OK. So, last night I decided to devote some time to reading this month's copy of Runner's World. I opened it up to the middle, like I always do, and -- BAM -- I ran head-first into this advertisement. Some of you may remember the whole "running" versus "not-running" a marathon debate sparked by this NY Times article. If you don't quite remember it -- the whole question of who a "serious runner" is versus, well, I guess a runner who isn't serious was presented. It sent a wave through the running community. At the time, I was in training for my first marathon . . . and it really irked me.
I'm not a FAST marathoner. My time was 4:10 almost 4:11 for my first race. When I read an advertisement like this one . . . I can't help feeling like I "didn't respect the race," so to speak. I mean, Stephen qualified for Boston. So, he's OK.
But what about the rest of us?
The part about the NY Times article that really bothered me was the woman they quoted . . . the one distinguishing the fast from the not-so fast. Given, who finished the Baltimore race in 4:05:52, said: "I always ask those people, 'What was your time?' If it’s six hours or more, I say, 'Oh great, that’s fine, but you didn’t really run it.'" NEWSFLASH . . . 4:05 isn't quite 6 hours, but it isn't quite Boston-qualifying either. So, why bother being elitist? The thing I like best about running is it's all about personal records. PERSONAL achievements.
And we all have to start somewhere.
What do you think about this topic? We'd love to hear -- just leave us a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.
My opinion? If you're out there doing it -- running, walking, whatever-ing to complete a marathon -- kudos to you! We all have different abilities, stresses, situations, training plans, feelings on race day, you-name-it to deal with. What's the benefit of having a fiercely competitive attitude? If you're lightning fast and feel we're ruining the sport, just leave the us in the dust. That's fine by me. But don't make me feel bad about my time, please!
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28 comments:
I definitely respect marathoners - I will probably never run one. DH is a marathoner and half iron man guy, though, so I have had this discussion before. I don't think it's as much about time as the difference between people who work hard at it, training for months, versus people who decide a week ahead of time "hey, I should run a marathon" because they think it's easy and who needs to train, anyway.
That ad irks me too - I don't even recognize that symbol on the shoe but I'll be damned if I ever buy anything from that company.
I also saw this ad in RW, and I was annoyed by it. It says "when you truly give it everything you have and then some" you respect the marathon. I ran my marathon in 4:43, and it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life! Am I a super fast runner? Not really. Will I get faster? Absolutely! Will I keep running - and respecting - marathons? Definitely.
I also believe it's all about personal records, and if the allure of the marathon gets folks out there, keeps them training and inspires them to be healthy - well, I think that's just awesome.
This is silly. I'm not a runner at all, but I enjoy walking, cycling and playing floor hockey.
You could extrapolate the NYT article to saying that I shouldn't be doing any of these activities because I am not the best at it.
If this was the case, there would definitely be way more obese/severely over weight people around.
I can definitely see the point the NY times was trying to make, but I really think marathons should be everybody- regardless of speed/pace, etc. I understand some races want to be just that- races. But perhaps they should have some sort of cut off time or qualifying time in order to enter. Leave the rest of the marathons for the rest of us! Even if you're slow as molasses, a marathon is still a huge feat!!
I'm a runner, I am not a fast runner. My PR for a half marathon is 1:55, and for a marathon is over 5 hours. I hope to get faster over time (I've learned a lot from the races I've run in terms of the steps I've missed through training... I live in a prairie region, and I raced through hills - trust me, it is next to impossible to acurately train for a hilly marathon when the average elevation change on your long run is about 15 feet), but if I don't, I really don't care very much. I love to run. Run slow, run fast, it doesn't matter, I just love to do it. The feeling of the air brushing my sweaty skin, of the earth, pavement or gravel beneath my feet, the pain and fatigue that can go along with it. How good a glass of water tastes when you get home.
I respect running, and I love to race. You become a part of a community of people, all of whom have trained for this one event. Some are going to finish quickly, and some are going to take more time. Some people run marathons for the challenge, some people run it for the experience. Some people walk their marathons. Some people do it for a living.
You know who respects marathons? The runners who give it their all - be it a sub-3 hour race, or an 8 hour one. The volunteers who hand out water, gels or gatorade for hours and hours, just for the love of the event, respect for the athletes. The people who stand along the race course and cheer on everyone who runs in front of them because they understand that every runner is completing an amazing feat of fitness and endurance. The organizers of the race who try to forsee every little detail to make the event as memorable as possible for all people involved. The photographers who manage to capture the best photographs of people so that those people can look back and remember what they were thinking, how they were feeling every step of the way.
Who doesn't respect the marathon? A running shoe company that is trying to guilt people into buying their shoes.
Hi, Ashley.
I definitely agree with you, however, I think when people start stopping for lunch (!!!) it becomes a little ridiculous. I'm all for walking, jogging, running the race. However, you SHOULD give it your best. You should not be comfortable as you approach the finish line!
