I’m just looking at it like would you prefer they said in the interest of safety we are shortening the marathon to 18 miles for everyone?
Yes but is it more about the “option”, and the actual completing of the prescribed course? For me it is doing the course, regardless of the circumstances of any shortening. Like I really hate that shortened Ironmans are still counted in “world best” times. But we are so far behind marathon running in that regard, really hard to compare. Up until this last LA race, it was pretty clear what finishing a marathon was..
I mean I just dont think you give them a finisher medals I think that is weak sauce.
Which I another reason why this just makes me mad.. This is the same “Everyone gets a trophy” crap.
You know, I take the view that endurance sports are different. Again, some random dude who was famous for running marathons said, “The real victory is waking up and showing up.”
Personally, I connect with that statement because a marathon (or Ironman) is not like a football game where both teams enter the arena with the goal of winning. You have thousands of people that will be “losers” on the day. The medal is a symbol of the personal victory. The training and everything that gets them to that starting line, and across the finish line.
In general, I agree the dual finish line concept is bizarre and if it becomes the new normal, but allows events to still run when the medical support side of the business might council them to cancel the event, I’m ok with it.
the real winners is ST in a quick google search it came up as 2nd headline article ahead of any of the runner specific forums or even Reddit.
Keep in mind google personalizes results to the ones it thinks you are most likely to click on.
Yahoo news and ST is all I read apparently
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If you scroll to the bottom you get this by the way
If curious you can click there to see what it would be otherwise.
In that case; give out competitor medals, not finisher medals.
I was at a tri a few years back that I think handled it well. The race was unseasonably cold and LOTS of folks stopped in T2 and were going hypothermic. The organizers let those who stopped in T2 be listed as finishers in the Aquabike division vs. being DNFs.
So is there 1 main difference. The 18mi ppl only get an 18mi time split + “finisher” medal. Granted someone by all means can claim that as a full “PR” or even brag they did the whole thing (seeeee I have the medal to prove it) but qualifying marathons aren’t accepting those times. So it’s a bit of everyone winning right when the RD decides to do something like this?
Because I broke the article link so it only works if it stays here.
Once again.. The difference between forced and “option”
This was a hot topic at our family dinner on Sunday while the BOPers had just finished up a block away. I have two sisters who have run the LA marathon in the past and one, with countless foot problems, couldn’t walk for 2 weeks after finishing and didn’t run again for 6 months. The other walked the last 10 miles and will never sign up for a marathon again. They were both livid that people were getting finisher medals for only doing 18 miles.
I think the idea is completely whack, especially because it wasn’t particularly hot on Sunday, but I can understand the RD preferring to hand out medals at 18 miles rather than deal with heat stroked or dead participants. I never take a medal at any races I do, but people seem to love them and if that’s their jam then so be it. I would love to know how many people stopped at 18 miles and took a medal.
My only “issue” is not with the medals or having an option,it is with the fact that we now think mid 80’s temp’s are dangerous. That is the sad part but just like in Triathlon swims,the prepared must suffer consequences of the unprepared.
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As I posted in another Marathon thread, here in the Triathlon forum, however that works …?
I confess a certain “Gatekeeper-ness” when it comes to Running in general (“Running is weird. I advise against it”) and Marathon specifically
The Marathon used to be something you worked up to; that you earned. Almost like Altar Boy, to Seminarian, to Priest, to Bishop (“Don’t say the kid’s name!!!”)
< That might be much. Sorry. I’m Catholic, and it’s Lent >
And then there’s Bart Yasso’s off-hand comment to me (and an ill-advised one to make in a public place, considering his lofty reputation) “you’re not a REAL Runner until you do a marathon; Boston especially”
One of my favorite photos from the LA Marathon Archives
That’s not me … it’s Flea, 2011, a year when it poured down rain, all day long
I agree.