UKC

Xxxxx I would be a better runner!

Yes, this is the excuses thread. Four weeks to go before my first 64 mile trail ultra and I am the midst of working out my excuses for not being a better runner. Top three...

1 I like beer too much so cannot get below 78kg

2 Work always gets in the way of training

3 (scraping the barrel now) My school used cross country running as a punishment or bad weather alternative to the sports I liked so it took me 10 years post school to work out that running is fun.

OK, 1 & 2 are lame as they are wholly in my control and as I am now 50 number 3 is rather historic!

So what ever your standard what are your three best excuses, or reasons if you prefer, for not being a better runner?

In reply to Wainers44:

1. Getting run over when I was 21. I've been injury prone ever since.
2. Running the 400 instead of the 1500 which I think was more where my talent lay.
3. Being too impatient to overcome the injuries caused by 1. 1 is the big one though. I was bomb-proof until that happened.

In reply to Wainers44:

... the fact that I massively prefer climbing and so only run much when I can't climb

In reply to john arran:


Only one excuse is all that you can come up with, that's not really trying??

In reply to Yanis Nayu:





These are all proper reasons, unlike my poor excuses!!

In reply to Wainers44:

Having too much fondness for booze and food.
Not starting till I was closer to 40.
Not trying harder.

In reply to Wainers44:

My arthritic feet,
My love of ale,
Starting running in my 40s...

In reply to Tony the Blade:




That's beer in a couple of lists now. Powerful stuff!!

In reply to Wainers44:

My Achilles tendons, which are my Achilles heel

In reply to Wainers44:

living in London (i can imagine nice long runs in the countryside, but not in London)
starting late (also started in my 40s)
TV and books
hot weather
muggy weather
icy weather

In reply to Wainers44:

Hot weather.
Cold weather.
Wet weather.
Having other things I'd rather be doing on nice dry, cool days.

Oh, and beer.

In reply to Wainers44:

Running with luggage and wearing boots when i was a youth

In reply to Wainers44:

1. Bad hip and curved spine
2. Dodgy knees
3. Built for speed, not endurance
4. Parenthood
5. That skiing fall when I was 14 which buggered my knee
6. Sore throat
7. Ate too much earlier
8. Didn't eat enough earlier

That sort of thing? Just ask and I can keep going

In reply to ChrisBrooke:










Exactly the sort of stuff I can use. Failing to do well on an ultra will be easier than I thought....

In reply to Wainers44:


Same here. Static at 76kg, (which is better than the 82kg on 1st Jan).


Snap. As does the dog, as does Mrs Ridge...


That isn't scraping TBH. I'm 50 as well and went to the sort of Yorkshire school where the PE teachers made Brian Glover's character in 'Kes' look like Teacher of the Year. Very unpleasant characters who encouraged bullying and ridicule of the slow kids and those crap at sport, (that'll be me then). Put me off all sport and finally started running 'seriously' in my 30s. Still don't like racing because of those days.




Brittle knees and dodgy achilles. Also I don't eat enough before a run, or eat too much before I run. And modern trainers are crap, and my shorts chafe...

In reply to Ridge:





Crickey not just my school then!

The eating thing is a big problem. I had a big wobbly at 40miles on the LDWA 100 this year, again down to not eating enough. It seems I forget and re-learn that every single blooming year.

Cheap as possible Ron Hill shorts with good quality sports pants (not Ann Summers variety) keep my bits chafe free. Can't use that excuse but there are loads more

In reply to Wainers44:

Beer is still the single most common obstacle to better running so far....

In reply to Wainers44:

I'm a useless runner anyway (no aptitude, it seems) but one excuse I think you might find useful is the terrible, terrible situation that befell me this last weekend, whereby Mr TC forced me to have a massive slice of fruit cake just before I went out for a run. I couldn't say no, because I am weak, and then I regretted it. So yes - cake.

In reply to Wainers44:

1. Nasty asthma which is really bad in the spring/summer any temperature above 20 degrees (which I know doesn't happen often in the UK...) really hampers training and makes it unpleasant
2. Naughty tummy which misbehaves at half marathon distance and above
3. A different jobs means I've lot my lovely lunchtime running buddies.

In reply to Tall Clare:


Mmmmm cake!!!!!! Great idea. I will need to eat loads and loads just in case I need to blame it

In reply to Wainers44:

1. I never liked running
2. I'd sooner swim or bike as I'm fat
3. My old dog developed a penchant for crisps at the pub on the way home from the woods and wouldn't run any further

In reply to Dave the Rave:


Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks...

In reply to Wainers44: the reason why I can't run faster or further is because I'm crap. You can't really argue against that excuse

In reply to Wainers44:


The trick is if you stop for a takeaway on the way back from the pub. Your pace increases no end and usually I forget to stop in the garden and burst through the front door full pelt! Much to the terror of the family I might add.

In reply to Wainers44:

...actually who needs excuses.

Just ran along the west bank of the Exe Estuary with a silver moon hovering over Exmouth guiding the lazy ebbing tide out of the river. Sky was still red over my right shoulder and there were the first hints of cool hollows in the dips in the fields.

Great way to round off a busy weekend!

In reply to Wainers44:

That, in a nutshell, is what it's all about.

Thanks for that, just what I need to hear after some knee problems. Moments like that make it all worthwhile.

In reply to Wainers44:

1 I was totally put off when I was about 13, by a skinny mate who used to be in the local Harriers and was always winning all over the country(Frodsham and in the Dales and god knows where else). It was pointless running when he was so good.
2. We used to run round the track later on just to avoid doing cricket practice in the nets which was boring. So we used to run until the double+ games period was over.We did not do it for speed just to fill the time.(Actually we did 64 laps one time as we had not realised that lunch break had been and gone)This cramped my muscles for developing into a quick enough runner to do truly long distances. Do they allow long distance crawlers?
3. I've got bunions and after about 10Km I get blisters developing.
4. I've got flat feet, and I don't know what an orthotist is...

In reply to Wainers44:

I'm not sure, maybe diet and drink...

I think I ignored all excuses.

If my PE teachers could see what I achieved I think they'd be gobsmacked.

I was a goal keeper as I was basically too slow.. I always worked hard at sports but in running I found my home.

When I was at my peak in 2013 I was running 90-100 miles a week, most miles sub 7:00 min mile pace. I knew I was doing long term damage but aimed for things I achieved.

But during that time I was also going through a divorce so at least 2-3 (if not more) nights a week I'd be found hammered in various east german night clubs, yet the next day I'd run 10 miles 6:50 pace.. if I did it, I'd go out again... Then I'd wake up, run 4-5 miles, work, then do my 9-12 miles proper training run. If that went well.. have a beer.. which was normally 10-15..

I'm far from a natural runner, knocked knees, ankles busted from years of soccer but the one thing I look back on is I wore a GB vest twice.. I hope to again but realise that ship may have sailed. We will see. Life is happy, I'm married, with a kid, secure financially so I think I can get back.. but wonder if I lack the anger which pushed me to run so hard most nights. Maybe that period of shitness was pretty important in pushing me, in the space of a year I lost my wife and house (separated), dog (left the UK so parents took her), job (contract ended) and best friend (killed) - plus the numerous other friends you lose through a divorce. I worry (oddly) life is now too good to ever want something like I did then.

In reply to Wainers44:

1 need longer stride
2 need higher cadence
3 need to stop trying so much

In reply to Wainers44:

My short legs.

In reply to Wainers44:

I can't get off the sofa