Great comments, everyone. I agree that they shouldn't be stopping for lunch. That's a bit much. But you're right that if people are giving it their all (and that's SO incredibly objective it isn't even funny) . . . whatever. It's a huge feat. No matter the time. So, thank you, all, for participating in this conversation. I'm just glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own thoughts . . . but one of the things I like best about running is the camaraderie . . . being able to share an experience with others. And I feel you can do that no matter your pace!
I JUST finished reading that issue this morning! I haven't read the NYT article, but I have seen and heard quite a bit on the topic of 'real' marathoners recently (apparently Gallo-walking is a hot topic these days and it's also considered a big no-no).
I think it's important that people respect the distance. 26.2 miles is a LONG way. When you have folks that have never run before, or aren't that active within their lives, decide that they want to run a marathon that's only 3 months away, I guess you could say that's disrespectful. The marathon has gone from being an 'elite' race to a run/walk that everybody and their mom is doing these days.
I'm not saying that you have to be as in shape (or as crazy!) as Dean Karnazes, but I feel like the marathon is something that should be taken extremely seriously and should be prepared for over a longer period of time than say 3 months or so. At least, if you're planning on RUNNING the race.
Maybe it all depends on what type of race you're entering? Some are more competitive (um, Boston!) than others, obviously. And people run them for different reasons.
I'm not sure, it's definitely some good food for thought!
There is definitely something about marathons that inspires (incites?) this kind of thinking...that there are REAL runners and the FAKE runners are somehow ruining their marathon. Sort of like how gay people are going to ruin all those heterosexual marriages. If you have an awesome finishing time, my lame-o finish doesn't diminish your accomplishment, no?
It doesn't seem to me that professional baseball players get upset about weekend softball leagues.
Hi Ashley, I was irked about NY Times article and flamed that very quote in my blog. It made me really mad. And this ad is ridiculous. I mean, the people who win marathons... actually WIN them... are finishing them in the 2:05 to 2:30 range. So if marathons are only meant to be run by people who "race" them to win, well then there are going to be a lot of marathons that go out of business. Seriously, how many people in this country can run 26.2 miles in 2 to 2:30? a few thousand? And i agree with the posts above...stopping to eat lunch isn't very respectful of the "race"... but I am very proud of my 4:45 finish time because I know how hard I worked for it and I know that I really sincerely tried to go faster and man oh man I respect the marathon. and the spirit of the marathon in my opinion isn't about being better (or faster) than other people, it's about accomplishing an amazingly difficult task.
While I have a ton of respect for "real" runners, that attitude irks me. I feel like if you get your butt outside, move faster than a walk for a couple of minutes, and enjoy yourself, then you can call yourself a runner. I agree with you that is should be more about being your own best.
This ad is somewhat sad, and I'm surprised of the message they are saying. It's unfair to say that only those who run marathons crazy fast should be doing it, and I would think companies selling running equipment would be encouraging everyone to get fitter and exercise more! By them saying this they are essentially telling those who aren't in shape or have ailments to not even try to run a marathon because they wouldn't be respecting it, and that's a bunch of bull.
Oy this is making me angry!
Wow. This really bothers me and I can say right now that I won't be purchasing anything from this company (not that I did, but I certainly won't now). I worked like crazy, devoting hours and days of my life to train for my first last fall. I finished closer to 5 hours, but the next day I found out I had fractured my foot during the race! I wasn't running fast, but I was out there and dedicated to finishing. Why does it have to be about being the first across the finish line? Why can't the marathon evolve and be about health and fitness? There are world championships and the Olympics for those elites. You're right, why can't it be about achieving a personal best? If you put the time in and do your best, and push yourself, that's all that matters.
I am a runner and I think that the marathon distance should be respected. I don't think this means you should be a crazy fast runner (my two marathon times have been 4 hours and 1 minute, then 4 hours and 2 minutes). I just believe that one should take the time to properly train for the race and give it the respect it deserves. I had a friend not train at all and do a 6 hour marathon. My mom was like, "well, she spent much less time in total to finish one, where you spent hours and hours and hours training." I honestly could care less that she spent less time in total, I know that I trained well enough to respect the race and give it my best shot. If you trained and tried as hard as possible and ran it in 6 hours, good for you! You at least gave it the time you should have.
i'm running a marathon coming up in a few weeks, and the reason i am hooked on running is because, while it is certainly an incredibly personal endeavor, it is also one that has the power to unite people. once you complete a marathon - whether it's in 2 hours or 6 - you become part of a club. a club that has a shared experience and can share stories about losing toenails, pulled muscles, gatorade preferences, or just the feeling of personal pride when you cross the finish line. it would be a shame for only "real runners" to be part of that community - what fun would that be?!
plus, if having a marathon as a goal, whether it's just to finish or to win the whole thing, it's getting people up and out of their seats and doing something....and you can't argue that that's not good for our country.
so there.
I saw this ad in Runners World too! And I was actually pretty disappointed it was in there. I have yet to do my first marathon (although Im dying to do one) and Im guessing that my time is going to be slower than 410, probably around 430. And although my eventual goal would definitely be qualifying for boston, whether or not that ever happens does not make me less of a runner.
