Walking a race (Read 1589 times)

From reading the posts in this thread it seems like there are four general groups of people entering races: 1. Runners who are trying to get a PR and/or win or place in the race 2. Runners who are just trying to finish and enjoy the experience 3. Walkers who are trying to get a PR and/or win or place in the race (if applicable to the race) 4. Walkers who are just trying to finish and enjoy the experience Note that these groups are not mutually exclusive from each other. It seems to me that smart race organization* coupled with race participant courtesy could solve most of the issues that exist. *smart race organization has to include planning for the innate cluelessness of some participants.

What he said.

Brother Jake, Your responses are really very funny. Just to add to the general confusion here are some words that come to mind when I read that reponse - prolix, abstruse. Yeah they're English words Cheers

No it is not. But why stay on the bus if you're going nowhere. Why take part in a marathon if you can't run the distance? ... I'm sure for all those who've had to walk the whole or part of the distance there certainly was no joy in doing so. I tried in my reply to indicate that I won't ever "race" as the person who quoted the dictionary definition of "race" helpfully definited it. I am going somewhere. My points from reading the thread are: 1. If there are walkers, what harm do they do except not being properly corralled and start times and courses set so they don't get in the way. Many post were discussing situations where the way courses were designed and races started caused problems. I do think that race organisation is at fault - anticipate walkers and anticipate that walkers and slow runners need to be actively guided to the back (I work with people all day and very few of the general population follow instructions unless you guide them to.) 2. I know all sorts of runners post here; I like the forums due to this. I get a lot from reading more experienced runners postings. But in this thread I have found some of the comments are discouraging to say the least for a very new runner. Maybe I need time to build up that 'well, it doesn't apply to me" skin, but I feel (and I did use feel ) that some peoples' efforts are being denigrated. 3. Some may actually want to walk the distance and googling my area I can't find any long walking races, just run/walk up to 10k - what does a walker who wants to go 10 miles or 26.2 do? Flying somewhere else is probably not an option. Some others may due to injury, sickness or whatever, enter a race and then decide before or during it walking is the way to finish. More power to them.

I'm sure for all those who've had to walk the whole or part of the distance there certainly was no joy in doing so.

Wow....just ...wow. ALL those .... NO joy...pretty strong generalizations there. My mom finished her first triathlon at 70 in last place. The course had been taken down. There was lots of walking (she doesnt run...2 artificial knees). And let me tell you...there was plenty of joy to be had. I agree with every single post that says that slower runners and walkers need to stay out of the way. That 5 abreast walkers in loop or o&b courses are RUDE. etc. I do not believe in anyway that those who are "arguing" the rights of walkers disagree with those points (perhaps on how it should be handled...) But dont denigrate people who decide to take on a very personal challenge, just because it doesnt fit within what you would consider a challenge for you. For you it is about running, for others it might be about something else Would I be happy walking a marathon now? no, it would mean that something went horribly wrong. But as the unathletic kid turned fat adult turned runner...you better believe that I felt great satisfaction with my first marathon despite having to walk a good part of it.

Ok what if the person had a lung transplant or I dont know, some other illness and couldnt run but wanted to be apart of a race and could only walk...how is that wrong? I mean as long as their in the right pace corral and was able to meet the cut off time...whats the harm

JCEntrunner--that is a sweet profile pic in your "About Me." Is that you? Where is it from?

I think one thing to remember is that not everyone is striving to be a runner. It is incorrect to assume that anyone who is walking is only doing so because they have to and would run if they had the opportunity. Walking is completely different from running on a biomechanical level and there are many people who prefer it to running and have no desire to ever start running. I think as runners we so often think that someone who isn't running will automatically be wishing he/she is running because that's how we think (at least that's how I think when I'm not running or can't run). So, getting back to the marathon...what if someone is a racewalker and is training for the Olympics? The Olympic racewalking distances are 20K and 50K, not exactly a short walk around the block. Should they be prohibited from using a marathon as a training race? Ultimately this whole discussion boils down to what constitutes a race and whether runners and walkers can share the same race. I personally think the sport would suffer if walkers were banned from running events.

This isn't about racewalkers, who are an entirely different breed.