Runners and moral virtue - I don't care how far you ran this morning!

[FuriousFate]

AIBU to be so sick of this? A couple of friends have recently got into running. Fine, good for them, great, if that's what they enjoy. The thing is, I don't care if they ran ten miles before the school run this morning, I don't care if they ran a marathon before 5:30am last Sunday without breaking a sweat. Why the constant need to advertise your hobby so blatantly and seek validation from others (both in real life and on the dreaded FB)? There's one thing dropping into conversation that you've done some exercise or whatever, but I really don't need to know that you've 'just done a ten miler', or are gearing up for a 'twenty miler' next weekend. I don't like the pregnant pauses after each statement of this ilk, and the expectation that I'm to congratulate them on their latest time/agility/resilience. FWIW, I've been taking regular exercise ever since I've known both of them and have never felt the need to mention it, unless in the context of not being able to make Monday night, for example, as that's when my class is. Maybe I just don't get running, but why the competitiveness? Why the need to advertise just how 'good' you've been by going so far/fast/hard? And breathe...

Facebook, and every other social media platform, is ALL about seeking validation from others.

It's new to them, exciting and important. They'll get over it.

Some people spend their whole time talking about weight loss or their children or the shoes.

Just smile vaguely and move the conversation on.

Maybe because it's bloody hard work and they're just proud of their achievements? And when you're in that mindset it's what you think about so what you talk about.

Ten miles is a long way, and hard even for a seasoned runner.

Just a thought - recommend they join Strava, it's social media just for runners and cyclists. They'll get lots of validation (called Kudos) there.

Honest they'll love it.

At least it's more interesting than taking about your children or the football game you watched last night.

I have a friend who has lost loads of weight. Great for her. But she sends pics on group whatsapp every single day, of her in gym kit, her on a bike etc etc. Always accompanied by this "can you believe it! Me! Who'd have thought I'd ever fit in size 8s".

We get it. You're thin. Well done.

No one really responds to the messages now which is a sign of how fed up everyone is of their entire camera roll being it pics or her in her smalls.

On Saturday I ran four miles, on Sunday I ran six, all before breakfast. I'm 18 weeks pregnant so bloody proud of myself and will tell anyone who asks me what I did at the weekend. Because it was the hardest thing I did all weekend.

Queen - that's exactly it. Just why the need to advertise?

They're almost as throat slashingly tedious as the crossfit, protein power brigade.

At least it's more interesting than taking about your children or the football game you watched last night.

Its not really. Much the same on the yawn scale.

Well done Fitzbilly - it's so hard running in the second trimester, when the bump starts getting in the way!

And OP, just ignore your friends' conversation if it bothers you? Or join them for a run and see if you get hooked too...

I cant imagine announcing to my friends how many tom hardy pics i pinned before breakfast

I admire them and wish I could do it too, but don't need to hear about it all the time. If I ask someone what they've been up to then fine but just going on and on about it would be annoying. Not just running but anything. If someone wants to talk about it constantly then do it with someone who is also into it..

I agree there, people should be able to read social situations and decide whether or not the other person would be interested before they launch into a full on recount of their latest run or gym trip or shopping trip or whatever.

Taking about something to people who are not interested is strange.

Unless someone asks, I don't really about the differences I run it anything else I do. I know which colleagues are genuinely interested (usually other runners) and which are not.