How do you respond to the question, "why don't you do marathons?"

[quote]jfjebrgvbe wrote:

Why won't you run a marathon until you can make a push for the Trials standard? You could still lower your marathon PR through multiple marathon training cycles. Dropping your PRs at 1500, 5000, and HM is not mtually exclusive. I don't understand your logic.[quote]

My logic is this - my current training is pretty close to marathon training, and I could run a decent marathon currently BUT actually racing a marathon would mean an extended recovery time and increased risk of injury. Improving my PRs in the shorter events after a marathon is certainly a possibility (look at Ritzenhein and some others - big PRs after the marathon), but not necessarily the most straightforward way to do it.

However, I am getting to the point where I am considering a fall marathon - if things go well over the summer and I am able to do 100-120 mpw and stay healthy ... I could make a run at 2:18. But if things don't go so well, I know anything in the 2:20's can't really be called a complete failure, for a first marathon. One thing I want to make sure of is that I have enough miles in my buildup - I think that is key in not only racing well, but in recovering quickly afterwards.

Q: "Why don't you do marathons?"

A: "Same reason I don't put my dick in a vise. Once every couple of years is plenty."

"I'd rather run fast then long."

One of my old CC teammates from HS just ran his first marathon at the Illinois Marathon a few weeks ago in 2:49:xx at the age of 38. He hasn't gone under 17:00 for 5K (I'm sure he will this summer) and he was primarily an 800 guy in HS (1:56/1:57). He started running again two years ago after a multi-year hiatus where he weighed up to 210 lbs. He's down to 135 or so now, the jerk.

"Because I can't run a marathon on pure hate." Follow this up with an intense stare until they look away.

my current training is pretty close to marathon training, and I could run a decent marathon currently BUT actually racing a marathon would mean an extended recovery time and increased risk of injury.

.[/quote]

This is your answer right here. It took a while to get there but nevertheless it's a valid reason. Marathon training is a high investment (both of time and risk), and you have to be "all in" to have your best result. You're not there yet, but why not just say that when people ask? I'm in your same position by the way.

The honest answer is I don't see the point in running a slow marathon (relative to my ability) and I don't currently want to put in the kind of training that it would take to do a fast one.

What I usually say is "I hope to do one someday".

Right now I'm still running PRs at 5k and shorter. Once my 5k is not improving regularly, I will start longer road races 10 mile, then half marathon, then marathon.

i chose d2 wrote:

Right now I'm still running PRs at 5k and shorter. Once my 5k is not improving regularly, I will start longer road races 10 mile, then half marathon, then marathon.

Running marathons doesn't detract you from running 5K PRs. But it will prevent you from being in 5K PR shape year-round. Is that what you mean?

It's a challenge, I need challenges in my life.

I say something to the effect of:

"I've done a few and I don't like them--I like to go fast, and when I try that in marathons, the second half is not fun at all." If they push, I mention that I might try again later, but right now I'm enjoying training for 5k-half.

And to previous posters who were asking about such things, I ran 15:40, but in four tries at the distance my best marathon is 3:09. I might try again later, but right now I'm enjoying training for 5k-half.

Just tell them you do 5k marathons. They're similar to1600m miles.

We had a guy join us on easy runs, who is a 1:50 half miler. We (marathoners) kept telling him to do a marathon for about a year. Decides to do one and goes 2:48. WTF?

I'm a sprinter, so I normally don't get the marathon question from anyone. When runners find out I'm a sprinter, the immediate question is "How fast are you"? I tell them, and that's the end of the discussion, because they don't want to put on display how slow they are.

For the couple of times I got the marathon question, I have a set answer:

"Marathons are for slow people like your next door neighbor trying to make believe they're athletes. Fast people race on the track. And fast people don't talk about their finisher t-shirts, how many miles a week they run, or their 26.2 stickers. Real athletes let their times do the talking."

I tell them that based on the amount of running I did throughout high school and college, completing a marathon would not be an accomplishment. I would only be happy if I put in the necessary training to run fast. At this point in my life, I don't have the time or dedication to run 100 mile weeks.

I just said that I'd rather run fast than slow.

no more marathons wrote:

Not that I'm looking for approval or anything, but there's something annoying about nonrunners looking down on any other race distance.

Why does that question annoy you? They are non-runners. Any answer will do.

People are impressed when I tell them I've run 6.

I tell them my experiences. Marathons are boring, I don't enjoy them and I feel like I've wasted an entire season focusing on a single race that in all likelihood I'll blow up in.,

Running Marathons is plain stupid because it destroys muscle mass. If your goal is to look BUFF (most men's goal), then running a Marathon is not an option.

For 5Ks, I suggest running with a weighted backpack (like I do), in order to get a somewhat decent workout out of it. But don't do it too often.