The ad really bothered me because of the whole "truly giving it everything you have". Who's to say that a 6 hour marathon isn't giving it everything you have. We can't all be elite athletes, but that doesn't mean we are trying less!
Anyways, thanks for posting about this! And I think a 4:10 marathon is amazing! Actually, I think everyone that does a marathon (or a half marathon, or anyone that gets off their butt to run/exercise at all) is amazing! haha
Allison
I always struggle with this concept. I just started running last October and have completed two 5Ks and a 10K and am training for a half ni November. For my 10K I ended up having to walk a very short distance, maybe 1-2 mins of my entire time due to a massive hill I hadn't trained for. In one way I felt like I had given every bit of effort I had and I still finished with an 1:02:00 time which was better than I had hoped for. But in another way I felt like I hadn't really RAN the race because I walked a short part of it. I felt like because I hadn't ran the entire distance that I didn't really complete the race. Granted I saw a ton of people walking then sprinting throughout (and finishing before me). Not sure how to feel about it!
Obviously it wasn't a Nike ad,
or else it would have said:
Marathons - Just Do It.
Oh interesting! I didn't see the NYT article but I did a post on pace-bashing not long ago. It was a two part series, the first part being about people who beat themselves up over pace and the second being about people who attack other people for a slower pace. I just don't get it. Everyone is different and everyone runs differently. Jeeze who cares how slow or fast someone is? The point that they trained for and completed a marathon is a big deal. Don't dismiss them, the training, and the time & energy put into that training just because their pace is slower.
I feel the same way. It is SUCH a personal achievement. Why should we take it away from people because they can't move quite as fast? I run about a 10min mile pace and NEVER thought I would run over 3 miles. I ran a 1/2 marathon 1 year ago and couldn't believe that I could increase my mileage each week. I felt great through the 1/2 and ran the entire time. I finished in about 2hr 15min. If someone would have come up to me saying, you are slow + don't respect the real runners...I would have punched them in the face. [Well, not really..but you know what I mean ;)] It really makes no sense in my mind for this debate to even exist. The Boston Marathon + other similar races exist specifically FOR the elitist runners. Other marathons do not. They are for anyone + everyone to reach a personal goal. If you train for + cross the finish line for a marathon, no matter what your time, you have just as much right to be there as the person that finishes in 3+ hours. You trained, you showed up, you ran, you crossed the line. What is the difference?
i think that it's an awful advert! i'm a runner (albeit quite slow, so perhaps "jogger" is a better term), and if someone were to say that to me, i'd be so discouraged! i'm training for my first half marathon and am darn proud of what i'm doing to take care of my health. if it takes forever to finish, it takes forever to finish. the point is that i completed it, did the work to do so, and enjoyed every second of it. : )
When I saw that ad I was immediately irked and thought of that article too. Running is more recreational now. Deal with it, people!
Shame on you, Pearl Izumi! That ad makes me sad. It's definitely an ongoing debate in the running community. My marathon was just over 5 hours and I "truly gave it everything I had and then some." lol... I'm just glad RW knows they can't alienate their everyday runners. Have you read the "Penguin - No need for speed" column/blog?
I actually just saw this ad in Runner's World on Friday, the day before running a half marathon. I have to say, I took the ad in a completely different way. I am not a super fast runner either, but I don't think that is what the ad is saying. I took it as "Go out there and give it everything you have". This ad actually really, really motivated me for my race the next day because it helped me realize that races are meant to be respected and given a 110% (I usually end races with a little bit more to give, I'm guilty of holding back from my full potential). I personally think interpreting it as "you have to be a Boston-qualifier" is a bit off the mark.
Okay, so here we go.. yes I am one of those runners that has been at this for awhile not super fast and not slow. I run about 3:20.
If you train hard and for the correct amount of months.. I don't care about the time you finish in. Good Job.
If you train and get injured and walk, I don't care about the time you finish in. Good Job!
If you are running for a charity, I don't care about the time you finish in. Good Job!
If you train for one month and run maybe 13 miles in training, run the marathon, and walk half of it because you did not train, finishing in 6 hours, SORRY you should have run a 1/2. You did not RUN a marathon. I am happy the marathon has gotten a lot of attention, but don't tell me that you are the same as the 70 year old woman on my team that just qualified for Boston running just under 5 hours. She is out in the dark and in the rain. Respect the Distance, marathons are meant to be run. That is why they are hard. Just keeping it real and old school. Let the bashing begin Katie Holmes lovers.
Anon -- no bashing from us. I completely agree with you. You need to do the appropriate training. I guess we didn't make that part come through. But if you give it your all . . . with the appropriate training, you rock no matter your time. But if you just do it to do it . . . no. Not a fan of that. Thank you for your thoughts!
I'm training for my first marathon and that ad got to me too. Fortunately, most runners are very encouraging. And the ones who are not will be so far ahead of me that they won't have to be offended by my slow, plodding presence.
I guarantee though that I'm giving it everything I've got. The challenge is very personal.
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