Imagine the sport if they had weight classes like wrestling..

No one would care about the non-optimal (for finishing time) category

the 180-200 5k class would be running 16:00 and it would look pathetic next to the 120-140 class dropping 13:00s

I would have seriously benefited from this. In absolute top shape, I was somewhere between 185 and 190 pounds in college. My 4:30 mile and mid 16 5K weren't too great in the grand scheme of things, but if I'd only been running against other guys in that weight range, I would have done pretty well.

wish this was a thing wrote:

I would have seriously benefited from this. In absolute top shape, I was somewhere between 185 and 190 pounds in college. My 4:30 mile and mid 16 5K weren't too great in the grand scheme of things, but if I'd only been running against other guys in that weight range, I would have done pretty well.

You can always pick up bowling.

Actually this would probably increase eating disorders as runners would try to not enter a different category. Say a boy would try not to enter the 140-160 or a girl from 120-140. I can see how girls will feel bad about being labeled with their weight. All of them would want to be in the 100-120 range. As if this sport didn't have enough disorder eating problems.

Not a good idea wrote:

Actually this would probably increase eating disorders as runners would try to not enter a different category. Say a boy would try not to enter the 140-160 or a girl from 120-140. I can see how girls will feel bad about being labeled with their weight. All of them would want to be in the 100-120 range. As if this sport didn't have enough disorder eating problems.

Ugh wrong

Triathlons/Duathlons have Clydesdales.....a PC way of saying overweight.

I disagree. I think the runner may want to move up a weight class to race the heavier runners. Kind of like wrestlers starving themselves... But opposite effect.

I think that there is eating disorders in running due to belief that less weight is faster and constant comparison to other runners on team.

This idea would take that out of the picture as runners would know that losing more weight just means going up against faster runners.

I think it would reduce ED in running and make for more fun!!!!!!

Footballjockjinm wrote:

I disagree. I think the runner may want to move up a weight class to race the heavier runners. Kind of like wrestlers starving themselves... But opposite effect.

I think that there is eating disorders in running due to belief that less weight is faster and constant comparison to other runners on team.

This idea would take that out of the picture as runners would know that losing more weight just means going up against faster runners.

I think it would reduce ED in running and make for more fun!!!!!!

Yeah but uhm did you forget what racings about. REAL runners like to have competition and the runners will know that the best competition is in the lower weight class.

Yeah I guess the hobby joggers, which sounds like u are, would like to have weaker competition so that u can feel good about yourself.

Weight lifting has weight categories and that is very similar to running. Unfortuantely, distance running was invented for skinny weaklings so they can have at least one sport. These guys are so over protective of this opportunity to shine that they would cause a revolution to prevent weight classes.

No no. You are confused. Legit weight classes meaning that they are all treated same. It's not a handicapt. In wrestling there is no more honor to the 250 pounders than the 109 pound Match.

Triathletebenm wrote:

No no. You are confused. Legit weight classes meaning that they are all treated same. It's not a handicapt. In wrestling there is no more honor to the 250 pounders than the 109 pound Match.

Right people would be more worried about winning vs setting a pr

In running the safety problem is eating disorders or being too skinny -- the opposite of wrestling.

But maybe there should be BMI minimums for high school competitions...

Prs set at a weight class. Ryan hall would love this cuz he could set a new or at 180 But I would say they should set a rule. Only 1 pr per event to discourage runners from switching weights just for records.

They already do this by having different distances. Pretty much divides into weight classes itself

Lots of big people have no more sprinting ability than other distance runners. Just big with distance genetics.

lots of big people aren't any good at wrestling either....

Nope wrote:

Lots of big people have no more sprinting ability than other distance runners. Just big with distance genetics.