riley stops wrote:
I think that's completely understandable. It takes a lot more training and effort to run 26.2 miles than it does 1 - no matter your speed.False. You've obviously never trained to run a competitive mile, otherwise you would know that training to race a mile (or 1,500) can be equally, if not more, work.
My five year old has completed a mile run - she did it with virtually no work. There is no way she could do the training it takes to run 26.2 miles.
waddle on wrote:
You "fast" guys who go to work the next day bragging about how you beat 2,000 other runners when you finished 100th out of 2,100 need to remember that without us behind you, your accomplishment wouldn't look so grand. For example, you'd have to tell everyone that you finished 100th out of 102 runners.
And without us you would be the slow pokes that people faster than you bitch about.
Most of the faster guys aren't bragging about beating 2,000 other people. They're well aware of the condition of the back half of the field. I think your statements don't correspond well to the mindset of the faster guys. They're thinking about the clock.
Here's another way to look at why it might bother someone. If the "big deal" about a marathon is simply completeling it, no one cares about time. If when I'm asked what time I finished in, and I say 2:30, a lot of people who aren't fans but are just checking out the event will not really give much thought to the number. 2 hours? 5 hours? Eh, what's the difference. You finished!
I hope that illustrates a little better about the completionist stigma I mentioned that I think diminishes the face of the sport.
waddle on wrote:
riley stops wrote:False. You've obviously never trained to run a competitive mile, otherwise you would know that training to race a mile (or 1,500) can be equally, if not more, work.
My five year old has completed a mile run - she did it with virtually no work. There is no way she could do the training it takes to run 26.2 miles.
I think you missed the point here. Actually *completing* a mile is easier. Training to be the top contender in the event is certainly just as much work. No more, no less.
Brosephine wrote:
uh...because the whole point of a race is to race! If you don't care about competing, why enter a race at all?
I don't care what place I finish in a marathon...only about my time. I enter the races to provide me the motivation to train harder and the race day atmosphere + people to run with. I have run under 2:30 with this mindset. If I could finish 500 places back and run 2:25 I'd be thrilled.
Very slow people are just fine as long as they don't cry for attention (same goes for 2:30 marathoners of course). If entering the race motivates them to exercise several times per week and they have fun...that's great.