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

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.

 

Must be bike tri guys :P

I disagree.  I count my runs of 26.2 as marathons.  Anything longer I call an ultra.  To that extent, I usually say I've done around 50 marathons.  Many were races, but some were just solo runs and I tell people that too.  In 2012 I decided to run a marathon each month while my wife was pregnant before the twins were born.  I quickly realized I could not logistically race one each month (travel was too expensive, plus she was on bed rest for a few months toward the end and we couldn't travel anyway), so I mapped out courses on my own and did one each month.   Sometimes I'd have a friend join for part of all.  Most times I was solo.  No one I've ever talked to has raised eyebrows with me calling that 12 marathons in 12 months in 2012.

If you only consider counting if it's a race, than most people who complete 26.2 aren't doing a marathon.  Go watch one, how many of those people are racing?  Most are just going the distance.  I'm sure they count that as a marathon.  If I say I'll race you to the end of the block, we agree, I sprint and you jog/walk, are we racing?  No, not really, but we still went to the end of the block.

On the flip side, I raced an official marathon last Jan.  I "won" my AG but there was no ceremony, it didn't give out medals or awards or t-shirts but it was an organized race.

The first "marathon" wasn't a race.

A marathon is a distance. 5k is a distance.

If I ran 3.1 miles in training and not in a race, and someone said "How far did you run?" I'd say "I ran 5k."  It's a distance, just like a marathon.

If you have a psychological problem with it, you could just say you've done X number of marathons and X of them races, X were solo.

I disagree.  I count my runs of 26.2 as marathons.  Anything longer I call an ultra.  To that extent, I usually say I've done around 50 marathons.  Many were races, but some were just solo runs and I tell people that too.  In 2012 I decided to run a marathon each month while my wife was pregnant before the twins were born.  I quickly realized I could not logistically race one each month (travel was too expensive, plus she was on bed rest for a few months toward the end and we couldn't travel anyway), so I mapped out courses on my own and did one each month.   Sometimes I'd have a friend join for part of all.  Most times I was solo.  No one I've ever talked to has raised eyebrows with me calling that 12 marathons in 12 months in 2012.

 

If you only consider counting if it's a race, than most people who complete 26.2 aren't doing a marathon.  Go watch one, how many of those people are racing?  Most are just going the distance.  I'm sure they count that as a marathon.  If I say I'll race you to the end of the block, we agree, I sprint and you jog/walk, are we racing?  No, not really, but we still went to the end of the block.

 

On the flip side, I raced an official marathon last Jan.  I "won" my AG but there was no ceremony, it didn't give out medals or awards or t-shirts but it was an organized race.

 

The first "marathon" wasn't a race.

 

A marathon is a distance. 5k is a distance.

 

If I ran 3.1 miles in training and not in a race, and someone said "How far did you run?" I'd say "I ran 5k."  It's a distance, just like a marathon.

 

If you have a psychological problem with it, you could just say you've done X number of marathons and X of them races, X were solo.

What ever car you wind up getting, you've basically proven beyond a doubt that it will be "cool enough" for you. So that's one less thing for you to worry about.

A marathon is a distance. 5k is a distance.

 

You are half right.

A kilometer is a recognized unit of measurement thus 5 kilometers is in fact a distance.

A marathon is not a recognized unit measurement.  It is a footrace.

So if you run 26.2 miles over three days can you say you ran a marathon but it just took you a really long time?

What if you run 131 miles in a 24 hour?  Does it impress people more if you tell them that you ran one ultra or 5 marathons?

 Got a poopy diaper?

Yes, again. (Sigh.)

Wasn't there a kerfuffle among the maniacs a while back when someone claimed s/he should get the title of "most marathons in the year" because of the number of >26.2 training runs completed, and the club instituted a rule that a marathon had to be organized (start & finish time, publicized) and have at least 10 entrants to be considered a marathon?

I personally don't count training runs longer than 26.2 as "marathons". I consider them bloody long training runs. And official marathons are easier in some ways, albeit less convenient and usually costlier -- most official races have at least a few aid stations that don't have "Seven-Eleven" on the sign out front.

 

So, if someone asks you how many 5Ks you ran last year, you divide your total yearly mileage and  tell them, "Something like six-hundred forty-five." ?

 

Yes; 613 for me so far this year. WHERE ARE MY MEDALS???

Also waiting for the belt buckles from all those 100-milers.