Open Letter To A Marathoner

I think what makes marathoners unique is that running is the hardest sport in the world AND only a handful of dedicated people are capable of doing them (e.g., your garbage man, dentist, doctor, teacher, bus driver, grocery-store cashier, custodian, girlfriend, wife, grandmother, sister, etc.)

Marathons are lame. Didn't over 400,000 Americans run one last year?

Why is it that for people who run 4-5 hr marathons, the marathon is this great journey of the spirit, but for people that can really race the distance, it is just a really important race?

Just because lots of people do it or because for some of them it is a "great journey of the spirit" doesn't mean that these sentiments can't speak to those who race the thing. It did to me, so I posted it.

That kind of tripe doesn't 'speak to me' at all. You want to run a marathon? Go right ahead, I'll clap for you but, damn, cut the crap - it's just a long race.

the chick in the banner pic has some booo-tay!

That's a John Deere tractor, not a chick, but it does have a nice sturdy rear end lift.

"It's just a long race." Spoken like a true moron. Oh yeah, you really have an understanding of what it takes to run a marathon, don't you? What other pursuits that require months of committed training and dedication, intellectual or athletic, fall into your "it's just a long race" category?

Runtool wrote:

the chick in the banner pic has some booo-tay!

Nice boobage, too.

asdfsad wrote:

I think what makes marathoners unique is that running is the hardest sport in the world AND only a handful of dedicated people are capable of doing them (e.g., your garbage man, dentist, doctor, teacher, bus driver, grocery-store cashier, custodian, girlfriend, wife, grandmother, sister, etc.)

Well done. I almost missed the irony, but then when I read it again it made me laugh pretty hard.

Precious Roy wrote:

Why is it that for people who run 4-5 hr marathons, the marathon is this great journey of the spirit, but for people that can really race the distance, it is just a really important race?

This is true, I don't understand being out there for over 4 hours. My athletes are Sunday joggers and the ones who just want to finish the race get very little effort out me. But those who want to race no matter how fast or how slow get my full attention and efforts to help them reach there goals...

My goodness, I think that link was the definition of PURPLE prose.

betterthanyouanyday wrote:

"It's just a long race." Spoken like a true moron. Oh yeah, you really have an understanding of what it takes to run a marathon, don't you? What other pursuits that require months of committed training and dedication, intellectual or athletic, fall into your "it's just a long race" category?

If you're doing the sport seriously then you're putting in months of committed training and dedication regardless of your racing distance.

HRE wrote:

betterthanyouanyday wrote:

"It's just a long race." Spoken like a true moron. Oh yeah, you really have an understanding of what it takes to run a marathon, don't you? What other pursuits that require months of committed training and dedication, intellectual or athletic, fall into your "it's just a long race" category?

If you're doing the sport seriously then you're putting in months of committed training and dedication regardless of your racing distance.

I was going to answer the same. It really doesn't take a lot to simply RUN a marathon, it does take a lot to RACE a marathon. And I say that without regard to a person's speed or ability.

I agree with you completely. My point is not that training for a marathon is the singularly highest level of athletic or intellectual pursuit - the post could have been written about a marathon, a triathlon, an important concert or any other physical or intellectual pursuit that requires dedication and hardwork to "get to the starting line." I just think it takes a special degree of "numbskulledness" to disparage someone who appreciates the commitment and personal sacrifice required by a marathon and is willing to write about it.

what is LR's offical cut off point for running vs. racing a marathon? Isn't it contingent on age, ability, & gender? Isn't a 4:00 marathon great for a 45 year old mother of 3 who works 40 hrs a week? I'm with the pricks on this board to a point, but it's not all black and white, there's some gray area out there.

Chic Harley... wrote:

Isn't a 4:00 marathon great for a 45 year old mother of 3 who works 40 hrs a week?

No.

Chic Harley... wrote:

what is LR's offical cut off point for running vs. racing a marathon? Isn't it contingent on age, ability, & gender? Isn't a 4:00 marathon great for a 45 year old mother of 3 who works 40 hrs a week? I'm with the pricks on this board to a point, but it's not all black and white, there's some gray area out there.

At a bare minimum, it just means you care how fast you run it. That would be my only definition of "racing" versus "completing".

Literary Snob wrote:

My goodness, I think that link was the definition of PURPLE prose.

Dear sir, this happens - as it is to be - to be exactly - at this moment (in fact) - what I was internalizing as I perused this winded excerpt.