I noticed some outrage on Twitter yesterday (twi-rage?) about a new advertisement. I love some righteous outrage, so I clicked over to the ad. It didn't really trigger my rage reflex:
First of all, I don't even own any Pearl Izumi stuff, so it's not brand loyalty at work here. I have two theories why this doesn't piss me off:
1. I am a running snob and this speaks to me.
2. It's just not offensive
My husband votes for number one, but I don't think it's snobby to think that people should respect the distance. I have absolutely nothing against "7 hour marathoners"...if that's honestly the best they can do with adequate and dedicated training. People that signed up for a marathon because there are bands on the course and free beer after, but don't feel like getting up early for months to train and put in the hard work so they are forced to walk the actual race and finish in 7 hours? Yeah, I'm not going to get upset for those people. I assume they don't care about other runners, so this ad isn't going to make them cry themselves to sleep tonight.
Also, I really agree that some marathons are now a test of patience more than fitness...and that's why I'm not ever running a big marathon again. My dislike of big races has nothing to do with other runners...other than there are too many of them. Also, I hate packed race expos that force you to walk by vendors when you just want your freaking bib. The last two (big) marathons I did, I felt mentally exhausted before I even started running. I even hate having thousands of strangers screaming at me as I run, as I find it jarring and stressful. It seems like those big marathons are about buying stuff and guys with megaphones telling you that you're a special snowflake for running for 4 hours and Black Eyed Peas songs blasting out of cars...and the actual running gets a little lost in that mix.
This is why I gravitate to trail races and ultras. It's so peaceful to just meet up with a group of fellow runners in a parking lot somewhere and then spend hours in the woods in blissful silence. No expos, no spectators....just running. Also, I rarely meet someone at that kind of race who signed up because their friends did and then didn't train. When you take away the hoopla of the big races (like Rock and Roll series), you lose a lot of popular interest and you're left with people who (in general) take running seriously...regardless of how fast they run.
This advertisement made some people angry enough to even vow to stop purchasing Pearl Izumi gear, so I'm thinking I'm missing the part that made people so pissed.
Does this ad make you angry? Make your case why and maybe you'll sway me enough to send an angry email to Pearl Izumi. I love sending angry emails.
You know, I'm an incredibly slow runner and am HOPING for a 5 hr finish this September... but still, this ad didn't make me angry. Did I love it? No. But the fact is that Pearl Izumi is a company and they are trying to make money, bottom line. And now everyone is talking about them and their ad, so they obviously succeeded. Even better? I love their products for cycling and in no way am I going to quit shopping with them just because of this! Looks like they got one over on me :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, but you won't get a 5 hour finish because you're stopping to take pictures and update twitter...you'll be racing it. :)
DeletePreach it, sistah
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't offend me. In fact, I kind of loved it...because I agree with it. I ran my first marathon in 5:25. I trained my butt off for that race, I got injured, and I suffered through it - slowly. I learned to 1) respect the distance and 2) eventually learned to race the distance.
ReplyDeleteI cannot stand those people who wander through a marathon after entering on whim and never training. It just makes me angry for all the reasons above.
So I'm one of the people that don't like this ad but it's part of a bigger campaign they were running a few years back and the whole thing annoyed me. A different ad they had said fast runners should mate with other fast runners to protect the sport. I guess it's the whole 4+ hour marathoners shouldn't be running attitude that bothers me, or the "you're only worthy if you can qualify for Boston". I hate that attitude and I think it only serves to tear people down. The thing I love about ultras is that the guys who win it are just as cool to the folks who come in DFL - why not celebrate people who love running, no matter how long it might take them to cross the finish line? I think it's the negative tone of the ad that really bothers me. I don't know. I don't usually get too bothered by stuff like this, but for some reason, that series of ads really got to me. But these are old ads, and they are apologizing about them now: http://twiffo.com/Uum - it's unfortunate for them that the web archives everything!
