Slow and proud!

wholenewme03
wholenewme03 Posts: 95 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone! I am a runner (maybe a jogger or a shuffler...) and I'm pretty slow. The thing is, I'm totally ok with being a slow runner. I don't race, I don't run for any reason other than I like to lace up my sneakers, plug in my headphones, and let off some steam. Are there any other non-competitive runners out there who run just for the sake of running (or jogging or shuffling)?
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Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Slow is the new fast!! Good for you!! I'm pretty damn slow too!!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    I'm so slow it's embarrassing. I can walk almost as fast as i run slow. I keep at it anyway. I do like t h e cardio benefit.
  • socalrunner59
    socalrunner59 Posts: 149 Member
    I've run 30+ years. I've ran one race in my 20's and hated it. The crowds were overwhelming. Running is my zen time. I always run solo. I can't even run with my partner, who I love to hike, kayak, and travel with. He gets it that running is personal to me. I run at a good pace, but I run for the pure joy of it.
  • adescut
    adescut Posts: 19 Member
    I run slow too. Now with the heat I run even slower. But I have learned that if I run slow, I will always accomplish the distance I set out to do. Also it's always in the back of my mind that if I run slow, I will have less chance of injury.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I am slow, yes. Fast walker and slow runner, so like lorrpb I can walk about as fast as I usually run.

    I do "sprint" sometimes, not a full on sprint but a fast run, it feels great in my body but is unsustainable.

    Mostly I'm prancing along at nearly 14 minutes per mile, quick pace but tiny steps; that's what I have found the most sustainable. I would like to be faster, truthfully, but more than that I want to remain uninjured.
  • Philtex
    Philtex Posts: 1,231 Member
    I do run races, but small events and club races. When the race starts getting over about 200 runners it gets too big for me.
  • Tracieisfitastic
    Tracieisfitastic Posts: 104 Member
    I'm slow as well.
  • curlsintherack
    curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
    I chug along at about an 11 minute mile. this seems to be my comfortable speed and a sustainable one as I run 4 miles every other day in right around 44 minutes.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I run a few races each year (straight running & duathlons) but I would not call myself competitive, I use races as a benchmark for myself and the only way I'll ever end up on a podium is if I outlive everyone else in my age group. I actually enjoy the atmosphere at big events, it's pretty amazing to see 10,000 + other runners out there.

    The beauty of running is that we all do it by ourselves, for ourselves and don't need to justify ourselves to anyone else. Fast or slow, racer or not we're all part of that great clan called runners.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    edited July 2016
    Another slow runner here. I normally chug along at a 10:30 minute mile. It's slow, but I can keep going at that pace forever. My proudest moment was when I ran the Tufts Women's 10k in under 60 minutes (my time was 59:59 and I was chuffed to bits). Still waiting for the Tiffany bauble my husband promised me if I broke 60 minutes, mind you.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    Another slow runner here. I normally chug along at a 10:30 minute mile. It's slow, but I can keep going at that pace forever. My proudest moment was when I ran the Tufts Women's 10k in under 60 minutes (my time was 59:59 and I was chuffed to bits). Still waiting for the Tiffany bauble my husband promised me if I broke 60 minutes, mind you.

    Your current pace is my goal - I want that sustainable jog at about 10 minutes/mile, want long runs to be 5 miles in about one hour; but am not there yet. I don't even think that's slow!
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    Another slow runner here. I normally chug along at a 10:30 minute mile. It's slow, but I can keep going at that pace forever. My proudest moment was when I ran the Tufts Women's 10k in under 60 minutes (my time was 59:59 and I was chuffed to bits). Still waiting for the Tiffany bauble my husband promised me if I broke 60 minutes, mind you.

    Your current pace is my goal - I want that sustainable jog at about 10 minutes/mile, want long runs to be 5 miles in about one hour; but am not there yet. I don't even think that's slow!

    It feels slow when people who are thirty years older than me are overtaking me. But I don't mind; I don't run to win races, I run because I like it.



  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
    Amen! I am almost always the one people pass, but I've learned to be okay with it. Just out there to enjoy the run.
  • abitofbliss
    abitofbliss Posts: 198 Member
    lalee115 wrote: »
    I don't run cause, frankly, I hate it... but this thread got me thinking about how yesterday I was coming home from the grocery store and saw the girls' high school cross country team running alongside the road. There was a large pack together, and about 20 yards behind them was one solo girl, chugging along. I felt a surge of pride for this girl I've never seen before and probably never will again. She was out there doing it, slow or not. I wanted to roll down the window and yell some encouragement, but I was already past the and it would have probably been weird or lost in the wind anyway. lol

    So, you go, you slow runners!!!!

    Love this. I also don't run but I have been thinking about it.
  • grace914
    grace914 Posts: 139 Member
    I am so slow!!!! I hate running as well, but d@mn if I'm not proud of myself for completing 40 mins of walking/jogging. You guys rock!!! Thanks for the thread. I needed to smile today.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    I run therefore I am a runner, not a jogger or anything else, regardless of the fact that I am slow. :smile: I'll never be fast and I'm fine with that.

    I run every other day and I run alone. I do run races because I like to see my progress year over year not because I'm competing with anyone else. I'm not concerned about winning anything no matter how small the race because there will always be someone faster than I. I've been running the same half marathon every year since I started running and it's a good way for me to see how much faster I've become. In 2012 I finished it in under 2:43. 2013 - 2:33. In 2014 they changed the course and added a big hill at miles 9 & 10. Ugh! That year I finished in 2:40. In 2015 it was 2:26 and this year I did it in 2:18! I've actually discovered that the more training miles I put in during the months before that race the faster I get and the easier the last few miles are. I'm hoping this year to beat 2:10.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    SueInAz wrote: »
    I run therefore I am a runner, not a jogger or anything else, regardless of the fact that I am slow. :smile: I'll never be fast and I'm fine with that.

