Forums >General Running>HM & Marathon more popular because they're easier than the 5K?
I'm impressed. The farthest I've driven for a road mile is 90 minutes each way.
Runners run
not bad for mile 25
We have a real nice road mile here in July, Mikey. I figure it's about 1500 miles from you.
Are we there, yet?
Sure more people sign up for 5k's than marathons and HM etc... but in seasoned runners.... it seems to me that most seem to gravitate towards the Half and the Marathon
Half marathon, maybe, but I think the ranks of both the half marathon and marathon are swelled with novices. I would think serious runners are motivated to run fast and gravitate to 5K and 10K. I think it's only the lack of more 10K races that some focus more on the half marathon. The shorter races allow them to race more frequently, hence more opportunities for PBs and OA or AG awards. I expect few are motivated by finishers medals.
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.
Sure more people sign up for 5k's than marathons and HM etc... but in seasoned runners.... it seems to me that most seem to gravitate towards the Half and the Marathon I wonder is this because there is less pain? ie. how hard you must run a 5k, redline, make it hurt, instead of those longer more aerobic zone type runs? Also do people transition towards the longer stuff for less pain? or because older and can't run that top speed as well any longer? Or is it simply genetics and most of those runners are built more for endurance say than the 5k. Or maybe that's where the glory is....? "oh you ran a marathon? wow you're awesome!" I'm not putting those runners down btw, simply curious if there may be other reasons they run the longer more aerobic based races?
I wonder is this because there is less pain? ie. how hard you must run a 5k, redline, make it hurt, instead of those longer more aerobic zone type runs?
Also do people transition towards the longer stuff for less pain? or because older and can't run that top speed as well any longer?
Or is it simply genetics and most of those runners are built more for endurance say than the 5k.
Or maybe that's where the glory is....? "oh you ran a marathon? wow you're awesome!"
I'm not putting those runners down btw, simply curious if there may be other reasons they run the longer more aerobic based races?
You hit the mark in my case:
Less pain
Not fast (49 yo). Running fast increases the risk of injury. To race 5Ks, I need to train faster, more often.
But it's mostly because I'm more naturally inclined towards mileage than towards speed.
Hmmm....I wouldn't say that any of my 20 marathons have been easy or less painful. And I'd say anyone who has spent 12-16 wks training, invested themselves physically, mentally, and financially to run a marathon, maybe running for a charity or to raise awareness for a cause close to their heart is plenty "serious" and their accomplishment should not be diminished. You don't have to be a pro or an Olympian to be serious, just love what you do.
I should add another motivation into the mix; I looked at the accessibility of higher aged-graded scores, and as a genetic miler the 5k is far easier for me to hit an 80%+ than longer races. Also, I participate in the little 5k fundraiser run for my old HS's XC team if I'm in my home town for 4th of July, and I was shocked that my leisurely 21:52 last summer made me a Masters All American for 5k road races! I think that's a testament to how many people are running 5k's who aren't really runners (isn't "all american" the top 5% of times that year in the country?). For some, the 5k is easier than the marathon despite the increased pace.
60-64 age group - University of Oregon alumni - Irreverent and Annoying
...I was shocked that my leisurely 21:52 last summer made me a Masters All American for 5k road races! I think that's a testament to how many people are running 5k's who aren't really runners (isn't "all american" the top 5% of times that year in the country?). For some, the 5k is easier than the marathon despite the increased pace.
The All-American standards for the track are quite a bit tougher than the ones for the road. There was a thread on LetsRun about the discrepancy about 8 years ago. Here are the current revised track standards, now broken down to bronze, silver, and gold levels.
Prince of Fatness
I've drove 10 hours each way for a beer mile once. That's a true story.
Not at it at all.
Did your beer mile have corn syrup in it?