ReplyDeleteFast runners should mate with other fast runners? That's hilarious :)
Deletewho gives a shit (apparently a lot of people)? i'm not offended. if it takes you 7 hours to complete a marathon - trained or untrained - who cares?!
ReplyDeleteYou're probably not offended because you're one of those Boston running elitists :)
Deleteoh yes, i forgot! ;)
DeleteNo, it does not make me angry.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me ragey is how passe they make Pheidippides' journey. Every one assumes some 'guy' ran to declare victory between two armies, then died.
Pheidippides ran to announce the Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon, a 25 mile distance. Which, mind you, was the shortest run he did during his effort because just two days earlier he left Athens for Sparta, THEN went to Marathon - a total distance of 150 miles in three days. The Persians were ~100,000 strong compared to a measly ~10,000 Athenians - the dude was literally running to save his civilization, in turn, changing the world.
So, suck it, Pearl Izumi, for your sunset scripture and butterfly pooping unicorns.
I thought unicorns pooped rainbows? :)
DeleteSeriously, the world is so delusional. This has been proven, people. Its like you're living in a bubble, really.
DeleteThe lesson I'm getting here is that to honor Pheidippides, I need to run 150 miles in 3 days. That sounds way more fun than an overcrowded marathon :)
DeleteTotally agree - I think it's great that more and more people are getting out and doing marathons, but I also think that it's incredibly cavalier for people to half-ass it (or quarter-ass) it through the training and then stroll through the race. There is a "spirit of the marathon," and I think that BQ-ers and 7-hour marathoners alike can capture it, so long as they're going into it to see how far and hard they can push themselves.
ReplyDeleteStepping down from my soapbox now...
(And I love Pearl Izumi-anything)
There is a "spirit of the marathon," and I think that BQ-ers and 7-hour marathoners alike can capture it, so long as they're going into it to see how far and hard they can push themselves.
DeleteBINGO
I've been quieting stalking you for a few weeks. So...hi! Just thought I'd chime in to say, this doesn't offend me either. But most things don't. That ad could call my mama a ho and I probably wouldn't care. But, I do agree with you about the big marathons. You're the first person that I've found that doesn't like the crowd support. The screaming strangers stresses me out SO much. I did one big marathon and one small one and the small one was the one I loved. I like zoning out in nature, not 80 people trying to high-five me down a road.
ReplyDeleteI think the screaming crowds remind me of the field hockey coach in high school screaming at us and I never understood what I was supposed to be doing...ah, repressed issues. :)
DeleteI'm with you-- I'm not offended by it. I get where they're coming from. Unlike you, however, I find that I'm energized by the larger crowds at races. I don't like all the expo craziness, but a large group to run with (provided everyone is lined up in correct pace corrals) has made many races more fun for me, and given me extra adrenaline that I find I don't have in the smaller ones. But I totally get that would not be the case for everyone. I haven't given trail running a try, so i guess I can't make a fair comparison.
ReplyDeleteI agree - I thought I hated crowds but if every big race was like RnR, it would be fine. Amazing what accurate corrals can do.
DeleteNever run a marathon, no idea how fast I would be, but would be around 5 hours, would be my guess, I could probably work most of it and it would be over 7 hours(but some races have a walking category?). Anyhow, rambling.
ReplyDeleteThe ad comes off as snobbish, I mean anyone who aspires to run a marathon, but is like me and is just training for a half, wouldn't be running out to buy their products, it I don't think they are appealing for me.
Generally I think if someone wants to go the distance and they do it by running, or walking or a combination, they should be respected by other runners because they could have watched tv instead.
Anyhow, not offensive, but not appealing, just another ad.
I think walking a marathon can be just as hard as running it if you do it right!
DeleteOf course you do, your a nice person!