    I run every other day and I run alone. I do run races because I like to see my progress year over year not because I'm competing with anyone else. I'm not concerned about winning anything no matter how small the race because there will always be someone faster than I. I've been running the same half marathon every year since I started running and it's a good way for me to see how much faster I've become. In 2012 I finished it in under 2:43. 2013 - 2:33. In 2014 they changed the course and added a big hill at miles 9 & 10. Ugh! That year I finished in 2:40. In 2015 it was 2:26 and this year I did it in 2:18! I've actually discovered that the more training miles I put in during the months before that race the faster I get and the easier the last few miles are. I'm hoping this year to beat 2:10.

    SueInAz, look, you are right in the middle of times for your age in a half marathon. Middle of the pack isn't slow, you run at an average speed :)

    Here is a calculator:

    runnersworld.com/tools/age-grade-calculator
  • Philtex
    Philtex Posts: 1,231 Member
    edited July 2016
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    It feels slow when people who are thirty years older than me are overtaking me.

    What gets me is when someone passes me and they are pushing a stroller.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    SueInAz wrote: »
    I run therefore I am a runner, not a jogger or anything else, regardless of the fact that I am slow. :smile: I'll never be fast and I'm fine with that.

    I run every other day and I run alone. I do run races because I like to see my progress year over year not because I'm competing with anyone else. I'm not concerned about winning anything no matter how small the race because there will always be someone faster than I. I've been running the same half marathon every year since I started running and it's a good way for me to see how much faster I've become. In 2012 I finished it in under 2:43. 2013 - 2:33. In 2014 they changed the course and added a big hill at miles 9 & 10. Ugh! That year I finished in 2:40. In 2015 it was 2:26 and this year I did it in 2:18! I've actually discovered that the more training miles I put in during the months before that race the faster I get and the easier the last few miles are. I'm hoping this year to beat 2:10.

    SueInAz, look, you are right in the middle of times for your age in a half marathon. Middle of the pack isn't slow, you run at an average speed :)

    Here is a calculator:

    runnersworld.com/tools/age-grade-calculator
    Age-Graded Score: 53.73%
    Age-Graded Time: 2:01:21

    Your age-graded score is the ratio of the approximate world-record time for your age and gender divided by your actual time. To score 100% as a 50-year-old woman, you would need a time of 1:14:09.

    What do you know? I'll take middle of the pack. :smile: I'm not that fast now, though. I ran 5K this morning in about 36 minutes. I run far fewer miles in the summer when it's really hot and there are no races to train for. That half marathon I always run is in January in Phoenix.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I run often, but in the only legit race I ran, I got passed by strollers, kids AND dogs. Just enjoy yourself.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Geez, people complaining that a 10 min mile is slow just makes me feel horrible. I'd think I'd died and gone to heaven if I could run that fast!
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    SueInAz wrote: »
    I run therefore I am a runner, not a jogger or anything else, regardless of the fact that I am slow. :smile: I'll never be fast and I'm fine with that.

    I run every other day and I run alone. I do run races because I like to see my progress year over year not because I'm competing with anyone else. I'm not concerned about winning anything no matter how small the race because there will always be someone faster than I. I've been running the same half marathon every year since I started running and it's a good way for me to see how much faster I've become. In 2012 I finished it in under 2:43. 2013 - 2:33. In 2014 they changed the course and added a big hill at miles 9 & 10. Ugh! That year I finished in 2:40. In 2015 it was 2:26 and this year I did it in 2:18! I've actually discovered that the more training miles I put in during the months before that race the faster I get and the easier the last few miles are. I'm hoping this year to beat 2:10.

    SueInAz, look, you are right in the middle of times for your age in a half marathon. Middle of the pack isn't slow, you run at an average speed :)

    Here is a calculator:

    runnersworld.com/tools/age-grade-calculator

    Hey, that's really cool. Thanks for sharing. I appear to be firmly in the middle of the pack. And I'm more than happy with that. I've been overtaken by stroller pushers, dog walkers, and once during my first half marathon, I was passed by an amputee (I found out later she was an army vet).
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    Philtex wrote: »
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    It feels slow when people who are thirty years older than me are overtaking me.

    What gets me is when someone passes me and they are pushing a stroller.

    A few years ago I did a few races where the guy in 2nd place, in a 10K, was pushing a stroller + kid.
  • cricket490
    cricket490 Posts: 31 Member
    It does not matter if you run fast or slow at least you are off the couch and running. I am slowly (very slowly) getting back into my running and it is tough, fun, sweaty and nobody understands why you do it. Unless you run........
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    lalee115 wrote: »
    I don't run cause, frankly, I hate it... but this thread got me thinking about how yesterday I was coming home from the grocery store and saw the girls' high school cross country team running alongside the road. There was a large pack together, and about 20 yards behind them was one solo girl, chugging along. I felt a surge of pride for this girl I've never seen before and probably never will again. She was out there doing it, slow or not. I wanted to roll down the window and yell some encouragement, but I was already past the and it would have probably been weird or lost in the wind anyway. lol

    So, you go, you slow runners!!!!

    I don't know if it's the same for runners or not, but as a cyclist, if somebody yells something and I can't make out what, I assume it's something rude. :disappointed:
  • wholenewme03
    wholenewme03 Posts: 95 Member
    It's so refreshing to know that there are runners out there who do it not for the competition, but for the pure joy of the run! You guys rock :)
  • chassp8pooh
    chassp8pooh Posts: 131 Member
    Slow and steady wins the not so race for me. I do want to do a 5k but right now I am just running for the sheer joy of it!

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