Striving for moderate obesity and slow times

tunney

Following this forum, the "Athletics" forum and various magazines and websites there seems to be a worrying trend. Dilution of goals.

Where lean was the target (<10%) the goal now seems to be a weight that enables the avoidance of Type 2 diabetes
Where fast was the target the goal now seems to be "99% of the population can complete a tri/IM/marathon"

This shift from normal weight to skinny, and from fat to normal and so on. From competing to completing.

A worrying trend in sport and a damning indictment of modern society.

Thoughts? Since when did fat become the new normal? And not really trying the new winning?

Kurt_Godel

tunney wrote: »

Striving for moderate obesity and slow times

Read the title, thought you had started a new log

Kurt_Godel

tunney wrote: »

Following this forum, the "Athletics" forum and various magazines and websites there seems to be a worrying trend. Dilution of goals.

Serious answer: there's your issue, you're looking in the wrong places. Each week I see more goal-focussed kids/adults at the pool or training elsewhere, than there are posters here (not to say posters here aren't focussed). The ones for who a medal means 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

sconhome

Interesting topic.

(being Devils advocate) Maybe it is something to be applauded?

Instead of another generation of couch potatoes maybe we should be glad to see a new breed of non competitive person whose soul goal is athletic mediocrity? If it leads to some people reducing the health care load on others and possibly inspires a future generation of kids to grow up with increased activity it can't be all that bad.

Nothing wrong with a 2 tier standard but competing may be something completers can be encouraged towards (if they want)

tunney

sconhome wrote: »

Instead of another generation of couch potatoes maybe we should be glad to see a new breed of non competitive person whose soul goal is athletic mediocrity?

But the problem is the trend for fat inactive people to put on lycra, waddle around a park once in a blue moon and then buy a bike, cycle to a cafe, have a large cappuccino and a few muffins, cycle home and then tut tut while talking about the obesity problem and people who don't exercise. When in relating they are still fat and ever so slightly less inactive.

mloc123

So 10 years ago runners were all fast and skinny right? How many runners had we in the country? I would hazzard a guess we still have the same number of these proper runners today.

In addition to that we now have an extra population of mildly overweight joggers, I would assume 10 years ago this sub section were instead sitting on a couch, playing golf etc.. etc...

So what is the harm? Dave, you are more concerned about what other people do, or how they quantify success than you are about your own training/racing.

I like seeing people out and about, out slogging along in the park etc... These are people making an effort, trying to change. They are not slobs sitting at home watching TV and eating pizza. I would guess that most elites view them along with others who consider themselves proper runners in the same catagory.

hardCopy

Life is full of compromises and we only have a finite time to do the things we enjoy doing. I prefer to fill my days with a little bit of all the things I enjoy and the few things that I am obliged to do.

Running
Cycling
Swimming
Rugby
Watching Game of Thrones
Cooking
Eating
Walking my dog
Relaxing with my wife
Drinking beer
Meeting my friends
Making money
Cleaning my house
Laundry

If I cut back too much on any of those I will be unhappy or unhealthy or both. If I lost interest in some of those for a while I could concentrate on the other, but I inevitably get bored and cut back to make room for the other things I enjoy.

I quit rugby because I thought it was impacting too much on my running, after 5 years I ended up going back because I just missed it, that meant I had to forget any notion of a spring marathon this year but it's what I enjoy. Whatever running I do this summer will be coming off a slow base and will finish up in August.

Slow times aren't always down to lack of effort, people's efforts are just being spread around other areas of their life.

If someone is running 2:30 marathons and getting jealous at praise being heaped on their 4:25 workmate they need to take a good look at themselves.

Our society has a lot of issues with rapidly increasing waistlines but the people plodding around Phoenix Park aren't the root of the problem. Unless they squeeze into the elite pen and walk the course holding hands they won't do any harm.

sconhome

tunney wrote: »

But the problem is the trend for fat inactive people to put on lycra, waddle around a park once in a blue moon and then buy a bike, cycle to a cafe, have a large cappuccino and a few muffins, cycle home and then tut tut while talking about the obesity problem and people who don't exercise. When in relating they are still fat and ever so slightly less inactive.

I get the point you are making.

However, where does the line exist though cos it ends up inactive people being judges by slightly more active people, being judged by the next level of 25bmi being judged by the seasonal skinny person being judged by .... and so on.

BTH

Dave, the people you are looking for, those actually achieving those things you list, they dont waste their time around places like this because they don't care what you or I think of them. And they dont splash it all over the net because they dont need kudos from imaginary internet friends to feel fulfilled in life.

shotgunmcos

I blame Tesco

EC1000

tunney wrote: »

then buy a bike, cycle to a cafe, have a large cappuccino and a few muffins, cycle home

Where can one meet these kindred spirits for such an amazing day?

RJM85

I'm fairly sure people have always had hobbies. You know, stuff they don't take that seriously? For most people that's exactly what running or tri or cycling is. A hobby. A decent social hobby at that.

coppinger

Medals are for winners (or top3) - dilution of the hard work and talent of the elite -

Cycling world championships - the best of the best
Athletics world championships - the best of the best
Swimming world championships - the best of the best
Rugby world championships - the best of the best
Soccer world championships - the best of the best


Ironman world championships - 10% of the best and 90% mediocre (>11hours)

Kona should be for the fastest 500 athletes male and female but its not, yet its somehow the marquee event

A focus on participation and completion instead of competition

peter kern

Dave , tango was really happy in the pool this morning ( mentioned something about an overweight guy that runs to prevent diabetis that could not run up the hill but he was trying so hard that his head almost exploded ;-)

good on you for giving him a run for his money, or should we say on this thread I hope you got a medal ;-)

Btw tango said i had to post something ;-)

tunney wrote: »

Following this forum, the "Athletics" forum and various magazines and websites there seems to be a worrying trend. Dilution of goals.

Where lean was the target (<10%) the goal now seems to be a weight that enables the avoidance of Type 2 diabetes
Where fast was the target the goal now seems to be "99% of the population can complete a tri/IM/marathon"

This shift from normal weight to skinny, and from fat to normal and so on. From competing to completing.

A worrying trend in sport and a damning indictment of modern society.

Thoughts? Since when did fat become the new normal? And not really trying the new winning?