DeleteI actually decided last night at 4 am that I hated the ad enough to write a blog post about it,
http://runnadinerun.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/respect-the-marathon-respect-the-runner/
I think the whole purpose of this ad is to get publicity, so you're doing the right thing as a blogger. The message doesn't bother me - you're supposed to respect the marathon. I guess it's hard to put a number on it - a 7 hour marathon for you would be walking, but for someone else it might be the best they can do after extensive training.
ReplyDeleteI hope they send me free stuff as a thank you.
DeleteDibs on any biking gear.
DeletePeople get worked up about the craziest stuff. Sure, I don't like anyone having an "I'm better than you" attitude bec of something like race time, but have a problem with someone who shows that attitude to you. Because I agree with the ad about "respecting the distance" and not treating it like "oh, yea...a marathon...no biggie, I can do that without any effort".
ReplyDeleteI've never met a runner who didn't think "respect the distance" was a normal phrase, so I don't get the outrage about that tag line for an ad. :)
DeleteAm I a bad person for sort of loving the ad? I love the underlying message of racing a marathon AKA doing my best to cross that finish line as fad as possible.
ReplyDeleteAlso if you ever got a show to bitch on, I would totally watch it.
I live for this ad! The whole purpose of the race, is to race. That race doesn't need to be against other runners, just yourself and the knowledge you've given it all at the end of 26.2 (and don't we all know it's usually a bit longer and every .10 over 26.2 feels like another mile!). Although I don't wear those shoes, and don't plan on switching, I love this ad. Respect the distance, it can be a bitch and will certainly slap you hard if you don't show her respect. I am a marathoner, and I've worked hard to earn that title. Three times over (so far...)
ReplyDeleteI get offended about everything, but that didn't offend me. I was having a similar conversation today about half marathons. I think they were simply invented for people who have no buisness doing marathons [lack of training wise] and so they sign up for halfs and they also don't train.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I train for a half. The first time I didn't train "enough" because I didn't know any better. I don't want to train (run the number of miles) for a full because I don't want to commit that much time to be as prepared as I would want to be. I haven't experienced people not trained for the half...I have noticed in my community there seem to be "fast" people at everything, even little dinky "fun" runs. Like 15-18 minute maybe 21 minute 5k people throughout age groups and 1 hour 30-ish half marathons. Sometimes they're kids!
Deletere: Half
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, I think half-marathon is a great race, and very similar to a ten miler. But it has the added advantage of being a traditional excellent fitness test for marathon racing. A fabulous case in point is Mary Keitani's race at RAK Half marathon in the summer of 2009. What she did there was a serious race -- she came through the ten mile mark at 50:05.
But on the other hand, from my experience at National last weekend, yeah, the half seems to be swamped with very slow runners as compared to the full.
The Pearl Izumi ad didn't bother me at all. It sounded very inoffensive. This is more my idea of 'telling it like it is':
ReplyDeletehttp://tanyas.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/the-ultimate-crab-patch-race-report/
Course, the last marathon I ran, I did not race it (I paced it).
ReplyDeleteAnd I might accede to an argument that most of my ultras have not been all-out raced by myself - and I'm okay with that.
So I guess I now realize that unlike the Pearl ad sentiment, I don't care so much about honoring it by giving it your all.
2/3 of Rosaryville was pretty much all out.
DeleteTouche :)
DeleteI am not easily offended, people need to relax and not be so uptight. I also don't love it though, it seems a little lame to me.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, not offensive. If you are offended, it's because you are guilty of their statements.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you!
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of funny because isn't Pearl Izumi mostly for cycling?
ReplyDeleteI don't really find it offensive at all, either. I'm also not a fan of huge races.
Nope, not at all offended by it. It's marketing and the people they are pissing off aren't going to be buying Pearl Izumi stuff anyway. I think the publicity factor of it is working just fine for them. I'm certainly not going to be 'racing' against anyone (other than myself) since I'm a slow-poke but I also don't sign up for an event for the amount of concerts or free beer they have.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it pisses me off when people who have never seriously run before decide one day- hey, I'm gonna run a marathon! They train, finish, and then never.run.again. It was just a bucket list thing for them or something. I'm all for people running...fast, slow, in between...to the best of the ability that day. But take that shit seriously. So, no, this ad doesn't bug me.
