Good article in the NY Times on slow runners can be seen here. I'm one of those people who think the marathon has been more hurt than helped by the masses who are running five, six, seven, or even slower marathons. Of course, I've also been called ornery and grumpy. But the average pace of a marathoner has slowed by almost two minutes per mile since 1980. Ugh.
If it were up to me, and someday it will be damnit, I'd make all marathons close after the race clock hits 6:30. That disgustingly slow Oprah-ish time is just under EIB pace, which infantry guys are required to be able to walk while having 50 pounds on their back.
Update: I like this solution a lot better!
5 comments:
you know...
at Stockholm marathon in june, i had stopped at porta-johns 3 times with really bad diarrhea, and had also puked 1 time on the sidewalk. Needless to say, i was lacking in fluids, and severely weakened.
Regardless, by 35k, i had 7k to go, and i powered walked my way to the finish. I have an official split from 35-40k of 37minutes for walking that stretch while feeling like a complete turd in 85 degree sun.
If you take 40 minutes for a 5k, which is an additional 3 minutes, that's a 12:54 pace of power walking. That comes out to 5hrs 38minutes for a marathon.
Although I think that chick in the article that ran a 4:05 is a pompous ass, I don't think people should take longer than 5hrs38minutes. (as i know how it feels to walk while feeling like shit with tunnel vision and wanting to die for 5kms)
I also think the marathon in hawaii where people can stop for lunch in the middle is a mockery of a marathon.
I think even 6:30 is too generous. I was talking to a friend who's running the MCM as her first marathon. She knows she's going to be slow and wants to finish, so she said she's going to start near the front. I told her that's BS and totally screws the rest of us as we have to dodge around their pathetic asses. I guess I really don't care how slow they are- just stay in the back.
I think part of the the problem is they give out those cursed medals to every finisher. They wear them around like they're something special, give me a break.
6:30 is way too much for most marathons, which are relatively flat. Pikes Peak and a few others may be worthy exceptions.
I do think cutoff's are important.I once swept the 2nd half of a 50k trail race which had no cutoff. By the time I took over from the first sweeper (5:10), the winner had been finished for over an hour! It wasn't like the last two were struggling, they knew there was no cutoff and they were taking their sweet ass time. They took pictures. They made me take pictures of them. They had a picnic at each aid station. We finished in just under 12 hours. Yeah, it took them around 7 hours to walk 14 miles.
Have to agree with Austin Mike, there...did Snowdonia in 4:17 a couple of weeks ago in the rain, with a raging fever, and whilst stopping for pints and a chat at three pubs along the way. I like the 6 hour cutoff, though, 'cause lots of people who don't make the cutoff will either get out and put in the effort next time or just stay the hell off the course from then on.
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