Fair or Foul: Washington Post tries to shame JFK 50 Miler into being cancelled this weekend

get well soon wrote:

Show me evidence WaPo is trying to SHAME the JFK 50. I DONT SEE IT BECAUSE ITS NOT THERE

The WAPost wrote:

The number of new coronavirus cases reported daily in Maryland’s Washington County is five times higher than it was at the start of the month, and the test positivity rate there now tops 8 percent, prompting county health officials to issue a public warning that there is “significant community spread due to gatherings of all sizes.”

It is against that backdrop that 1,200 runners will arrive this weekend to compete in the JFK 50 Mile, the nation’s oldest ultramarathon taking place amid 2020’s biggest headache.

Race organizers have revamped protocols and instituted a variety of measures aimed at making the event safe. But public health officials warn that staging a race now poses unnecessary risks for both competitors and residents.

“I know it is hard to cancel an event that takes so much time and effort to prepare, but this doesn’t seem to be the best time to hold such an event,” said Maria Valeria Fabre, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins who specializes in infectious diseases. “We know a lot more now than we knew in March about how covid-19 is transmitted, and we know that people gathering in this way is a major factor in transmission.”

The event website says organizers “have every intention” of holding the race Saturday. Mike Spinnler, the race’s longtime director, did not return several messages seeking comment this week, nor did Earl Stoner, the county health officer. In an email, a Washington County spokesperson deferred questions to the event organizers

rojo wrote:

get well soon wrote:

Show me evidence WaPo is trying to SHAME the JFK 50. I DONT SEE IT BECAUSE ITS NOT THERE

Did you read the first few paragraphs? If they didn't want it to get cancelled, they wouldn't write a huge story on it before the race. Why not write one after the fact?

The WAPost wrote:

The number of new coronavirus cases reported daily in Maryland’s Washington County is five times higher than it was at the start of the month, and the test positivity rate there now tops 8 percent, prompting county health officials to issue a public warning that there is “significant community spread due to gatherings of all sizes.”

It is against that backdrop that 1,200 runners will arrive this weekend to compete in the JFK 50 Mile, the nation’s oldest ultramarathon taking place amid 2020’s biggest headache.

Race organizers have revamped protocols and instituted a variety of measures aimed at making the event safe. But public health officials warn that staging a race now poses unnecessary risks for both competitors and residents.

“I know it is hard to cancel an event that takes so much time and effort to prepare, but this doesn’t seem to be the best time to hold such an event,” said Maria Valeria Fabre, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins who specializes in infectious diseases. “We know a lot more now than we knew in March about how covid-19 is transmitted, and we know that people gathering in this way is a major factor in transmission.”

The event website says organizers “have every intention” of holding the race Saturday. Mike Spinnler, the race’s longtime director, did not return several messages seeking comment this week, nor did Earl Stoner, the county health officer. In an email, a Washington County spokesperson deferred questions to the event organizers

I don't agree with what Maria Valeria Fabre said "we know that people gathering in this way is a major factor in transmission.” I just don't think that's true.

This is a 50 mile race where people will be massively spread out. This isn't some indoor basketball game or choir practice.

I think trying to get this cancelled at the last minute isnt' good. The race is taking a ton of precautions. The participants are taking a ton of precautions, etc. Look at Cornell, they determined that by coming back to school they'd have less Covid than not and there models have held up amazingly well.

Personally haven't done anything like this and wouldn't. I don't want to take the unnecessary risk as a new parent. My parents aren't coming for Thanksgiving, etc but I don't like this sort of shaming of certain events at the last minute. I'm not opposed to lockdowns. I always thought when we dd the first one it should be absolute like in China. But if we are going to have society open to some extent, let's stop moralizing on protests ok, running not ok. To pull the plug on someone who trained for a 50 miler 3 days before a race is crazy when the race is taking a ton of precautions.

rojo wrote:

get well soon wrote:

Show me evidence WaPo is trying to SHAME the JFK 50. I DONT SEE IT BECAUSE ITS NOT THERE

Did you read the first few paragraphs? If they didn't want it to get cancelled, they wouldn't write a huge story on it before the race. Why not write one after the fact?

