Every time I think I am out ...

[Stampie]

Well done on your race.

To paraphrase a saying I first heard with golf, RUNNING does not build character, it reveals it.

That saying is so true in golf. Interesting that you find that in running too.

Amen to that!

At one moment riding high and in mere minutes the reality check factor kicks in.

[Dstew]

Well done on your race.

To paraphrase a saying I first heard with golf, RUNNING does not build character, it reveals it.

That saying is so true in golf. Interesting that you find that in running too.

Not to get into too heavy a philosophical debate but yes, as a general rule I believe any sport will reveal character more then it will build it. I will easily concede as some studies that have shown that everyone has roughly the same pain threshold but one can train themselves to a higher level of tolerance but as with golf, some people go to the range every day, others a weekly basis and some never. And with running, some will continue to push and seek out new levels of pain tolerance, some will push the edges and others never leave the comfort zone. Some golfers cheat on the score cards, some runners such will take a short cut as there was a rumor happened at one time in Philly on an unmonitored out and back section.

Or to put this another way, I believe running can strengthen character as it can muscles but you cannot be an Olympic sprinter should you completely lack fast twitch muscles no matter what you do and if you do not have something to begin with, there is nothing to strengthen. Having played just about every sport out there, I have also seen people who have outstanding character playing soft ball but lack "character" playing hockey so just because one participants in a specific activity does not confer magical abilities to them.

I remember reading a study about those who do ultras and they all tend to have the same characteristics. Type A, etc, etc, etc. The determination and a never surrender attitude required is self evident but I would contend that someone who does a lot of ultras already has those characteristics and doing that activity may merely bring them out or highlight them. But maybe their job is merely to pay for race fees and the half a$$ that? And maybe running is merely the test such as you for example who qualified but not qualify for Boston. One very logical and rational reaction could easily be that you gave it your best shot, you fell a little short and so onto the next thing. Or it was unfair or unjust but instead you bore down and improved and now have qualified without any question or doubt.

[Mark.AU]

I thinks more that sports reveal character flaws rather than character per se. Without taking in to account motivation, it's too broad a judgement to say that a person who doesn't qualify for Boston, to pick an example, doesn't have the determination or didn't bare down enough to get it. They simply might just like jogging and instead channel all their type A drive and determination into being the best they can be at something else.

[Dstew]

I thinks more that sports reveal character flaws rather than character per se. Without taking in to account motivation, it's too broad a judgement to say that a person who doesn't qualify for Boston, to pick an example, doesn't have the determination or didn't bare down enough to get it. They simply might just like jogging and instead channel all their type A drive and determination into being the best they can be at something else.

As at least 50% of performance is genetics, I agree with your assessment that a specific goal does not necessarily translate into "character". I have a friend who trained much harder and longer then me but always just fell short of a BQ and started to lose the joy of running. So he started to run marathons to raise money for charity. How one handles adversity or even success is the test of character?