Where I Pontificate On My Disdain for, "Marathon Culture"

For thirteen years I was a competitive distance runner on an ultra-competitive high school squad and then a fun but still competitive college squad. During that time, I built great friendships that have lasted till this day. Some of the best days of my life were spent out on the roads running with some of my best friends. So, hopefully you can understand, when I elucidate my following point.

I absolutely abhor the, "Marathon Culture" that has arisen in the past couple of years.

For the purpose of this diatribe, the concept of, "Marathon Culture" is what has been cultivated by the Flying Pig Marathon. It is basically the world of the couch to half or full marathon that so many people, especially those in my age group, are pursing today. My disdain doesn't originate from even their attempt so much, it originates from their approach towards running, and this is where the hinge exists. I have a couple of very good friends who are doing marathons and they vary greatly in talent and ability, however, one thing runs consistently throughout:

They actually enjoy running.

That is the problem, I feel. Since graduating college and thereby leaving my running safety circle I have met a ton of people who have come up to me after saying I am a runner and said, "Oh, I'm training for a marathon / half". Every time, I get bombarded with tons of poor running theories, tales of injuries and, the worst of all, pity parties. The poor running theories can be dismissed pretty easily as the result of Mr. Galloway's nonsensical books and the jogging culture (Marathoning for Mortals.../sigh, I swear, if I ever meet that man on the street). All the injury nonsense can be traced back to the poor running theories purported above and the fact that most of the people have gone straight from the couch to 25 - 30 mile weeks without building any base or resistance to that type of training. Of course you are going to have shin splints and tendinitis if you don't know what you are doing.

Finally and the most irksome of all, and the thing that boils my blood faster than anything is the pity party. I hate talking to somebody and they say, not even facetiously, Oh, it's so hard training for a marathon, I have no idea how I'm able to balance training for that and classes. This is nails on the chalkboard to me. NEVER. Under any circumstances say that sentence to me. I just can't stand it. Here is why, I love running, it has never been my cross to bear, it was something I legitimately enjoyed doing and when I was in better shape something I went out and did without hesitation and that is what irks me about them. They aren't running because they derive any legitimate enjoyment from it, they do it because it is something to make them sound better than other people. And that is my rub, I just feel the sport that I have devoted so much love and time is being devalued in a game of who is better. And it sucks.

This doesn't include my friends who ran Boston a couple of weeks ago. Or my friend who goes out and kills himself and trains hard, as he will see his own improvement. This diatribe is focused on the person who runs 20 miles a week on route to a slow marathon after which they will forever hang up the shoes afterwards. Above their desk will be a picture of them at the finish line of the only race they ever finished, next to them will be a guy actually pushing himself through the line, the guy who didn't tell a soul that he was running the marathon. The guy who just killed himself for 26.2 miles who did tons of training, who will look at his time and think, I can improve and go out a week later and start training once more.

And that is the crux, it is defining your life by running.