If you could be an elite runner, would you? If the answer to this question seems obvious, you probably didn't think about it enough.
Or, as a slightly different question, if you could be a full time, professional runner, would you?
Or, as a slightly different question, if you could be a full time, professional runner, would you?
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No, I don't think I could. Once I started getting paid to do it, or when it becomes a means to feed my family, I believe it takes the fun out of it.
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I think if I could be given the talent and opportunity to be a professional athlete I don't think I would choose running. If running was my only choice, then no. Mentally I don't think I would have it in me. does that mean I am banned from the site? :umno:
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If I could be an elite triathlete, yes. An elite runner, no.
Running alone would get old quick. Being a triathlete, I could break the monotony of the training up with different skills. I'm close in time put in now, I just don't have the genes.
Sheldon
Running alone would get old quick. Being a triathlete, I could break the monotony of the training up with different skills. I'm close in time put in now, I just don't have the genes.
Sheldon
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Yes. I really wish I could quit my job and school and dedicate all of my time to training. It's something I love to do, it's just not possible for me to do it because of other obligations. I love competition, and I think I've got the mindset to be a professional at the sport. If nothing else I'd like to eventually get sponsorships so that the costs of running are covered.
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Yes...if I get to be my own agent too and don't have sponsors dictating where/when I have to race.
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I have 5 different sponsors and with them all I still have to pay a considerable amount. Energice give me nutrition. ***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed gives me clothes and other things like discounts on races and stuff. My main sponsor, The Cardiology Center, foots the bills for hotels and travel expenses. All that and I still spend close to 4-5k per year in equipment and other related costs. Coaching is a big expense. It would be very hard to find a sponsor to pay for the training. Then try to explain why you got 20th.... Sheldon
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No.
I don't know why this is really. I guess because I don't have the confidence to think I'd really be all that good. I also think I'd have a hard time with the pressure of performance. Then I have to factor in my family and time being spent with them. I know that I could not devote all the time I could to them if I were training or traveling much.
Perhaps in a different lifetime...yes.
Perhaps with a different overall outlook on myself...yes.
Otherwise, NO.
I don't know why this is really. I guess because I don't have the confidence to think I'd really be all that good. I also think I'd have a hard time with the pressure of performance. Then I have to factor in my family and time being spent with them. I know that I could not devote all the time I could to them if I were training or traveling much.
Perhaps in a different lifetime...yes.
Perhaps with a different overall outlook on myself...yes.
Otherwise, NO.
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Heck, yeah. If I had the talent and the opportunity to make money while seeing how far I could take that talent...definitely. I wonder, though, just how painful it would be to be one of the best in the countries but never being able to shave off that few seconds or maybe minute to qualify for the Olympics...or having made the Olympics and being so close and just not being fast enough. That would be tough. That would be something that would haunt me.
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I am surprised that so many people said no to this. I think that is the real answer for most people, but I just wasn't expecting so many people to realize that. It is just most people don't enjoy running enough to spend all day, every day trying to be one of the best.
Personally, I would like to be elite, but I have enough limitations to prevent that. Most of the limitations are things I can't control. I'm 37, relatively untalented as a runner, and injury prone. My self imposed limitations (mostly training time) are pretty minimal now, but were major when I was young enough to have a serious shot at really being good.
I really don't think I would be a professional, even if I could run at an elite level. When running became a job for me in college, it really lost all enjoyment.
Without getting too deep into how much of a roll "talent" plays, a big part of why I asked this question was to get people thinking about how much do they really want to put into running. I think most people who are relatively young could be highly competitive racing at some distance. They just chose not to persue it. As a coach, a big part of what I do is help people match up reasonable goals with the limitations and conditions that they put around their running, mostly becuase of choice.
Personally, I would like to be elite, but I have enough limitations to prevent that. Most of the limitations are things I can't control. I'm 37, relatively untalented as a runner, and injury prone. My self imposed limitations (mostly training time) are pretty minimal now, but were major when I was young enough to have a serious shot at really being good.
I really don't think I would be a professional, even if I could run at an elite level. When running became a job for me in college, it really lost all enjoyment.
Without getting too deep into how much of a roll "talent" plays, a big part of why I asked this question was to get people thinking about how much do they really want to put into running. I think most people who are relatively young could be highly competitive racing at some distance. They just chose not to persue it. As a coach, a big part of what I do is help people match up reasonable goals with the limitations and conditions that they put around their running, mostly becuase of choice.
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As much as there is a part of me who would like to shine on the Olympic stage, or even win a big race, i don't think i'd want to be elite or professional.
In my mind, elite is gearing towards the Olympics every four years as the pinnacle of achievement. I was watching the 800 meter finals where a guy i graduated with and briefly trained with (ie: on the same team and ran some workouts with) in college actually made the final 8. Obviously it was his dream to run in the Olympics and make the team. He ran a personal best by .4 seconds in the final...and came in last.
So little seperates the absolute best from those who are just better than 99.9% of the runners in this country and the amount of dedication and training and perhaps pain to even get to that 99.9% level and fall short of their dreams...i really don't think i want it.
I wish i had more talent than i do. I wish i worked harder in high school and college to improve myself more than i did. And i hope that i'll be able to train myself back down to the level that i was once at, but to be elite? It's not for me. I just want to know that i'm running the best i can and perhaps compete in these smaller road races in Minnesota. It's fun, not a job.
In my mind, elite is gearing towards the Olympics every four years as the pinnacle of achievement. I was watching the 800 meter finals where a guy i graduated with and briefly trained with (ie: on the same team and ran some workouts with) in college actually made the final 8. Obviously it was his dream to run in the Olympics and make the team. He ran a personal best by .4 seconds in the final...and came in last.
So little seperates the absolute best from those who are just better than 99.9% of the runners in this country and the amount of dedication and training and perhaps pain to even get to that 99.9% level and fall short of their dreams...i really don't think i want it.
I wish i had more talent than i do. I wish i worked harder in high school and college to improve myself more than i did. And i hope that i'll be able to train myself back down to the level that i was once at, but to be elite? It's not for me. I just want to know that i'm running the best i can and perhaps compete in these smaller road races in Minnesota. It's fun, not a job.
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Physically I may be the least talented runner here. I'm being totally serious about that. Mentally, I think I'm well suited for competitive distance running, so you might call that talent I suppose. I subject for another post probably, but it is an arguement that is hard to prove one way or another...
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