The title of today's post was the subject of my zoning-out-in-traffic pondering today.
As a result of doing stupid endurance sports, I know quiet a wide range of people who others, outside of the endurance community, might think of as crazy. I have a multiple friends who have run marathons, several friends who have run multiple marathons, and live with an Ironman finisher. I have friends who are runners and runner-friends. A lot of these people have done things that I would never care to attempt like 50 mile races (hallucinations anyone?) and trail marathons (I trip over the same power cord in my classroom everyday and I KNOW it's there...I can't imagine what would happen with a tree stump that I didn't). I now, thanks to the running community and Brian, know a bunch of people who have completed at least one (some mulitple) Ironman triathalons. For the most part, I would consider the vast majority of these people "normal". The more I run, and the more I meet runners, the more that crazy-distance races begin to look blase'. For example, when I venture out into the endurance community and mention the Ironman or my running goals, I feel that I get responses like this a lot:
"Oh, you've run 5 marathons? Yeah, I did a bunch of marathons in my twenties too. I tried ultra marathons after that, but decided on doing an Ironman after my knees started giving me trouble. After that one I just got hooked."
Or "Oh, you're doing an Ironman? That's cool. I might do one in the future, but now I'm concentrating on running a faster marathon..."
When I venture outside of the endurance community, I feel like people look at me cross-eyed when I tell them that I even run on a regular basis...let alone run marathons...let alone think that a good way to spend a summer is on six hour rides.
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I think that this question is consistent within any group that has a common interest. And perhaps the question isn't really even, "what's normal?" but "what's typical?"
ReplyDeleteIt's unsurprising that people who run long distances are not shocked (or even impressed) that OTHER people run marathons or complete triathlons "for fun." It's typical that if you exist/operate within that community, that you do things like that. It's expected.
As a knitter, I think it not daunting to knit a sweater in a few months. Novice knitters are awed by this, nonknitters think it ridiculous I would even bother, since sweaters are available for purchase in retail shops (and cost less.)
When I am outside of the knitting community, I refrain from mentioning my crafty accomplishments as I am not particularly impressed with my own work anymore and am indifferent to any sort of reaction to it. To me "oh my god you knit that?" is akin to your "OMG you want to do do an Ironman?" What's the best answer without sounding arrogant and not diminishing the hard work that went into the task? "Yes I knit that/want to run an Ironman."
Side note: considering you love the running that you do and cherish and value the experiences, why do you call them "stupid endurance sports?" They should be awe-inspiring and spectacular endurance sports! :)
I enjoy your blog, keep it up!