I don't think I like the idea of a World 5k road championships - What do you think?

Great Logic wrote:

rojo wrote:

So fans relate to it because they only can undererstand a road 5k and not a track 5k? Do you know how many HSers run track every year worldwide? Millions.

Most Americans never play football, yet it's by far the most popular sport in the country.

I don't think your logic works.

What logic are you using? By your logic 5k viewership should be massive because millions run every year, but that obviously isn't the case. The number of people running weekend 5Ks dwarfs the number of ex high school 5k runners anyway. One might argue then, logically, that appealing to that audience is a better bet. That of course fails to acknowledge that watching running is usually uninteresting.

No. You are misunderstanding my logic. A road 5k will be really popular because tons of people run road 5ks this year. My response was, "No it won't be popular because of that. Tons of people run track in HS and they don't end up being distance fans later in life."

And I'm not talking about just ex-highschool 5kers. I'm talking about ex-HS distance runners.

Not An Expert wrote:

-Races longer than 3k on the track will be dead before the 2028 Olympics, possibly as early as 2025..

Ok. I'm fine with that. If they have data that says the 10,000 isn't watchable then bring on the 10k xc. Not some ridiculous 4 x 2.5 k relay.

There are already a million road championships at longer distances in 5k increments, might as well throw 5k in there too. Help kill the olympics.

Olympics is NOT the championships of running!

Don't see what the problem is. Your typical Diamond League track meet might have 15 events, some happening simultaneously. Journalists manage to cover them.

I want races of any kind, any distance. The more, the better.

You’re off base it’s no big deal. 5k road race championship? Sick. Let’s see how it goes.

Running isn’t cool and it never will be.

Disclaimer: it’s kind of late and I have not been drinking.

va runnerrrr wrote:

I personally would rather watch a road 5k or 10k than a track 5k or 10k.

Yeah. You stand in one spot and watch the runners go by. You can't see what happens before they get to you or after they pass.

I don't like the idea either. For me, 5k belongs to track, not road. It is a pity to have delete the 5,000m from Diamond League.

In my opinion, tactical races are one of the best aspects of middle distance running on track. It is far more exciting to watch a race wondering what will be the tactic of each or each competitor, if the pace will change... it is far more exciting to watch than a race where everybody jun run as fast as he can against the clock.

A world road 5K is an awesome idea. Couldn't give a toss that it's the same weekend as the half. No overlap between 5,000m athletes and 21.1 km.

just stating the obvious here wrote:

va runnerrrr wrote:

I personally would rather watch a road 5k or 10k than a track 5k or 10k.

Yeah. You stand in one spot and watch the runners go by. You can't see what happens before they get to you or after they pass.

Watch on TV, dickhead

Precious Roy wrote:

Seems pretty clear that IAAF wants to move distance running out off the track and onto the roads. Setting up a road WC seems like a toe in the water to see whether IAAF can transition 5k+ off the track and onto roads.

Bullcrap. How on earth do you come to such a stupid conclusion? Apart from being American.

Do you even realise that the governing body is called World Athletics now?

Iain wrote:

just stating the obvious here wrote:

Yeah. You stand in one spot and watch the runners go by. You can't see what happens before they get to you or after they pass.

Watch on TV, dickhead

Since it's not televised it's not your prerogative to do so.

Since when is the 5k a middle distance event?

rojo wrote:

ry wrote:

The road 5k is perhaps the most popular event in running...weekend community 5ks and parkruns are pretty commonplace, which makes it easy for the public to relate to the competition. I believe a world road 5k championship would be really popular.

I do completely agree that it shouldn't be part of the world Half event, and it shouldn't be scheduled the same weekend as another major event.

So fans relate to it because they only can undererstand a road 5k and not a track 5k? Do you know how many HSers run track every year worldwide? Millions.

Most Americans never play football, yet it's by far the most popular sport in the country.

I don't think your logic works.

Track and running isn't football and doesn't have the rabid fan base. It's better when it's relatable to the general public and the general public gets road races.