How fast could a dog run a marathon?

Pisco Sour

Hypothetically speaking of course, given the fact they lack the intelligence required and would stop at the first sight of food, but physically, could a dog run sub 2 hours? Can they be trained to do so?

mloc123

I think the better question is how fast could a cat run a marathon, being chased by a dog.

Pisco Sour

mloc123 wrote: »

I think the better question is how fast could a cat run a marathon, being chased by a dog.

Serious question, not a piss take.

Just trying to bring something a little different to these discussion boards.

ecoli

04072511 wrote: »

Hypothetically speaking of course, given the fact they lack the intelligence required and would stop at the first sight of food, but physically, could a dog run sub 2 hours? Can they be trained to do so?

I think that dogs would lack the aerobic endurance needed for a marathon. This is the case with Horses and that is why the man v horse race is set over a half marathon distance to level things up as a fair distance. Any less and the horse would have it any more and the human would destroy it. Remember something similar being discussed before on another site

gerard65

A husky could. Don't they pull sleds long distances at high speeds. Suppose it depends on the breed.

robinph

The man v horse is around 21 miles I think, but the horse has to stop for a vet check part way round. The horses still generally win though. My club has been trying to persuade me into doing one of the legs of the relay against the horse which I'm told is a 3x7 so that's where I'm getting the 21miles from, but I'm already signed up for doing another 10km race that weekend instead.

sideswipe

OK on a serious note the question has been asked Here

Here is the highlight for those who couldn't be bothered opening the link-

The 26.2-mile marathon times of top athletes from five different species.

Sled dog: 1:15
Could lap most people.

Horse: 1:30
Not bad when you're carrying a rider.

Human: 2:10
Number three, even with the funny-looking shoes.

Hare: 3:05
Pauses often for stop-and-blinks.

Tortoise: 131:00
Shell weighs more than a singlet.

Sid_Justice

ecoli wrote: »

I think that dogs would lack the aerobic endurance needed for a marathon. This is the case with Horses and that is why the man v horse race is set over a half marathon distance to level things up as a fair distance. Any less and the horse would have it any more and the human would destroy it. Remember something similar being discussed before on another site

You are wrong. Wolves would be well able to run a marathon, the dog breeds closest to them would be most suited - huskies, malamute etc.

A cat would not be able. Cats are all fast twitch fibres.

baza1976

It would be weather dependant. During mild to warm/hot weather a human would beat a dog. A dog cannot cool itself as eff as a human. Dogs sweat through their tounges not their skin. In colder weather dogs may have the advantage.
People should keep this in mind when taking dogs out for runs in weather like we have been having for the last week. The dog will start to suffer at around 7 miles and with no puddles for fido to drink from will not be nice for the dog.

TheRoadRunner

Sid_Justice wrote: »

You are wrong. Wolves would be well able to run a marathon, the dog breeds closest to them would be most suited - huskies, malamute etc.

A cat would not be able. Cats are all fast twitch fibres.

Cats are also lazy/smart bastards depending on your point of view so wouldn't even dream of running a marathon. They'd probably tell you to F off and take a **** in your runners instead. Bloody cats

figs

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Cats are also lazy/smart bastards depending on your point of view so wouldn't even dream of running a marathon. They'd probably tell you to F off and take a **** in your runners instead. Bloody cats

Except Stamford maybe...

http://www.yourmascotsucks.com/chelsea-fc-mascot-stamford-the-lion-ran-the-london-marathon

dermCu

Would the dog have a 20mph tailwind?

ThisRegard

baza1976 wrote: »

Dogs sweat through their tounges not their skin. In colder weather dogs may have the advantage. .

Just to be a pedant, dogs don't sweat as such, they stick their tongue out and circulate their blood through it to cool it, just like running cold water over our wrists cools us.

rom

but the real question is could a dog an ironman

RoyMcC

ThisRegard wrote: »

just like running cold water over our wrists cools us.

That would just cool your wrists though Who wants cool wrists?

Foxx92

Haven't been on this forum for a few weeks...good to the standard of the threads hasn't dropped!

Pisco Sour

Foxx92 wrote: »

Haven't been on this forum for a few weeks...good to the standard of the threads hasn't dropped!

Only a bit of craic and something a bit different to discuss. Theres only so many times you can read a thread along the lines of "Have just started running. Can I run the Dublin Marathon in 12 weeks" before it gets dull.

ThisRegard

RoyMcC wrote: »

That would just cool your wrists though Who wants cool wrists?

