To think organised runs are pointless?

What?! You went to all the trouble and expense of getting your running stones and ITRA index, without actually looking into what you were applying for? Are you insane?

Because it’s fun!

Why not at least try a smaller event so you can experience it first hand, rather than sit and judge sneerily from the side?

It was in response to a 'fun run' comment. For some people the London Marathon is not a 'fun run' - hence why the elite athletes start earlier.

You accuse other people of putting words into your mouth...

I got a place at UTMB this year, watched a video of it, saw the start with 1000's of people filling the road and lost all enthusiasm on the spot and didn't didn't bother taking up the place. Looks like actual hell on earth for me. Would be up for running the same route or similar on my own or with one or two others though.

It was posted today, I think it was more about the London Marathon, which took place today, and is very much a feeder into the Olympics.

Not sure there are many organised races for sheep, what's your point?

“Why do people run the marathon? Most of us won’t perform on a stage. But whether a person is a world-class athlete or a four-hour runner, the marathon gives us a stage, where we perform and be proud, while millions of people applaud. In an unequal world, in this one endeavor, people of vastly different abilities share something in common: the act of going the distance.”

-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

Is it just in relation to running that you can't comprehend someone liking something you don't or does it apply to all activities?

I've done a few organised runs in the past and they were nothing like you describe

Who knew people and things aren't all the same

Sheep like to run in a flock

We're talking about a fun run not the olympics...

I'm not an elite athlete but I do race to compete. I like to have an officially measured time on an accurately measured course, and you can run your best when there are others to compete against.

you can apply that kind of logic to loads of hobbies. im not really interested in history, Going round national trust houses is so dull. I don’t want them all to close them all down.

If it’s not for you, then don’t do it. Let other people enjoy their stuff.

I used to think abit like this too! Been a runner for about 15 years now, a few 10ks and half a marathon a week on average, sometimes more or less depending on XYZ.
Love running but before i entered a race myself, I too always thought “what’s the point?!”

Then I entered a local half marathon and signed myself up for a full marathon after I realised I had no evidence of my running habits to share with my young kids. We had a few horrible deaths in the family, and I wanted to teach my boys (subliminally maybe)that they’re not destined for dementia and mental health issues, they have strong people in the family to look up to! I wanted healthy habits to be fixed into their little brains! So I’ve tried brainwashing them into appreciating running 😂 JOKING (partly)…
Anyway, I got the racing bug. Love the atmosphere, the nerves before the race in achieving your time, love that there’s loads for kids to do at most races (although admittedly it’s my husband whose actually taking them to these of it actually clashes with the run!) but also everyone’s in a party mood, it’s genuinely a mixture of fun and hitting some goals. You also get to run routes and see areas of UK you’d usually not get to see.
I haven’t run overseas yet but planning to! Looking at the Milan marathon for next year and they have a family run before (think it’s a day before but have to check), how fab is that?! Answer: very.
Wouldn’t it be a crap world if we didn’t have these kind of universal events participants can join for a (usually) very low fee?! It units the majority of communities and picking holes in it is pretty miserly, but also pretty much standard for mumsnet it would seem!

Do you run at park run? Surely you must have if you run. That replicates a bit of the race energy but a race day is more fun. Try one. I did the Manchester 10k last year and found it a total buzz running the streets usually choked with cars, it's surreal. I'm doing the half this year and looking forward to criss crossing my city. Its a doddle to get in by tram and even on the tram there's a great atmosphere talking to other runners.

I run in a team so all my colleagues will be checking my splits and times. Plus it's not like my usual long run where I go out and run 10miles to train. I'll have to do the full distance and it's a psychologically different thing to set off knowing you have to do it rather than any other time you can give up!

The general good vibes at the start line as you bounce about waiting. Even though the dj is cheesy as hell.

The local school kids who've come along to ring bells and cheer you at 3km.

The families outside their house at 5km offering haribos. Or as on one very hot day, spraying the garden hose for you to run through.

The runners next to you urging their mate on at 8km.

The crowd as you go into the last 400 metres cheering and calling out your name, as you put the last of your energy into the last spurt to take you over the line.

You just don't get that the other 364 days of the year, on a wet Wednesday at 6am. The race is your reward for all the times you dragged yourself round wishing you hadn't bothered...

If we all start thinking like this about everything we will just all become so disconnected

I see what you are saying, and i did also feel like that for a long time. But then I tried it, and understood the boost and adrenaline that you get from running in a group in an organised race. You just can't replicate that alone on a training run.

For the buzz, and the fun, and the camaraderie. I've run for ten years, and there's nothing like the absolute thrill of an organised race. You train beforehand, getting yourself into the best shape you can, and then you have the excitement and nervous feeling of race day. The cheering of the spectators, the support of the organisers and the amazing volunteers, and the satisfaction of having finished an event. It's just fun. Different people do other things for fun, and you might ask "why" about any number of them, but this is the thing that I and other do. You don't have to understand it, it's just a thing that people enjoy.

Its just a different experience from running by yourself. You are doing it for the atmosphere, the being among other people, the sense of being part of something, the sense of comaraderie, seeing how well you do against others.

Its just nice to have that different experience.

The crowd support.

Being amongst other runners spurs you on and for me personally it makes me run faster

Running with closed roads so you don’t have to stop and wait for the lights to change

Not having to dodge pedestrians

To push myself

The medal and T-shirt

Its a completely different experience running day to day vs during a race

If you don't like them don't do them, I have the same attitude to spa days, could just as easily have a bath and face mask at home.

I can listen to my favourite band any time I like in my car or at home or whilst out walking - and I do - but I also love going and being one of thousands watching them live (despite travel chaos etc) - it's fun!

And so is taking part in things such as the marathon - I did the Manchester marathon last week - I'm a slow runner so wasn't competing with anyone other than myself but my goodness the support was incredible - totally soul-shifting - thousands of total strangers cheering everyone on, offering sweets, lollies, pints, handmade signs, hoses - it's not just the runners out there having fun!