Forums >Running 101>marathon cut off times need to change to increase good health
there are lots of people out there that want to get into running, and a big incentive is to run a marathon. but sadly when a overweight person sees ridiculous cut of times, they just give up. change the cut off on all marathons to 8 hours, and get lots of overweight and unhealthy people on the streets running, and put the fun back into the run to make this world have more healthy people out there enjoying life to the full
Um, okay.
undue monkey
I like to think that for every simone there's at least one zoom-zoom
All About that Pace 2024
There is a big difference between enjoying running for health and social contact and running a marathon. Running a marathon is not required, and many times, not a good idea. It can ruin running for some people. To your point below though, if you have not been an RD for a race then you might not realize the stress it puts on volunteers, organizers, aid stations, police, traffic etc. the longer a race is open. The 8 hours is only the "visible" part of the race that a participant might see. Volunteers arrive much earlier and stay later. Picture that in unpleasant conditions.
If you look at times to walk a mile, about 18 minutes would be a quick but comfortable pace. That is an 8 hour marathon. It would mean that someone walked 26.2 miles, not ran 26.2 miles. Most races can't accommodate that kind of casual pace.
I certainly understand the concept you have stated but it doesn't stretch to the time commitments of the marathon.
Prince of Fatness
there are lots of people out there that want to get into running, and a big incentive is to run a marathon.
I love running but the last thing that I am incented to do is run a marathon.
Not at it at all.
Old , Ugly and slow
I have been running since 77 and have never run longer than 15 miles.
i only run for health and will never run a marathon.
running a marathon being overweight is not healthy
i need to drop 25 pounds myself.
first race sept 1977 last race sept 2007
2019 goals 1000 miles , 190 pounds , deadlift 400 touch my toes
Isn't the guy running in 3-4 hrs healthier/doing less work than the 8hr marathoner??
My quibble with many of these marathoners, maybe it's just different view points, but I for one will never attempt a Marathon if under 4 hours isn't realistic, and in that pursuit, if I have run a sub 2hr HM, I'm not going to attempt a 4hr Marathon.
I watched the LA marathon sunday, and the one camera shot, they didn't say what mile it was, but everyone was walking!!?? it was during the race, not post race...
I just wonder if many of these 5+ hr marathoners would be FAR better off training to lower their 10k & HM times before trying to complete a marathon.
300m- 37 sec.
Will Run for Donuts!
there are lots of people out there that want to get into running,
No, there's a LOT of people out there who SAY they want to get into running, but when they find out that involves actual running, they stay on the couch. I know this because my run club for years would have a booth at community health fairs, yard sales, etc., and we'd pass out flyers and talk about our training programs, group runs, and all our other activities. I've literally had hundreds of people enthusiastically tell me they'd come out for our Saturday runs, and I never saw 99.9% of those people again. The obesity rate is climbing, not falling.
Simone, you are creating a false dichotomy.
I can just about guarantee you that no one sitting on their couch is sitting there saying, well, i would go run all over this here town but if i can't be allowed to run a marathon, then i'm not doing it. That just doesn't happen.
From everything i've seen, the marginal runners (runners on the fence of running or not running) are the ones who run 5Ks and do fun runs and things like that.
Most people who haven't at least tried it even know what a 6 hour cut-off time for a marathon would feel like or mean pace wise. They don't.
I suspect you have an issue with cut-off times and are trying to play the 'grow the sport' or 'for the good of the masses' card in order to further it. But correct me if I am wrong.
Are we there, yet?
Running a marathon is not particularly healthy and the training for one can be onerous. Nor is that necessary if running primarily for health. In my opinion it's more for feeding the ego and bragging rights. Running 30-60 minutes a day 3-4 times a week get you the health benefits. Beyond that you are running for other reasons.
If people really want to run a marathon, there are some with very generous cutoff times. Besides that, there are fixed time races, mostly from 6 hours to 24 hours, but some go up to 10 days. That's plenty of time for the slowest to run a marathon.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
an amazing likeness
there are lots of people out there that want to get into running, and a big incentive is to run a marathon. but sadly when a overweight person sees ridiculous cut of times
I'd be willing to wager that the majority of beginning runners have no concept of what a cut-off time is, or how it relates to their training for a goal. Nor should they.
If you want to offer advice to your friend, remind them there are many reasons for cutoff times, including roads need to reverted to normal use, cost of police, availability of course volunteers, limits to hours the timing company staff can work, and many other. Many marathons offer an 'early start' option for walkers who can not make the cutoff end and are willing to start unsupported by course amenities.
This is why cutoff times are clearly noted, and clearly described what actions will happen after the cutoff time.
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
There would likely be far fewer races (events) absent the entrant counts and resulting revenue which come from walkers...
Options,Account, Forums
A marathon is probably a bad idea for the vast majority of non-runners. A nice 5K would be a much healthier ambition, as well as more pleasant.
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
Problem Child
Show me on the Internet where the bad person hurt you.r
For those who say walking is (pretty much) garbage I’ll tell you I walked during my first marathon. 3:56 overall. I even walked during my ultra marathon. Totally counts. So a 5-7 hour marsthon is better and more respectable than someone sitting on the couch talking sheet about walking in a marathon. The last finisher at the Chicago Marathon in 2018 was around 9.5 hours. He is in the official finisher magazine they send out.
Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.
VDOT 53.37
5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22
Trails
If you want long cutoffs do a 50k...just 5 more miles and much longer cutoffs. I walk all of mine and can easily finish and still have a good time. Whereas trying to run a marathon would definitely not be fun.
And no there are not people who want to run or even walk. I've tried to get the people I work with just to walk a bloody mile with me and none will.