I agree with you. Two marathons would probably be a wise idea, maybe one in the spring, and one in the fall.

However, I just want to point out that just because someone is slow does not mean he/she is not serious. There's no need to insult people's effort.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by sophielarue:
However, I just want to point out that just because someone is slow does not mean he/she is not serious. There's no need to insult people's effort. <HR>

Stop being so damned offended by that which wasn't meant as offensive. and consider that there are at least 2 definitions of "Serious" that were mentioned in this thread.

The slower runners are new to the territory and it is their problem if you don't like the idea that the slower runners have watered down the meaning of a "serious" race.

I'd almost say you were deliberately feigning indignation but then perhaps that's what happens when people get into something that started for "serious" reasons like "competitive racing"

Did you really miss what he meant?

It would be clear to all that having dad in the family car joining a NASCAR race would not have him doing any serious racing relative to being competitive.

I'm sure "Dad" might take his driving seriously but to say he was a serious racers wouldn't only be said by someone who didn't get it.

Do you get it?



http://This message has been edited by NHSenior (edited Oct-09-2007).

quote:<HR>Originally posted by NHSenior:

Do you get it?

http://This message has been edited by NHSenior (edited Oct-09-2007).<HR>

What I get is that you have a very "eliteist" (sp?) attitude. It's a big turnoff to most here I would think...

quote:<HR>Originally posted by vijay2525:
It not lakefront marathon... its lasalle bank marathon... lakefront marathon was held on the same day in milwaukee and very well organized<HR>

Chicago used to have a Lakefront Marathon as well...I believe that is what he was referring to...

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Harper:
I meant no offense. By "serious" I mean those really trying to work on faster times, qualifying for Boston. Going for a sub-3:00 marathon, etc. That kind of race is night-and-day compared with trying to finish in 4:45. Usually the amount of training is a lot higher too. 60 mpw to 100. As opposed to 25. So there's often a higher level of commitment to training. My two previous marathon times were 4:30 and 4:56.<HR>

Okay. Thank you for explaining. I understand what you mean.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Harper:
I meant no offense. By "serious" I mean those really trying to work on faster times, qualifying for Boston. Going for a sub-3:00 marathon, etc. That kind of race is night-and-day compared with trying to finish in 4:45. Usually the amount of training is a lot higher too. 60 mpw to 100. As opposed to 25. So there's often a higher level of commitment to training. My two previous marathon times were 4:30 and 4:56.<HR>

FWIW,
60mpw @ 10 min/mile = 10 hr/wk.
100mpw @ 6 min/mile = 10 hr/wk.
40mpw @ 15 min/mile = 10 hr/wk (trails, hills, snow) (added this on edit)
I do recognize that not all runs are run at the same pace, but just trying to point out that mpw may not be a good metric.

A 50+yo runner may be working just as hard or harder to break 4:45 as a mid-30s runner is to break 3 hr.

I'm not sure, but what you may have meant to say was those "trying to do the best they can" vs those "only trying to finish, even if it isn't their best effort" - or something along those lines. To be honest, I'm not sure if the latter category has very many people in it. To be sure, all efforts involve balancing acts between running and rest of life so that definitely affects how much people can run.

But when it comes down to organizing a marathon, it is a matter of how long people are going to be out there - and how long you need to deal with street closures, keeping volunteers at aid stations, etc. - and those are very real considerations for races of any kind. Some events welcome all comers; others don't - and that ranges from marathons with 10 hr cutoffs to Olympics. Granted, I do think that Olympic participants probably do have a longer history (many years) of goal-oriented training than someone doing a 10-hr marathon.

I'm just trying to bring up another perspective. I'm a live and let live type of runner.

http://This message has been edited by AKTrail (edited Oct-09-2007).

There was the short-lived Lakeshore Marathon & 1/2 Marathon. I ran the 1/2 that last year when the marathon course was mistakenly measured at 27.2 miles. The race didn't recover from that.
The course was poorly marked and wasn't closed - runners shared the lakefront path with other traffic and even got lost! Imagine trying to BQ or PR while dodging bikes & strollers or ending up off course. And (surprise!) some stations ran out of water and gatorade.
I wish they would have gotten more organized. It was nice having a longer spring race avaliable locally.

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"Only those who risk going too
far can possibly find out how far
one can go." - T.S. Eliot

http://This message has been edited by JulieH478 (edited Oct-10-2007).