Just a couple of points before I start:
1) I'm all for youngsters getting involved in the sport I love. It teaches them about the joys of winning and the hurt of losing, about the benefits of hard work and dedication, the good feeling you get from being healthy and taking part in exercise etc. etc..
2) One of the things that attracts me to road racing is the fact that you can race but you are not racing against the other athletes. Not many of us are actually ever going to win a race so all we are trying to do is run as fast as we can. So in effect you are racing against yourself. Whatever time you post there is only you knows how well you have done.
So why is it that something stirs in me when I get beaten by an 11 year old? In the Esholt 5k last week I was doing my usual sprint finish and this 11 year old lad went flying past me and beat me by 30m. If this would have been anybody else I would just have thought "that guy/girl obviously hasn't worked hard enough for the other 4.8 km if he/she can run so fast at the end of this race".
I'm not even sure what it is that rankles. Of course there must be lots of talented kids out there who train very hard. And all sorts of people beat me - fat/thin, male/female, old/young - and this never bothers me. So what is it when children beat me? Am I alone with these feelings? He did actually beat 67% of the field.
I suppose I could stick to 10 km races and never race against children again.
And they always come from Bingley. Its always Bingley.
P.S. Well done Sam from Bingley who beat me on Wednesday, just congratulations and well done. Honest.
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A year on the 5:2 diet combined with cycling
10 years ago
4 comments:
This is a well documented scenario. It called getting old!!
Run harder next time and make sure you beat him.
Just being serious for a minute, if the kid isnt over training and is enjoying his running let him reap the pleasure of thrashing old buggers like you and me.
I know I did when I was that age!
I've been getting whipped by youngsters all season at the bunny runs. In fact I now judge whether I've hada good race or not dependent upon whether I beat the 1st V60 and a certain F15. But some of those U12 boys are fast! The only thing that saves me is that as yet I haven't been beaten by my own son, but I sense it's a matter of time!
Hmm, that Sam who beat you shares a surname with a certain M45 Bingley runner who finished in 7th place with a time of 16:22 - must have good genes ;)
We need to catch him(if we can) and offer him a free Spen vest!
Tony,
I'm sure you could catch him if you put your mind to it. Unfortunately it will need you to jog round with us old'uns. Are you prepared to give up your challenge with Kevin to become "King of Spen" for one race?
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