ReplyDeleteSo, if someone doesn't run for the same reasons you do, they're wrong? Nice.
DeleteFor many people, running a marathon is a manifestation of their passion for running. It's hard to see other people not "respecting" it the same way, but in this country, everyone could use the chance for a little exercise. Just maybe not 26 miles of it :)
DeleteSo if someone can run a marathon without training as hard as you do, that's wrong? Maybe it just means they're better than you.
Delete@Anon and Brian...note I never wrote the word "wrong." I was asked for my opinion and I gave it- the premise of "those types of runners" annoys me. While I wish all things that annoyed me were deemed "wrong" by the world at large, sadly this is decidedly not the case.
DeletePerhaps if you are getting that riled up about some random person's comment on a blog you have larger issues. Have a great day!
Brian has a lot of issues. He's still working through that one time I beat him up in kung fu class.
DeleteAs you said, some people can train and train, and seven hours is the best they can do. To call refer to their race pace as "moseying" seems disrespectful. I'll stick to wearing pearls in my ears, thanks.
ReplyDeleteMan, I love the word moseying. I've already used it 4 times today.
DeleteLike "Kara seems to be moseying along about posting her next blog post"
DeleteI love the ad to be honest. People need to respect the distance and train properly. You don't truly gain respect for the Marathon unless you train - and there will be blood, sweat and tears. There should be! I don't care if they finish in 7 hours or 3 hours but part of that respect comes from going through that journey of training. If they finish in 7 hours because they never did a long run over 15 miles...that is not acceptable. Those people are disrepecting all the people that did their 20 milers and made that commitment to give it their all. The same thing is happening with Ultra running. You can't tell me that the people who finished JFK in 14 hours followed a proper training plan and gave 100%.
ReplyDeleteYou know I LOVE the big races!
WTF, there is nothing wrong with finishing a 50 miler in 14 hours.
DeleteAt the JFK 50, there seemed to be SOME (read: not all) people who did the early start because that was easier than training hard enough to finish in 12 hours. The early start was intended to be for people who NEEDED it versus just wanted it. The course at JFK was much easier than Stone Mill. You'll have no problem finishing under 12 :)
DeleteWTF are you talking about Alyssa, have you even ever run a 50 miler? A 55 miler is a whole different beast than a little 50 miler.
DeleteAlyssa- you didn't run a 50 miler in 14 hrs, you ran a 55 or 56 miler in 14 hrs. Way more bad-ass.
DeleteThis ad doesn't offend me personally. It's interesting to me that Pearl Izumi - mostly a cycling/triathlon company, published this ad. I highly doubt you would ever see Nike, Adidas, Brooks, etc produce something like this though. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't find the ad offensive. I agree with your assessment.
ReplyDeleteI also prefer small races and don't ever plan on running a Rock N' Roll event. I love music, but they don't even sound appealing to me.
People cheering is the closest I'll ever get to being a celebrity so I love it. People who don't train piss me off. Don't sign up for a freaking half, sit on your ass, then walk the whole thing. Not that I have any personal experience with people doing this. The ad is awesome, and their cycling stuff pads my butt so nicely.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd hate being a celebrity :)
DeleteIf this ad was intended to boil down to simply "Respect the Distance" (which is not a new statement for runners, obviously), then that's ALL it simply needs to say. BUT that's not the only message they are trying to get across, in my opinion. They can't put an arbitrary number on a finish time and claim that if you don't finish in X:XX:XX than you're not respecting the distance. Who are they to walk (run?) a mile in the shoes of someone else to know? Disabilities are not always obvious either. If someone gets injured and doesn't finish in under 7, does that mean they didn't respect the distance either? If they are overcoming physical limitations in one way or another, does that mean they shouldn't even try and they don't belong there?
