2020 Marathon Training and relevant COVID 19 discussion echo chamber (Read 700 times)

OMR/ DW....

 

FYI. Mankato said the should have an update on this week on how they plan to hold the race with restrictions. I think there is an 75% the races happen, but likely a rolling start (no gun times, all chip) and bare bones event (no expo, after party, etc). Which frankly I would welcome to get to race and I don't generally do the extra stuff anyway.

You might not care. Some of the companies paying to advertise at the expo to gain customers, or the race itself, count on the expo and swag bag to build their customer basis. Last year Mankato had about 375 people in the marathon, 1107 in the half, 802 in the 10k 696 in the 5k, and 39 in the relay. With a wave start like most of my local races I could see how it's possible. Send marathon runners out based on goal finish time at 1 minute intervals, half marathon runners go 15 minutes after the last marathoner, 10k and 5k the same way, and eliminate the marathon relay because you'll have fast runners mixed in with slower runners and those 39 teams/people can pick a different event this year. I'd expect about 75% of last years participant numbers for this year. At least for the full marathon. 10k and 5k might be just as popular if someone like me decides "yeah I'll race a 10k and see where I'm at. I'm not in full marathon shape" or others like you or cal decide to go for the half because you've been training this summer.

Hope the daughter is doing well.

RP:  The only thing I might change in that scenario for Mankato is to have the half marathoners go out first (and not have 1100 of them).  The courses share a first mile, then the marathoners take a left, and the half-ers take a right, following the last 12 miles of the full.  So if they sent the half-ers out first, most if not all should be out of the way for the full.  If the half-ers go out after, there will be a ton of traffic, and at least when I ran it, a significant portion of the last 8 miles was on a paved bike trail, not a road.  I could also envision a scenario where there is a cutoff, much like in ultras, where if you don’t get to a checkpoint in a given time, you are a DNF.  So, put a finish requirement on the half.  if you don’t think you can meet that standard, don’t run it this year.  All of the half-ers would be off the course for those running the full.

DSP:  Totally agree on the expo & afterparty, the only afterparties I’ve attended have been after ultras or trail races.  Thanks for the heads up on upcoming info for Mankato...feel free to dump that here when they say something.  I’m starting to get the itch...

OMR Good suggestions. I didn't look at the course maps. If they only share a mile then it wouldn't take long for the half to start, A SECOND option is to start the marathon runners 30-60 minutes before the half just for an earlier start time. My first and second marathon started the half marathon about an hour after the full started. I understood why much later. The 2-3 hour half marathon runners are spread out far enough I could socially distance them with a 3:25 pace. Even Revel Mt Charleston was socially distanced....especially the horrible finish line area. Their half is the second half of the marathon and start times are the same. I think I was passing the 3-4 hour finishers.

schu Kids ruin everything. I walked around chicago a lot and if it was a local race, or one I'd done before I'd grab the bib, buy something I forgot, check out some race shirts and leave. I always expect no shirts or jackets will be available at the finish line.

dwave I hate cheaters. I try explaining it to non-runners, but I don't think they get it. I know people are BETTER than me (I'm only a 68% age grade marathoner) but cheating is just unacceptable in all ways to me. college admittance, testing, sports, etc. I still think the "Tuck Rule" is bullshit and gave Tom Brady a Super Bowl he otherwise wouldn't have won.

 

What has always driven me nuts is the belief by some that cheating only matters if one is an elite or a potential winner, that somehow if you are below a certain level as an athlete, it doesn't matter so much if you cheat or not.

 

Competitive sport is all about people competing against each other within a certain set of guidelines.  If you step out of those guidelines, then you're corrupting sport, regardless of how good or bad you are at that sport.

I think we found out who would be the one who knows the rules for the under 14 indoor soccer league. 

I totally agree. Somehow cheating in the local 5k is treated different to some than others. I raced a sandbagged (form of cheating in the sport) and the kid’s mom knew what he was doing and pretty much encouraged it by bragging to my mom about it. Yeah you get a bunch of wins at a local race. When you’ve built you’re training around half-assing it against lesser opponents you’re going to get destroyed at the next level. It’s why I no longer run downhill marathons. Net downhill or flat only. Downhill marathons are cheating. 

anyone done an interview over video chat? I was told it was a phone interview and just received a Microsoft teams invite. Might want to use the high def screen for THAT one and practice my camera angles.

The more I hear about running cheats the more I’m glad I took it up in later life and have no running idols.

Boris wants sports stadiums to be up and running again with spectators by October, so it’ll be interesting to see what London Marathon announce next week. Also Brighton haven’t cancelled yet which is on the 20th September (I’ve entered the 10k which starts 45min before the marathon). Paris have postponed again from October to November. 

I think London will go elite only on a closed course. 2 or 4 mile loops or something like that

LOL.

Maybe with a 2:19 or faster time limit too.

Maybe with a 2:51 or faster time limit too!

I’m guessing that most Americans haven’t got a clue what the London Marathon is all about....it’s a charity event and elites are the icing on the cake.

In the US, charity running is what you do when you don't get in through the lottery....

I know, London is so lame for having so many charity runners when there should be more proper runners...