Funny thing happened to me the other day...

I got a phone call from the chairman of our running club who called simply to tell me that I wouldn't be picking up an award this Sunday at the club's prestigious annual awards.

Ok, I can kind of deal with the fact...after all the Chairman's decision is final... but to phone me and tell me was, I thought a little cruel, especially as he knows what I'm going through right now.

But not only that... he then proceeds to tell me that he could easily nominate me for every award category (15 in all) except Tri. However, I wouldn't win anything.

I know awards are just icing on the cake, but after the constant struggle with the injury last year but still going out and representing the club in the Somerset Series, and putting in some fairly decent results, 2nd lady overall in a couple of races and top 5 in most others, finishing the whole series as 2nd Lady Overall, I kind of hoped for the 'Short Race Award'. But apparently that is going to an older lady, who, as the Chairman told me on the phone, is an 11 minute mile runner and got a PB in a 5 mile race last year.

Well, I'm all for encouraging older and/or slower runners, but surely everyone's achievements are important and should be recognised. During the Series I got a 5K, 10K, 10 mile and half marathon PB... all while trying to get my long term injury sorted.

Sorry for this rant, but I'd actually be interested to hear other people's views on it.


The thing is now, I'm not going to be going to the Club Awards this Sunday in the best frame of mind, I kind of feel like I've been kicked while I was down.

TBH I think you should just accept the decision gracefully; the fact that he has phoned you to say how good you are is recognition of your achievements, and they clearly deserved some recognition, but older runners aren't going to get that many PB's as age catches up with them; perhaps her need for an award is greater. The phone call suggests that you deserved something but were being forewarned so that you weren't devastated on the night.

I have accepted cricketing awards when I was in no way the best cricketer but had had, by my own standards, an excellent season. That probably makes me biased.

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"There is a great advantage in training under unfavorable conditions. It is better to train under bad conditions, for the difference is then a tremendous relief in a race."
Emil Zatopek

Well, I hearby nominate you for Runners Forum "in the face of adversity" category.

C'est la vie. Or as they say in France: "That's life"

Well, you've got a nice trophy from Jason. And let's face it, it won't need any dusting or polishing!

... And here's some more "flowers" ( these are costing me a fortune!).
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Thanks Jason and Pedestrian

I know what you're saying Thumbs, but they are after all achievement awards and who is to say that I achieved what I did with any less effort than an older person? And come to think of it... the way this injury has persisted, who's to say that I will be able to run much more, let alone get any faster.

Of course I'm going to accept the decision gracefully... I bear no ill will to anyone. It's just that Chairman was fully aware of my broken emotional state and still chose to phone me with news that I really didn't need to hear.

It all takes place on Sunday afternoon and I'm sure I will have been able to enjoy the event much more without being pre-warned

It seems to me that you are very aware of how much you've achieved, and in all honesty, medals, honours, and other awards, are all very well and good... but at the end of the day, they are meaningless. They are just things. If you feel that you have made huge achievments (and it sounds to me as though you have, being injured and all) then not getting an award doesn't take away from what you've actually done. It's nice to get some acknowledgement now and then, but really... running is a personal thing - you know truely how well or badly you do, and you should reflect on how amazing it must have felt to have done so well in your races... take that feeling with you on Sunday. I doubt you went out on those races, pushing yourself to get your PBs with the getting of an award from your running club in mind.

I think he probably rang you because he was aware of your situation. Us blokes usually can't do right for doing wrong, and usually the harder we try the worse we make things. I think he probably didn't want you to get upset at the event itself and was therefore pre-warning you to avoid precicely the situation he has now inadvertedly created.

So what's the point of having achievement awards then...

If that were the case then why have County Sportsperson of the Year Awards... or even National Sportsperson of the Year Awards.


That's half the problem with the UK, and many other countries come to think of it... we have that old saying 'it's the taking part that's important'... where's the incentive in that?

I believe it's partly to do with that kind of attitude that makes UK athletes under achievers, when compared to countries such as the US who constantly recognise achievement in a huge way

I'd rather he treated me as he treated all the other members of the club

I agree Trin.

Achievement awards are exactly that.
He knows he`s got it wrong,which is why he rang you.

Thank you Dave, I was beginning to think everyone was against me for a moment (although I know that's probably just because of the space I'm in right now, so I'm not taking it seriously).

... Anyway: what kind of club has a presentation on a SUNDAY AFTERNOON!? Sounds like a bit of a "tea and cucumber sandwiches" do, to me (tee hee).
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That's always the problem with awards, I find. Even if they are done in as fair and even-handed a way a possible, it always leaves people who didn't get any and probably deserved one, or people who get loads but aren't really bothered by it and don't appreciate it. Plus there's all the politics around awarding the old regulars, while making sure that the new arrivals feel adequately valued, etc etc

Your record speaks for itself, anyway. Another tin cup wouldn't make your achievements more impressive, not having said cup doesn't make them any less.


So there

I know you're right Katten... and it's not even a tin cup anyway, it's always a T shirt with prize category winner printed on it and a jar of local honey... but it wasn't really about the prize itself

I didn't mean to offend you, no one is against you. I don't know you, and I'm new to these forums, so I don't know any of the details of your injuries. Of course awards can mean something, I was just saying that in the greater scheme of things it's how you feel that matters... also that if there was only one award available, then yeah... one ore many poeple are going to miss out who would deserve it just as much or more. If you think you deserve it, than surely regardless of having the actual medal, that's what really matters?

Anyway... at the end of the day I am highly competetive with myself, and academically have won prizes and what not... but with running I dunno... the whole competetive thing is beyond me - so I can't even pretend to understand what's going on.

As for the lack of any high achievments of british athletics, I'll think you'll find the same argument is raging over in the US, as illustrated by an article printed over there titled "how oprah ruined the marathon". All I can gather is that yes, it's a complete sham to run any race and not put in 100% effort, but at the same time, one person's 6 minute mile pace is equivelent effort to another's 10 minute mile pace. I think its a good thing that running is very popular, but I doubt that some people's decision to not put in 100% commitment and effort somehow drags down anyone else. Unless you're stuck behind a pack of "back of the packers" who have linked arms who ferociously deny you passage. Anyone it's a bit of a touchy subject, and I can't really find anyone who agrees. At the end of the day, it's YOUR decision what commitment you put into a race, and what it means to YOU. Just because a lot of people realise they'll never be able to get anywhere near to winning or getting award, doesn't mean anyone else has to go with that. \rant.