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Jan 2013
1:12pm, 10 Jan 2013
4,184 posts
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rf_fozzy
I'm not judging anyone - just interested in learning why people do what they do.
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Jan 2013
1:14pm, 10 Jan 2013
1,563 posts
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Pestomum
Just because. End of 
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Jan 2013
1:15pm, 10 Jan 2013
4,185 posts
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rf_fozzy
For some people (and this is people I know in "real" life), they won't run off road because they are scared that as soon as they do, they will get injured.
Now, I have no concept of why (a) they expect to get injured and (b) why getting injured is so scary. To me, if it happens, it happens. Yes, be sensible, but don't worry about it.
One of the things I was interested in was whether this was a wider view or not. But, as I've said, I was just interested.
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Jan 2013
1:15pm, 10 Jan 2013
4,950 posts
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Bazoaxe
Turn the question around, why dont you enjoy running on roads, twice year marathon schedule with supporting races and being able check your progress against the clock as that seems to motivate many others, in fact the participation rates of road v off road would suggest the off roaders are in a minority.
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Jan 2013
1:16pm, 10 Jan 2013
4,186 posts
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rf_fozzy
I also don't see what's wrong with having the debate as well?
What have people got to hide
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Jan 2013
1:18pm, 10 Jan 2013
828 posts
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MudMeanderer
It's less the case with things like cross country and a lot of trail races, but especially for larger fell races I do think there is a totally different type of analytical mindset tapped into, to do with the preparation of you vs the hill.
With a road race, you can entirely concentrate your training and racing on pacing aspects.
With longer and remoter fell races, there is always an aspect of 'I must be able to escape this situation if things turn to shit'. So if the weather turns dramatically, or you mis-navigate, or manage to injure yourself, you still need to have the physical and mental strength left to get out. For some routes this is a very important factor, for a lot much less so, but I do think it's something that you can't completely ignore. I think whether you find having to make these sort of decisions appealing or not can impact whether you like running/racing off road.
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Jan 2013
1:19pm, 10 Jan 2013
1,449 posts
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Curly45
I do XC and road racing. I love both. I dont question if anyone doesnt like one or the other - thats fine with me, there's plenty to go around.
I do get a touch annoyed with peeps who wont at least give either a try, but again thats their choice.
I use them for different things - I like the fact with road races no one can argue with my time, it is what it is. With XC its tactics and position that matter for me. Both involve friendly competition that push me on, but I couldn't race road every week as it mashes my legs too much, XC is a bit easier for me (not for everyone mind).
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Jan 2013
1:20pm, 10 Jan 2013
4,187 posts
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rf_fozzy
Baz, in answer to your question - because I would get bored very quickly and would stop running in search a new challenge. Two marathons a year and that's it? No thanks, I like racing and would much rather do more races than just two.
Whilst I am not ruling out training for another road marathon, I found the endless long runs on road to be hard on my legs and extremely tedious and dull.
And as I said, I do do road races, and get my quantification from them. I can also get quantification from the races I do do - there are lots of ways of taking conditions/hills etc into account. I can also judge my progress from intervals sessions. So, I don't see where I lose out.
And I get to run in more interesting, beautiful, challenging and new places constantly.
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Jan 2013
1:22pm, 10 Jan 2013
4,188 posts
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rf_fozzy
I also don't like putting all my eggs in one basket and training monotonously for one event. I'd rather have 3 or 4 targets ahead and be training towards them - this year, I've 4 or 5 long fell/offroad races planned through to October. Off the back of that, I might do a road marathon (may be Snowdonia or Langdale), but I don't think I'd train as I did for London last year again.
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Jan 2013
1:37pm, 10 Jan 2013
15,001 posts
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FenlandFunRunner
"I also don't like putting all my eggs in one basket and training monotonously for one event."
Too right, many events in 2012, were effected by circumstances beyond the runners control (one race may have been changed while runners at the start line). To dedicate six months or more to a single event for a PB is way beyond my idea of fun.
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