Why Marathons

Pharma

I will never cease to be amazed at all the people who start running and who want to run a marathon within a year. Why would anyone put themselves through a four hour marathon, what is the point of that, why would you bother. Surely all these people would be better off doing 5k or 5mile road races through the year and getting better. Its only a challenge to finish a marathon in over 4 hours if you have done very little training. I respect these people for doing the race, but surely it is a lot more satisfying to race competitively and quickly than it is to flog yourself for 4 hours. I completely understand racing a marathon but anything beyond 4 hours just seems like unnecessary torture. The fella who won the race wont be a wrecked as any of the 8minute milers.

rainbow kirby

Pharma wrote: »

but surely it is a lot more satisfying to race competitively and quickly than it is to flog yourself for 4 hours.

Each to their own... some people just prefer to run long than to run shorter, quicker stuff.

ecoli

To be honest i think that some people view this as more of a glamour thing. The general public dont really respond or understand when you say "hey i ran 18 min for 5k". most people see the marathon as an achievement as they usually can comprehend the times and the achievement as a life goal rather than a race just confined to the appreciation amongst running circles

village runner

Pharma wrote: »

I will never cease to be amazed at all the people who start running and who want to run a marathon within a year. Why would anyone put themselves through a four hour marathon, what is the point of that, why would you bother. Surely all these people would be better off doing 5k or 5mile road races through the year and getting better. Its only a challenge to finish a marathon in over 4 hours if you have done very little training. I respect these people for doing the race, but surely it is a lot more satisfying to race competitively and quickly than it is to flog yourself for 4 hours. I completely understand racing a marathon but anything beyond 4 hours just seems like unnecessary torture. The fella who won the race wont be a wrecked as any of the 8minute milers.

Another rubbish thread.
Wont even give it a response.
You seem to know nothing about.

gerard65

Sometimes you plan on a 3hr or 3:30 marathon but end up over 4hrs. 10k's are fairly predictable, marathons are not.
Or we're all mad, sometime between noon and 1pm on Monday I convinced myself I'm off my fooking head.

aero2k

Pharma wrote: »

The fella who won the race won't be as wrecked as any of the 8minute milers.

So, logically, the achievement of the 8-min milers is better than that of the winner. Maybe that's why they do it?

baza1976

Pharma wrote: »

I will never cease to be amazed at all the people who start running and who want to run a marathon within a year. Why would anyone put themselves through a four hour marathon, what is the point of that, why would you bother. Surely all these people would be better off doing 5k or 5mile road races through the year and getting better. Its only a challenge to finish a marathon in over 4 hours if you have done very little training. I respect these people for doing the race, but surely it is a lot more satisfying to race competitively and quickly than it is to flog yourself for 4 hours. I completely understand racing a marathon but anything beyond 4 hours just seems like unnecessary torture. The fella who won the race wont be a wrecked as any of the 8minute milers.

I ask you: why not????????

MrCreosote

Wasn't this same thread up a couple of days ago?

Marathon= big event, life-changing for most people, thousands taking part, random person on street knows it's a big deal...

Local 5k race= none of the above.

ricflair

One must remember people who run over 4 hours in a marathon are not going to be setting the world alight in local 5ks or 5 milers. By what I mean by this is it is a greater achievement (for their running ego, tell the guys at work in some cases) to complete a marathon than finish at the back end of a competitive road race. Im sure if every one could run a quick 5k they would but alot of athletes who partake in the 4 hour marathons dont do interval training a nesscessary ingredient in a 5k performance . Over and Out

--amadeus--

Ahh lads in fairness there is a huge thread on this already (here).

This one looks like its rapidly heading towards train wreck and multiple marathon threads are bad enough for non-marathon fans without duplicates so I'm going to lock this and ask for you to carry it on (politely and without trolling!) in the other thread,