It doesn't, it cools your blood. As your wrists are one of your pulse points because the blood vessels are so close to the surface of the skin you can cool your blood, not just your skin as you imply, by running cold water over them or wrapping them in ice or something similar.

RoyMcC

ThisRegard wrote: »

It doesn't, it cools your blood. As your wrists are one of your pulse points because the blood vessels are so close to the surface of the skin you can cool your blood, not just your skin as you imply, by running cold water over them or wrapping them in ice or something similar.

Sounds reasonable TR. Why isn't everybody wearing ice wristbands then? Some elites bring their body temperatures down by wearing some kind of ice jacket pre-race I think. And we all chuck cold water over our heads not our wrists. Maybe you've hit on something here.

I'll resist extending the hypothesis to dogs and/or cats.

getz

04072511 wrote: »

Hypothetically speaking of course, given the fact they lack the intelligence required and would stop at the first sight of food, but physically, could a dog run sub 2 hours? Can they be trained to do so?

well the dalmatian was a dog used to run along side a coach and horses to help protect them from robbery ,and as horses run faster than man.

Tinder

If Pluto is a dog, what is Goofy and who would win a race?

AntiVirus

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Cats are also lazy/smart bastards depending on your point of view so wouldn't even dream of running a marathon. They'd probably tell you to F off and take a **** in your runners instead. Bloody cats

My cat is pretty good at sprinting, a couple rattles of the cat food tin and he appears from over the garden wall and at my feet in seconds!

RayCun

04072511 wrote: »

Only a bit of craic and something a bit different to discuss. Theres only so many times you can read a thread along the lines of "Have just started running. Can I run the Dublin Marathon in 12 weeks" before it gets dull.

Rejoice!

Pisco Sour

RayCun wrote: »

Rejoice!

Sub 11 seconds:rolleyes:

ThisRegard

RoyMcC wrote: »

Why isn't everybody wearing ice wristbands then? Some elites bring their body temperatures down by wearing some kind of ice jacket pre-race I think. And we all chuck cold water over our heads not our wrists. Maybe you've hit on something here.
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Don't know, although you do see people putting cool towels and ice packs on the back of their neck, maybe the same thing ?

Although I did find this when googling if I was talking out my ass before I first posted, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2yzItjfWyw&feature=player_embedded

There's talk of comparisons with steroids and mention of biologists being involved in its development, to me it looks like a way of parting people with their money a la holographic wrist bands.

zico10

The following clip is from BBC's 'Life of Manmmals', Episode 10; 'Food for Thought'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=826HMLoiE_o

Peterx

ThisRegard wrote: »

Don't know, although you do see people putting cool towels and ice packs on the back of their neck, maybe the same thing ?

Although I did find this when googling if I was talking out my ass before I first posted, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2yzItjfWyw&feature=player_embedded

There's talk of comparisons with steroids and mention of biologists being involved in its development, to me it looks like a way of parting people with their money a la holographic wrist bands.

Some of the pro cyclists were using a thing like this before a time trial at a race last year.

foxmulerider

not sure but the dog is welcome to come on mine if he can hang for 450 miles.;) http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/John-Foxs-Massive-Mule-Marathon-of-Ireland/156357044427953?sk=wall

CrackisWhack

ThisRegard wrote: »

Just to be a pedant, dogs don't sweat as such, they stick their tongue out and circulate their blood through it to cool it, just like running cold water over our wrists cools us.

Its a less effective way of cooling though?

madon

baza1976 wrote: »

It would be weather dependant. During mild to warm/hot weather a human would beat a dog. A dog cannot cool itself as eff as a human. Dogs sweat through their tounges not their skin. In colder weather dogs may have the advantage.
People should keep this in mind when taking dogs out for runs in weather like we have been having for the last week. The dog will start to suffer at around 7 miles and with no puddles for fido to drink from will not be nice for the dog.

I thought dogs sweat from the pads of their feet!
Agree with your post dogs do over heat very easily but if they acclimatise you could have this!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica_Dogsled_Team

dx22

Thats the funniest title of a thread i have ever seen in boards!!
My Tea went out my nose when i saw it. Should probably be in After Hours but lets keep it here!!

RoyMcC

sideswipe wrote: »

Hare: 3:05
Pauses often for stop-and-blinks.

Tortoise: 131:00
Shell weighs more than a singlet.

Hold on a minute. Where is the research? Did someone watch these animals run a marathon then?