Would you count training runners longer than 26.2 miles as "marathons"? (Read 418 times)

    So I'm training for an Ultra right now and last week after a 28 mile run, a co worker of mine who is also a runner said, "so how many Marathons is that for you now?   I guess I really don't count training runs longer than 26.2 miles as "Marathons".   My coworker, who has also run ultras, said that she counts these in her total number of marathons completed.  I realize it really doesn't matter, and I also realize some people don't even keep track of how many marathons they have run, but I was curious if most people would count these runs as marathons or not?


    Kalsarikännit

      A marathon is a race. Ultrarunners do runs longer than 26.2 miles all the time. It's not a big deal. On a training run it is just another number.

      I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

       

        No more than I count every run more than 3.1 miles as a 5K.

         

        It's not a race because I ran the distance.

         

        It's a race because I raced it.

        "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
        Emil Zatopek

        Wing


        Joggaholic

          I don't because if I do I will have to start counting all my 5k's and 10k's "training runs" and that's just too much hassle

            That kind of question or comment doesn't come from a runner. Just saying...

              Need to revise the poll options -- if you do in fact run a marathon race, it still counts even if you don't get a medal.

              Not sure if they have many marathons these days that don't give out medals, but Phidippides never got one, and he raced the hell out of that thing.

              Dave

              stadjak


              Interval Junkie --Nobby

                A marathon is not a unit of measure, it's a race.

                2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do


                Feeling the growl again

                  No more than I count every run more than 3.1 miles as a 5K.

                   

                  It's not a race because I ran the distance.

                   

                  It's a race because I raced it.

                   

                  +1.  And getting a medal has nothing to do with it.

                  "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                   

                  I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                   

                    C.) Whatever.

                    Runners run

                    Slo


                      A marathon is not a unit of measure, it's a race.

                       

                      Funny...I was just asked not long ago if I ever ran a marathon for training...I answered, "I've covered the distance".

                        Totally agree with all of the posts.   I was just shocked that the person I was talking with counted these runs as "marathons" so I had to see if I was in the minority on this one.   Glad I wasn't.    I guess I should have pulled the  - you don't count the 16 mile long run as a half marathon" card as others have mentioned.  Thank your for confirming what I side I felt the majority of people would lean towards on this topic.

                        xhristopher


                          I'd totally troll that co worker with crap like I like to think of it as racing back to back half marathons, on the next day talk crap about my recent 5K marathon, then on the next talk about my bike marathon, and so on...


                          Kalsarikännit

                            I'd tell my co-worker that if she is trying to run ultras and can keep count of all of her "marathons" maybe she needs to up her long run game.

                            I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

                             

                              I have some friends who I let know I don't like the term "quarter marathon," mostly because I find it pandering.

                               

                              They now, when talking about their runs, measure them in the number of quarter marathons they have completed.

                               

                              ...I have bad friends.

                               

                              I'd totally troll that co worker with crap like I like to think of it as racing back to back half marathons, on the next day talk crap about my recent 5K marathon, then on the next talk about my bike marathon, and so on...

                              "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
                              Emil Zatopek

                              bhearn


                                I count all my > 26.2 training runs as ultras. Because I am too much of a wuss to run them solo -- I always find a local 50k or whatever. I mean, why not? Much more enjoyable.