The WAPost wrote:

The number of new coronavirus cases reported daily in Maryland’s Washington County is five times higher than it was at the start of the month, and the test positivity rate there now tops 8 percent, prompting county health officials to issue a public warning that there is “significant community spread due to gatherings of all sizes.”

It is against that backdrop that 1,200 runners will arrive this weekend to compete in the JFK 50 Mile, the nation’s oldest ultramarathon taking place amid 2020’s biggest headache.

Race organizers have revamped protocols and instituted a variety of measures aimed at making the event safe. But public health officials warn that staging a race now poses unnecessary risks for both competitors and residents.

“I know it is hard to cancel an event that takes so much time and effort to prepare, but this doesn’t seem to be the best time to hold such an event,” said Maria Valeria Fabre, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins who specializes in infectious diseases. “We know a lot more now than we knew in March about how covid-19 is transmitted, and we know that people gathering in this way is a major factor in transmission.”

The event website says organizers “have every intention” of holding the race Saturday. Mike Spinnler, the race’s longtime director, did not return several messages seeking comment this week, nor did Earl Stoner, the county health officer. In an email, a Washington County spokesperson deferred questions to the event organizers

I don't agree with what Maria Valeria Fabre said "we know that people gathering in this way is a major factor in transmission.” I just don't think that's true.

This is a 50 mile race where people will be massively spread out. This isn't some indoor basketball game or choir practice.

I think trying to get this cancelled at the last minute isnt' good. The race is taking a ton of precautions. The participants are taking a ton of precautions, etc. Look at Cornell, they determined that by coming back to school they'd have less Covid than not and there models have held up amazingly well.

Personally haven't done anything like this and wouldn't. I don't want to take the unnecessary risk as a new parent. My parents aren't coming for Thanksgiving, etc but I don't like this sort of shaming of certain events at the last minute. I'm not opposed to lockdowns. I always thought when we dd the first one it should be absolute like in China. But if we are going to have society open to some extent, let's stop moralizing on protests ok, running not ok. To pull the plug on someone who trained for a 50 miler 3 days before a race is crazy when the race is taking a ton of precautions.

bkrunner wrote:

Rojo, if you read that article and interpreted it was shaming, that says more about you than it says about WaPo. The excerpt you posted includes:

-Undisputed facts about the rise in COVID cases in that particular part of Maryland.

-Undisputed facts about what the race organizers have done re: safety precautions.

-A quote from an infectious disease doctor from Johns Hopkins.

-An opportunity for a quote from the race organizers (which they declined).

This is LITERALLY the basic definition of journalism. State the facts, provide opportunities for comment from stakeholders, provide opportunities for comment from experts. It is mind-boggling that you are offended by this. Snowflake mentality.

rojo wrote:

Did you read the first few paragraphs? If they didn't want it to get cancelled, they wouldn't write a huge story on it before the race. Why not write one after the fact?

I don't agree with what Maria Valeria Fabre said "we know that people gathering in this way is a major factor in transmission.” I just don't think that's true.

This is a 50 mile race where people will be massively spread out. This isn't some indoor basketball game or choir practice.

I think trying to get this cancelled at the last minute isnt' good. The race is taking a ton of precautions. The participants are taking a ton of precautions, etc. Look at Cornell, they determined that by coming back to school they'd have less Covid than not and there models have held up amazingly well.

Personally haven't done anything like this and wouldn't. I don't want to take the unnecessary risk as a new parent. My parents aren't coming for Thanksgiving, etc but I don't like this sort of shaming of certain events at the last minute. I'm not opposed to lockdowns. I always thought when we dd the first one it should be absolute like in China. But if we are going to have society open to some extent, let's stop moralizing on protests ok, running not ok. To pull the plug on someone who trained for a 50 miler 3 days before a race is crazy when the race is taking a ton of precautions.