ReplyDeleteI'm all a "to each their own" kind of girl, and to say that this ad "upsets" me is giving it a little too much credit from me, but I will say that I think it's definitely elitist and as someone who enjoys running and never claims to be "fast" and is content in my own pace, it's enough for me to never buy any product from them EVEN if they had magical pace-boosting powers.
Firstly, while the increase in the number of runners at race events might put a damper on it for some, the "spirit of the marathon" is MORE "alive and well" than it EVER has been BECAUSE of the increased participation of "non-elite" runners. Sure it might piss people off that there are people gutsy enough to put their feet on the pavement and stand there with the rest of them and cross the finish line on their own terms, but guess what - I'm more inspired by the underdog than I am by anyone who has run 23934848 marathons, 39484 iron mans, 3894834 ultras (you get the idea). The only thing that has changed, in my opinion, is that people are starting to realize their own potential and bettering their own lives by redefining what they used to believe was "impossible" and realize that you don't have to be a top finisher to bring such a wonderful accomplishment to their lives. Sooooooooo many people have changed their lives for the better by accomplishing this goal who are not BQers or anything close. Why shouldn't a person run a marathon, regardless of their finish time, if it affects THEIR life in a positive way? I really have no idea how long it would take me to finish because, honestly, I think a Half is as far as I would ever go, but for arguments sake, I think I would take the hit on pissing off whatever elitist runner who would look down on me for my finish time if it was an experience that would make me feel good about myself. I guess I can say that if I ever WERE to do it, I wouldn't be doing it in whatever brand of running gear this company is selling IMHO
Frig I really need to shorten these things DOWN! They never look this long in the little box :-D
DeleteI didn't see the ad as discriminating on speed...just the spirit behind the running. Running is equal opportunity, but some people (obviously not you) don't respect the endurance aspect of 26.2 miles and try to do without proper training.
DeleteWell said, Angie!
DeleteThere's a good blog by an ultrarunner that I started reading recently, Vanessa Runs, and she posted on this topic yesterday. She sort of shared your sentiment but her tone kind of offended some people and it turned into a big old PR mess for her. The hoopla also reminds me of the Frayed Laces/TNT chicken nugget runners thing from a while back.
ReplyDeleteThe ads don't bother me but I can see how some people get bothered. I'm pretty slow but I like to think that I "run like an animal"...even if its a slow animal. :)
ITA about big races. Since I made the conversion to trails, I can't tolerate too many races like that. It is just way too much.
Haha I loved that chicken nugget post. I still kinda agree if you can eat chicken nuggets after a 20 mile run, you didn't go hard enough. :)
DeleteI laugh at Pearl. I mean, what kinda of douche's in the marketing dept thought that this was a way to get people to buy their stuff? I mean, they advertise for the bottom line. They just alienated a shit ton of people. The irony is that most people who can read that advertisement can probably outrun the people making it.
ReplyDeleteThe ad doesn't offend me. I hate when people don't respect the distance. I know someone who runs halfs only and she never properly trains. She does one or two 1-2 mile runs once a week and a week before the race she tries to do a 10 mile run. It annoys the crap out of me. I've really only done big races and I'm kind of done with them, especially after Rock n Roll. I tend to gravitate toward the big ones because I like racing in big cities and I also just don't know as much about smaller races. I have a love/hate relationship with crowd support. Sometimes I just find it irritating and other times it's good for me because I don't want to look like a weakling and take a walking break in front of the big crowd :).
ReplyDeleteThe ad doesn't make my angry (and I am a slow-ass runner training for a marathon). It's a marketing ploy to get attention, and it is working in a sense.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is becuase I don't take many things too seriously, but the whole "respect the distance" stuff just seems funny to me, humorous funny. I really don't care how anyone trains, how fast they finish, or how many beers they drink before, during, or after (as long as they don't puke on me).
