So ... there's an article on the front page of today's New York Times about so-called "plodders" and whether they should both running a marathon.
It's teased with following blurb: "As marathon fields continue to grow, so has the intensity of the debate over how quickly a runner should finish the once-elite event that is now an activity for the masses."
Umm, what debate?
Oh, this:
"Purists believe that running a marathon should be just that — running the entire course at a relatively fast clip. They point out that a six-hour marathoner is simply participating in the event, not racing in it. Slow runners have disrespected the distance, they say, and have ruined the marathon’s mystique."
I consider myself lucky enough to have friends who have qualified for the Olympic Trials , and those whose goal are to break six hours in a marathon. And yes, there are those who question the commitment of those who are moving at the slower pace. A tiny, tiny, tiny few.
The NYT has turned off the ability to comment for the article. And that's not a surprise, given the responses I've seen in my own running community. Geesh.
2 comments:
I am comment #75
This year I am gonna run a little slower so I can save a little energy to give a beat down to anybody who calls me a "plodder"
Then I went for a run and was comment #201
Is this the same New York Times that reports on the Deaths that occur during marathons. Us "plodders" are dying out there and you are diminishing our athletic accomplishment.
Hi - I am running it this weekend too. Saw the Times' piece. Did you see the great response from NYRR's Mary Wittenberg? It's here at http://bit.ly/3Xwa41
I'm doing it for charity, Red Cross, and you can donate if you want at http://american.redcross.org/goto/ngorman
Doing a lot with Twitter too so got a great write up in Brooklyn Eagle and PRWeek. I'm from BK too by the way.
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