Runners - why do you race?

5K and 10K...For the medals.

Anything over, just to get out.

I don't think I would have bothered doing races but I entered the race for life with some friends and got a pretty good time - so the next year I wanted to beat it. Now I race to see if I can beat my own times, winning would be amazing but I don't expect that, position is a bonus, I just want to better myself!

fancy doing the park run on saturday?

I'm away, but I could do next weekend. :-)

Sorry to bump in on this, but I noticed you were based in the midlands...Is it the Swad parkrun (Conkers) that you do, or the Nottingham (Colwick) one? I'd really like to run a Parkrun, and those are my two options, I'm just really nervous about entering one really as I'm still pretty slow running wise, and I don't know anything about either of the courses terrain wise. Are they mainly on pavement, or is there some grass?

As for me, I've signed up for a 10k in October, it'll be my first race but I can see myself signing on for more. Really, the race has given me a 'goal' to reach for, which is always nice to think about when training during the week!

I'm a really slow runner, so I know I'm never going to be a strong performer in races. But I've enjoyed the handful of races that I have done.

The main reason I sign up for a race is that it keeps me focused, and supports my day by day, week by week running, giving some structure to my training plan, and exerting a nice amount of pressure to push myself forward. I'm not very competitive, but I do enjoy the experience of being *in* a race, with lots of other runners.

Why do you participate in races?

I'd have to agree with you on that. I'm doing it for myself, just to prove that I *CAN* do something when so many people have told me it's impossible. I'm still trying to even get to my first race, but I can't wait for it because I know if I finish, I'll want to keep going, maybe to bring up my time, maybe because I'll really enjoy that first big run. But whatever it is, I will continue to love running no matter what. It really helps me relieve a lot of stress and tension and it's also helped me focus my way through a panic attack.

I race

a) to challenge myself
b) to gauge my progress
c) to beat people

meerkat70: much like you, I'm not a fast runner, and I only started running to support my overall fitness goals.... buuuuut, I have learned to love running in the process! Now a mid-afternoon run is more calming to me than food ever was. It also appeals to my highly competitive nature - with myself, and others. Although I'm not particularly fast, I am always driven to earn a new personal best time during my races. I also love "going fishing" during the last 2km or so, as other people are getting tired. You just pick someone in front of you to "cast your hook at," and reel 'em in until you pass them! Toward the end, I definitely pass more people than get passed myself, which is super motivating! And, my goal is to always finish in the top 1/3 of my race division!

I race for similar reasons others have listed - it gives purpose to my training, pushes my limits and challenges me to constantly improve. But I love the competition - the rush of putting yourself out there and performing under pressure. When the race is over, you can't redo it - it's one shot and I love that! Plus sometimes, depending on the distance or how I place, there are medals - love medals.

For the most part it's for the "community". I was hooked when I did my first run and realized how supportive the entire running community is. Now when I go on vacations I am looking for 5K's that are going on while I'm there and I've also done a couple "destination runs"...signing up for races in order to give myself an excuse to go somewhere. That was my reason for running the 5K's. Then I did a couple of marathons just to prove to myself I could do it and keep me training.

fancy doing the park run on saturday?

I'm away, but I could do next weekend. :-)

Sorry to bump in on this, but I noticed you were based in the midlands...Is it the Swad parkrun (Conkers) that you do, or the Nottingham (Colwick) one? I'd really like to run a Parkrun, and those are my two options, I'm just really nervous about entering one really as I'm still pretty slow running wise, and I don't know anything about either of the courses terrain wise. Are they mainly on pavement, or is there some grass?

As for me, I've signed up for a 10k in October, it'll be my first race but I can see myself signing on for more. Really, the race has given me a 'goal' to reach for, which is always nice to think about when training during the week!

My turn to bump in now as you weren't replying to my post but asking somebody else lol.

I do Parkruns, just wanted to reassure you that there is absolutely nothing to worry about at all. Just ensure you register online beforehand and print off your barcode otherwise you will not get a time, you only have to register the once after you have your barcode, you can pop along to any Parkrun whenever you wish - you don't have to let the organisers know beforehand either, you can just decide on the day if you want.

They all start at 9am and are run in various parks (hence the name) usually on paths - I reckon they were designed that way so that they can be run all year round without the worry of waterlogged grass.

Some people walk the whole thing, others run the complete distance, some walk and run.

Only problem is, they become addictive haha.

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/