Didn't offend me either, and my running abilities are absolutely nothing special. That being said, and ultra / trail running aside (because that really IS a different animal), while I don't believe every race needs to be "raced" by every runner every time, and that if one is injured along the way or disabled in some way, getting to the finish line any way you can is commendable...I do think that a part of respecting any distance is at least putting forth the effort (both in training and on race day) to RUN the distance.
ReplyDeleteI don't really care if you run 5 minute miles, or 15 minute miles, but come on...don't walk it. These aren't walk-a-thons, and they aren't survival events...they are races made for people to "run". Come on, can you really say you "ran" the 10K on Sunday if you walked part of it..? Shouldn't you just say you participated in 10K? After all, you didn't really "run" it, you just covered the distance.
Oh well, in the end I suppose it doesn't really matter to me what others do...at least they are off the couch. But for myself, I'll undoubtedly walk a portion of a race (or races) sooner or later, but I will NOT be going into a road race with the plan to "walk a minute after every mile" or "walk when I get tired". I'll walk when I'm done. :-)
Well said.
DeleteSure... I've heard this logic before.
DeleteAnd if it is what you subscribe to, I get it - it's totally valid.
In your book though, Kara probably didn't RUN a 50-miler last year (sorry Kara, I don't remember your race recap exactly, but based solely on my experience, I'm willing to bet that you walked a few steps).
Am I going to lose any sleep over the PI ad? Of course not!
But I also don't care how people get their miles done...
Get out there, do your thing, cross the finish line! :)
Well, 50 miles is a feat in itself. But when I run a mountain race I attempt to run the whole way. When I hike a trail I don't call it running. I wonder why people get so offended to be called joggers? If we are talking "pace"?
DeleteI also know a man who can speed walk just over a 9 minute mile with a 40 pound pack for a pack test. He is speed walking, NOT running. That's right he can kick my ass WALKING. But "stride wise" it is walking, not running. I think people pick weird things to get offended over, including myself...but when I lope my horse it is different than a trot, no matter how much ground I cover. Galloping is different than loping. I think I would rather be a horse. They don't take it so personally and their self-esteem isn't so wrapped up in it.
It's true that people pick odd things to get offended by..., but it's also true that they pick strange things to get wrapped up in... like say TERMINOLOGY.
DeleteAs I said above, how people term their activities doesn't bother me...
If you've done a 5k, marathon, mountain race or anything else... that's fantastic and you deserve to be PROUD!
The ad doesn't offend me. I don't nor have I ever done a race with over 1500 runners. And I may never run a distance race that is on the road again. I am a naturalist when it comes to running. I just like to run. In to woods preferrably. Across a creek or two would be nice also.
ReplyDeleteIt's everyone's right to run however they want but don't crowd my ultra event because it's the cool thing to do and bitch about how you didn't get a tee shirt (for your 20 dollar registration!). Don't hole your social event on my single track trail and get ticked off when I want to pass you because I'm not there to party with my friends.
This Saturday at the HAT (one of the biggest ultras I'll do this spring) I will deal with way too many of these people.
I'm angry with the ad because I am a 7 hour person. My PR is 6:46. I am a race walker. I didn't train to run but I sure as hell race. I know I will never compete in Boston or another big race like that because those are for runners. But I will race as hard as I can in races that fully support 7 hour courses. I know my place in the marathon world but that doesn't diminish what I'm doing. While I am slower than most, I'm not moseying. I'd like to see a 3 hour marathon come try to hang with the race walkers for 6-7 hours.
ReplyDeleteSo true, Amber!
DeleteI have a friend who does happen to be one of the 3-hour guys.... and ways compliments marathoners who spend their whole day out there on their mental-toughness!!! :)
I probably should be offended since I would run a very slow marathon if I was ever stupid enough to attempt one. I'm too tired to give a crap, though. Pearl Izumi always seemed like a pretentious brand and I've never bought their stuff, but that ad wouldn't really change that.
