Supporting running in the metro Richmond area
Slower Marathon Runners
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/sports/23marathon.html?pagewanted...
Interesting op/ed article on the expanding popularity of marathons and growing number of slower runners who participate.
Looking at the reader comments on the site, many have strong opinions for and against, so hopefully this thread won't top the Pocahantas Park/Why West Enders are Scared of Southside debate.....
Interesting op/ed article on the expanding popularity of marathons and growing number of slower runners who participate.
Looking at the reader comments on the site, many have strong opinions for and against, so hopefully this thread won't top the Pocahantas Park/Why West Enders are Scared of Southside debate.....
Views: 16
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Eileen on -
A marathon is an incredible distance and challenge. Everyone who is out there is a winner for trying and finishing this formidable run. Like Amelia Earheart did, live life to the fullest, shoot for the stars, live your dreams, and enjoy the fun journey! Kudos to all who do this distance!
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Permalink Reply by Karen Gammon on -
I have to add to this one. Every day I see my assorted neighbors get in their vehicles to drive 350 feet to get their mail/papers out of their boxes. These people are all overweight from not doing anything and improper nutrition. I know personally they are on meds to treat diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Because of this normal lifestyle that seems to override all others, I find it enlightening and hopeful that there are some of us, though not many, who are willing to get up off their butts and go exercise, no matter what the venue may be. If everyone would at least try to exercise a little, our health care expenses would be in much better shape, as well as the overweight bodies abounding. I told Tommy yesterday that when I get to the age where I cannot run anymore, I will definitely continue to walk. I hope and pray I will feel comfortable entering a formal event to do this when the time comes, and not feel looked down upon or less worthy because of it.
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Permalink Reply by Gary Hearn on -
Karen,
Excellent points. My daughter has a classmate (3rd grade) who is extremely obese, as are both her parents. The father had a stroke (in his early 40's) several years ago and has done nothing to take control of his health. All three were housebound last week due to some illness.
The mother can not walk the 100 yards to the bus stop to retrieve her daughter each day and thus drives. Her excuse is they have to run errands. Of course the rest of us see through this ruse and just shake our heads as this is in essence dooming this child to a very restrictive lifestyle.
On a completely different note, the Marine Corp marathon is tomorrow. Who can forget Jean Marmoreo and her "Jean's Marines" who caught buses to the finish line and proceeded to collect finishers medals in 2005? Or the two women who finished in the top 10 in 2006 who were subsequently DQed when it was discovered they did not cross the timing mat at mile 15? Or James Rhyne claiming a masters award at the Richmond Marathon in 2004 (2:45:12) only to have Thom Suddeth discover that his 1/2 split was 1:59?
I think many of the training teams have taken the mystique out of marathon running and enabled many people to do it that otherwise would never have attempted such a feat. This same topic is also of concern to "50 staters" who seem to look down on those who walk the course in 7 hours when they have run all of theirs.
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Permalink Reply by Scott DiPardo on -
26.2 miles is still 26.2 miles no matter how you cut it. Years back the marathon event was in danger of going under due to lack of support, now these "slower" marathoners have revitilazed the sport and now it seems every place has it's own marathon. The choices are endless. I agree totally with Karen....the training teams and the folks who are out there doing those runs are getting healthly one stride or step at a time.
I am often amazed after finishing a marathon, collecting my post race stuff and heading for the showers to stand and witness those 5-6 hours marathoners still on the course, still running (albeit slower) but still pursuing thier goal. I'm not sure which is harder, running fast for 3 1/2 hours or running hard for 5+ hours. Keep rolling folks...don't let the running snobs rain on your dreams.....you can be sure mother nature will do that on marathon day!
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Permalink Reply by Myron Kemp on -
Gary -
Your list of Marathon Cheats is incomplete :-)
You should also throw in the Biggest Loser guy who ran/walked 18 miles then got a ride for 5 miles then ran the last 5k. He claimed his finishers medal and the TV Show blurred his time so that 5:43 looked like 3:43. Then when he was called out on message boards across the country, he said "well I went back and ran the other 5 miles later that day, so I still deserve the medal"
I personally support all marathon runners... plodders... walkers... or joggers but one thing we have to agree on is a marathon is 26.2 miles of propelling one's body in one shot. Running 20 miles in the morning, and 6.2 in the afternoon does not constitute a marathon.
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Permalink Reply by Running Goddess on -
I think the snobbery goes beyond just the marathons. It can be seen in shorter race distances as well. I am a slower run, and at the beginning it used to really bother me because I knew I would be in the back of the pack. Now I don't care. At least I am out there, I have lost 11 pounds, and I am no longer on blood pressure medication. No running snob will take that from me.
It is a shame that some people feel that others are not worty to run such a race. And I truly believe no matter how much health care is reformed, if we as a country do not take control of our health, the healthcare system will continue to be overburdened.
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Permalink Reply by Karen Gammon on
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Sabrina, love your attitude, more power to you. Congrats on your 11 pounds.
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Permalink Reply by 2.0 on -
Face it, slower runners (like me) are the new cash cow for Marathons. I do admire the fast runners and I must say that I do see people doing Marathons that I think should not take on such a distance but I'm not the one to pass judgement. My last Marathon was real ugly and I should have stopped but I'm very hardheaded and prideful. Run on slow pokes!
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Permalink Reply by Scott DiPardo on
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As John "the Penguin" Bingham would say.....Waddle on Friends! I think Myron has it nailed....one shot....from start to finish.....run...walk....crawl.
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Permalink Reply by Joseph Ryan on -
Scott, if I see you crawling up that bridge going over to Manteo Island during the Outer Banks Marathon I will definitely offer you a ride............to the hospital.
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Permalink Reply by Megan Hendler on -
This same article was posted on my old running club's message board from NJ. My friend Judy said:
"How about all of us older runners, who may have been under 3 or 4 hours in our earlier yrs, but can no longer, for various reasons, do that kind of pace? Do we no longer deserve to participate even if we have put in the necessary training? Should we all just disappear when our times get slower? Take up shuffle board perhaps?
All runners who are lucky, will eventually become..... older runners... who may still have dreams of....just one more marathon!"
And besides that $171 dollar NYC marathon fee is going into a pot which does help all those elite runners earn some prize money....
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