this is what I got against racewalking

Hey man .. all the best! seriously!

Don't be worried about my tail .. I haven't done a race in 11 years... switched sports in college gained 100lbs and became a heavyweight boxer (so I ain't goin' nowhere fast anymore)... Is that a sport in your eyes?

Don't get discouraged if you develop some pain in your anterior tibials, a lot of people that flip over from running haven't used them in that way in years...

A good way to build them is to incorporate some jump roping (little fast skips like a boxer would do -- see Rocky 1 thru 6)

By the way -- we have the same PR for 10K (again, mine was a long time ago)

Ranger Texas Walker wrote:

One more thing...I never said that walking was easy. I just said it is not Olympic worthy. Sword swallowing is difficult, but not Olympic worthy. Chucking kegs over a brick wall is difficult, but not Olympic worthy. Playing chess is difficult, but not Olympic worthy. You get my point.

While I understand what you're trying to say, you seem blind to the fact that racewalking has been a legitimate Olympic/International sport that is well represented by a large number of nations at international sporting events. Just because it seems inane from the American point of view does not give us the right to make a judgment like this when the sport is accepted to the degree that it is internationally.

You're entitled to your personal opinion. But I'm arguing from the big picture outside of the sometimes myopic view of sport in the USA.

Anyone who argues that an internationally recognized sport is not legitmate using the lame arguments I've seen in this thread, and keeps pouring it on every chance they say is an a-hole in my book.

I made an earlier post about how I read a thread on CoolRunning Australia where about 20 replies had been made regarding the loss of sponsorship of Nathan Deakes, the Aussie who's the world 50K walk champ. There was not a single post questioning anyone's athleticism, not a single post questioning the legitimacy of his accomplishment, and not a single post which claimed that walkers are just runners who couldn't cut it, or any of the other arguments given here. They were just runners and track fans talking about Mr Deakes and his accomplishments like they would be talking about any sport.

It's sad that such a thread could never take place on a US running board.

For those who didn't see the link before, here it is:

Answer this two part question, walkers: Is the original pictured girl fat? If so, would she be faster if she lost the weight? Clearly the answer is yes. If race walking were a truly competitive "sport" then no one of her level of dedication (as evidenced by her lack of commitment to be the best possible) would be competing at the national level. I mean, really. True or false? The same can be said of the over 40 crowd. Muscle begins to fade at around age 30. Also, ironic that the grammar nazi had as many mistakes in his post as he did

I really think you might need to get some therapy -- work through some issues -- and some remedial grammar and spelling classes would be helpful too...

Incorrect usage of hyphens, ellipses, missing a comma at the end. Lurn to rite gooder, morron.

I have a friend that coaches the racewalk and if he did the event then i probably wouldn't be talking to him but he runs 5ks, 10ks, etc so i don't hold it against him. Now if he was a racewalker it would be a whole different story lol.

Ranger Texas Walker wrote:

800m: 1:58

Mile: 4:14

3k Steeple: 9:30

5k: 15:30

10k: 32:30

Marathon: 2:52.52

A friend of mine time trailed in a race walk mile just for fun too, with similar times to yours. He just barely broke 9 minutes, about 8:54 if I remember correctly. He was talking that he would be disappointed if the didn't break 8, and I told him he had no idea how difficult it would be.

... The only thing about your time trail, and the same as his, is that you don't have an official there to judge your walking and tell whether or not you are in legal form. And thus, is the main reason why I think race walking is a joke.

AdamLocked wrote:

... The only thing about your time trail, and the same as his, is that you don't have an official there to judge your walking and tell whether or not you are in legal form. And thus, is the main reason why I think race walking is a joke.

So, all the other events that require judges are also jokes? That would be every event! All events require a judge in one form or another. An umpire to make sure everyone stays in their lane, a finish line judge to determine who finishes in what place, a triple jump judge to see if the jumper's jump is legal or not, etc, etc, etc.

Here's one problem. The rules are broken all of the time. If you take a picture during a racewalk, you'll see that a significant number of "walkers" have two feet off of the ground at any given time. Because it isn't apparent to the naked eye, it isn't called.

So racewalking isn't really what it looks like, it's awkward running.

silly old fossil wrote:

Racewalker = failed runner.....plain & simple. They gravitate to it because there is not near the level of competition they had to face in running.

They are just like Dean Kanizares....rather be a big fish in a small pond.

Think how much lower the world record would be if a Hall or a Ritz was to take a serious shot at this \\\"minor\\\" sport.

FYI, running in the US is a \\\"minor\\\" sport. Just imagine how lower the US (I assume that\\\'s what you meant, idiot) record would be if all the top athletes cared as much as most do on these boards.