ReplyDeleteDo you want ANOTHER comment on this? :^)
ReplyDeleteMeh. This all just makes me glad that I have almost zero brand loyalty of any kind. These guys (and all those companies) don't really care if I train my ass off or if I just mosey. They just want my money. So I'll train how I want, wear what I want--and continue NOT using brand name ads as motivational posters.
to everybody here, a couple quotes:
ReplyDelete1. "Lighten up, Francis"
2. "here's how to run a marathon. Step 1. You start running. There is no step 2." -Barney Stinson
I recently read an interesting story that states if you can't run the whole way, you haven't mastered the distance. I think that seems accurate, but it seems to make people "feel bad". I don't feel bad I haven't mastered the half. It give me something to strive for, but that is my own personal deal...just like everyone has their personal goal/motivation. I still consider myself a runner who hasn't mastered the distance...of course I pick stupidly difficult courses.
ReplyDeleteRunning (from what I have read) is anything under a 10 minute mile pace. Otherwise, technically it's "jogging". My personal goal is to "run" a half. I don't care if people run/walk, however, I notice that many of my "running acquaintances" walk and jog more than run, yet say they are "runners" and claim to run 12 miles when in actuality they jogged 6 and walked 6. Still 6 miles of each is nothing to be ashamed of, but why not say what it is you really did? Sometimes I don't care...'cause whats it to me? However, there are other times I feel...annoyed. I have RUN 12 miles and it's a bitch. I don't say I am running when I am hiking.
Bottom line: I don't want to be a snob. I just want to get my "run" on. The only real beef I have is when the beep goes off on a Gallowayers Garmin and one (or a group) stop right in front of me. That is just poor manners, no matter what your pace and finish time.
It's hard for me to agree that if you don't run the whole way then you haven't mastered the distance when I participate in ultra running. :) Although no one ever "masters" running 50 or 100 miles!
DeleteTouche. I wonder how to add the little do-hicky to the "e"?
DeleteBut I do think ultras are a different animal. I won't lie, I have NO DESIRE to do a marathon or ultra. First, I would want to run the whole way and for that I would need to train way more than I want to and still have a life. I love to run, but I also have horses, pets, a husband, and other interests. For me running is a balancing act and I have found how it fits into my world. Maybe that makes me less of a "runner", but when I do go out, I do put my heart in it. I apologize if I offend anyone...I just think it's weird when people exaggerate because it's sort of deceptive. The hostility would probably go away if people said :"I walked and ran the marathon. 26.2 is tough!" I don't think anyone would disagree.
Deletewho the fuck decided that 10min/mile was the arbitrary cut-off for "running". Sounds elitist to me.
DeleteIf you run a 9:55 mile, are really that much better than the 10:01 runner? No, you are both pretty slow. So just chill the fuck out and stop labeling people. Just worry about your own fucking race.
I think most people don't give a shit if you walked some of a race, so saying things like "I ran 24 miles and took about 2 miles worth of walk breaks!" is like giving someone a laundry list of symptoms when they just asked "How are you doing?"
DeleteBrian, I read somewhere (next time I'll site it) that is considered the "pace" needed to be considered at a "run". I am sure with all your skills you can google it. Maybe it is faster than that, or slower, but that is what I remember reading. That's all. As I said, I know a "trot" and a "canter" or lope of a horse has to do with stride/foot on the ground etc. A horse doesn't get pissed when you say it's trotting. That's all I was comparing it to...Why is anything that has to do with technicality considered "elitist"? If you do a long jump it is measured...If you score a field goal it has to go through the uprights. Why are people offended by the word "jog"? I've had several people ask about my "jogging". It doesn't offend me.
DeleteKara...Galloway pacing pulled off a local site:
"The run/walk/run ratio should correspond to the intended pace of the run on a given day:
18 minute/mile: Run 20 seconds/walk 60 seconds".
