?
i guess it's not always quantity, it's quality as well...and that's why I can honestly say my 10K PR was my best damn race ever-while non-runners are more impressed that I have done half-marathons. i don't remember too much of my half-marathon PR, but I remember my 10K PR vividly.
and uptown girl-i too started running with the goal to run NYC someday...whenever that is and like you, discovered that shorter races can be pretty damn cool. :)
Thanks for the comments everyone-this discussion has been interesting!
Thinking about this got my panties all in a twist, so I made a whole freakin' blog post about it. Against my better judgement, I present:
Running is not Marathoning
nyflygirl: This should answer your question about whether I'm the jbl you think it is. ;-)
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