Moving on, why do you all care so much, and that is both to the Walkers and Runners. Being a top walker in the US is not a big deal is not impressive. Running a mid 14 5k is not impressive or a big deal. Just work on improving personal bests and leave the rest alone. 99% of those on this board will never make it to the next level, but that doesn\\\'t stop them from trying to improve.

And Ranger Walker, were those running or hopeful racewalking goals you listed? I hope you aren\\\'t bashing others for not being \\\"athletic\\\" enough if those are your RUNNING PR\\\'s. I mean, a mid 15 5k will get you top 10 at the LOCAL 5k, but anyway, good luck to you.

Nickname wrote:

It's called a nickname, ever heard of it?

Hey, the guy might a super person, but I would have to think that even he would see the irony/humor in a sport being called a 'pussy sport' being defended by "Mattie".

Yours truly,

Dougie

let it go...again wrote:

And Ranger Walker, were those running or hopeful racewalking goals you listed? I hope you aren\'t bashing others for not being \"athletic\" enough if those are your RUNNING PR\'s. I mean, a mid 15 5k will get you top 10 at the LOCAL 5k, but anyway, good luck to you.

Ok, a-hole, what are your PR's? I said my times were average at best. They certainly aren't elite and I know that. I enjoyed my running career and pushed my body as fast as it would go.

Can any race walker say that. ABSOLUTELY NOT...because they could have gone faster by running.

When I train and get my name into Track & Field News' list of elite US racewalkers this year, I will resurrect this thread and prove once and for all that racewalking is for wannabes, posers, and ego maniacs needing to feel like they accomplished something.

My goal for this year: sub 2 hours 20k. That would put me easily in the top 50 in the US, heck, it may even be a top 25 US performance. That is 30 minute 5k pace, or 9:40 per mile pace. If I crack the top 25, I might even get a sponsor and make a national team. That would mean I was a stud.

Put your money where your mouth is; I look forward to seeing the results. And I will bet a C-note you won't come anywhere close to 2 hours for 20 K.

Somehow I think that Curt Clauson's bronze medal at the world's made his racewalking career worthwhile. Not to mention the Euros and South Americans who are able to make a living from the sport, because it's respected, if not more popular in those societies.

stop trying to argue that racewalking is at all competetive and popular anywhere in the world. none of you have proven anything besides the fact that old, overweight people can be "world class." it is a complete joke. if you're under 40 and you "racewalk competitively" then you're too much of a puss to nut up and toe the line with people who can make you hurt

Fault has occurred in yet another one of your arguements. It does not matter what your intentions of the statement "how fast can you go" means because you did not state the method in which one would go. Furthermore, in your most recent post (the one in which i am now responding to), you have stated "'how fast you can go' meant how fast can you physically move your body from point A to point B." So if someone was bike riding to their friends house as apposed to driving in a motor vehicle, would that cause bike riding to be anyless of a means of transportations just because it takes longer to do? I think not.

Another flaw that can be found in your emotional rant about me proving your wrong doings, the definition of retardation is an abnormal slowness of thought or action; also : less than normal intellectual competence. I do not need to prove myself you unintellectual people like yourself, but I have a 3.9gpa and am on academic scholarship. I am by no means mentally retarded due to the fact that I have been enrolled in honors and AP courses throughout high school and graduated with an advanced regents diploma.

Lastly, would it matter if i was or was not a race walker? Either way, I have proved that you are incorrect in your logic. If you would think about what you type before you write on this message board, maybe you would have stated what your intentions- your statement to read run rather than the word you chose to type which was go. I am a race walker and a runner. The only reason i do both is because I happen to possess more talent than you. Just because race walkers are mulitalented athletes does not mean that you have the right to rag on the event. Most race walkers were introduced to this event because of their involvement in track and field.

bump

Bro Jos:

We get it, you hate racewalkers. Fine. Lots of us do.

But why is this thread now linked in the main page? The thrust of this thread is not mocking racewalking (though thats what it has become), its calling a girl FAT.

This is precisely WHY this board gets the kind of reputation it does...this is plain mean.

This is precisely WHY this board is awesome.

Actually the thrust of the thread was that racing walking shouldn't be a sport since people who appear to be out of shape (little overweight) can succeed in it.

Racewalking is a part of track and field in the US because the IAAF wants it as a part of international track and field. Since it is not a big sport in the US you see athletes who don't look like athletes competing in national events.

My guess why IAAF still clings to racewalking has more to do with history than anything else. Modern pedestrian races predate the modern Olympics by a few hundred years. You would have a guy and you would bet that your guy could beat any other guy in a "footrace" across hundreds or thousands of miles. These were walking races.

http://www.runtheplanet.com/resources/historical/rwushistory.asp

I think the current problem with racewalking is that it's done on the track over short distances. A true racewalk would begin with the first day of the Olympics and end on the last day.

Alan