People like writing and talking about their race recaps as evidenced by the number of blogs about the very subject. I think saying, "I use a run/walk method" is a pretty simple sentence.
It's fun how you defend one position, but then complain about newbie runners in another post. Keeps me guessing what your position is...
I was complaining about people who don't follow instructions and how people who aren't used to racing can make manual timing difficult. I didn't care if they ran/walk/jogged, I just wanted to be able to see their bib number so I could do my job.
DeleteI certainly agree that a run/walk method should be discussed in a race recap, but I was referring to casual conversations that probably are occurring with non-runners. Even many blog readers don't really care the exact amounts of running versus walking, I think they generally care more about the finish time. I know it doesn't change my level of respect for someone if they ran the whole way for a 4:30 marathon or if they walked some and got the same time.
If you want to compare horses to people, then you can only differentiate between walking and running because that's the only stride change for people. Walking: both feet always on the ground. Running: In the course of the stride, one foot is on the ground alone. There is nothing about the stride of a jog that differs from a run, in a technical standpoint.
Unless you do dressage, there is nothing about the speed of horse strides that changes the definition. A trot is a trot, slow or fast.
I don't personally get offended by the phrase "jog" except for its connotations of casualness. However, most people in the running world feel very strongly against using it as they feel it demoralizes the slower runners and out of respect for them, I don't use it either.
dressage is the stupidest fucking olympic sport. No olympic sport should require wearing a top hat and coat tails.
DeleteAlso, horses aren't people and don't have feelings, so they will never be offended by any term.
DeleteDogs don't have feelings either.
DeleteI love generalizations.
Brian, I think 3 day eventing would be more interesting if the jumps were flaming and the people rode in capes. Dressage is amazing. Until you realize your are watching the same thing for 8 hours straight. Kinda like a marathon.
DeleteArgh...cite not site and you're not your. Know the difference. Can't watch tv, type and spell at the same time.
DeleteI think when it comes down to it, if you are training and trying your best, who cares the time if your heart was in it!
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen the ad before your post. Not offended by it. I took away an emphasis on "truly giving it your all."
ReplyDeleteI am not usually one to criticize people's marathon performances because I have never run one and don't really plan to, and I myself am not speedy. But the 7 hour marathon mention reminds me of Al Roker "running" a 7 hour 9 minute NYC marathon a couple years ago. I don't have anything against Al Roker, but that's a 16:21 pace. I know the guy used to be obese 10 years ago, but I think if "giving it your all" is just slower than a brisk walking pace, perhaps a walk-a-thon might be a better event for you than a marathon.
I'm respecting the marathon distance by not running one. I'm not of the opinion that "well, I've run a half so my next step is to run a full."
While I'm sure Pearl Izumi would love anyone's business, I've never thought of them as a beginning runner's brand. I don't think many sedentary or occasionally active people think, "hm... I'm going to try the Couch to 5k program, I should pick up a new pair of Pearl Izumis to help me with my training." The new runner is going to pick up the prettiest pair of running shoes at Dick's or Famous Footwear, swing by Target (I do too) for some running shorts, or if they've got some extra money maybe they'll swing by lululemon thinking the $86 luxtreme crops will hide their cellulite while they get in to shape. So even if their goal was to look down their nose at the 7 hour marathoner (as opposed to stressing the effort and training required) I don't think they were wrong in targeting their ad to a faster or more serious running audience.
I think the ad is rude and belittling to the slow runners. Pearl Izumi is welcome to advertise however they want, but I think this is a disprespectful campaign and I might stop buying their shoes IF I wore them at all. I'm not going to get ragey, I'm just going to move on with my life and think that their advertising people are a bunch of asshats and forget about it by tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI also get offended at lots of random things and enjoy writing nasty grams with SHOUTY text. Oddly enough, this ad doesn't trigger a response other than, "huh, since when have they made running gear?". If it makes a difference, I'm a slow runner.
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