http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/sports/23marathon.html
What kind of elitist B.S. is this? And check out the lackluster credentials of this Adrienne Wald woman who says “It’s a joke to run a marathon by walking every other mile or by finishing in six, seven, eight hours...it used to be that running a marathon was worth something — there used to be a pride saying that you ran a marathon, but not anymore. Now it’s, ‘How low is the bar?’"
Are you kidding me?
Having "slow" runners in the marathon takes absolutely nothing away from the experience of those running a few minutes per mile faster, and the "slow pokes" more than 'pay for' their time on the course: they account for the exponential increase in marathon participants (and revenues) across the country. But that's really beside the point. The arrogance of the folks quoted in this article is indefensible and deplorable.
I recently completed my first marathon, and while my time on the course was very average and not particularly noteworthy, the sense of accomplishment I felt at the end of 26.2 miles was much more significant and memorable than my pace per mile.
I enjoy cheering on the elite runners and marvel at their ability and effort as much as the next person. They are awesome. Some of them are freaks of nature. I will never be that fast and I'm OK with that. Does it mean there is not a spot for me in the field, or for someone who runs a few minutes per mile slower still? Absolutely not. Runners, unite!
And even if none of this touchy feely stuff matters, one fact remains: we have an epidemic of obesity in this country! If the allure of the marathon is inspiring people to get off the couch, we should cross the finish line, grab some water and an orange slice, and cheer them on.
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2 comments:
Well said, Kim! This is nonsense. It's not like I got in the way of anyone running a 3 hour marathon in Chicago!
Is Bull City Running going to be out at City of Oaks? We're volunteering at the 4 mile water stop, and then moving around the later points in the race to spectate. Hopefully we'll see you there!
That was a great editorial on that lousy piece. I think you should send it as a letter to the editor of the N&O. I will be running my first marathon in just under 4 weeks. I expect to finish in the 6-7 hour range, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. When I started running about 2 1/2 years ago, I remember being so excited that I ran a 1/2 mile without stopping. To go from there to a full marathon is huge, and I plan to celebrate as if I finished in a little over 2 hours!
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