Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Elite, not Elitist

Pay the price, roll the dice, and see if you’ve got it in you.

I’ve read several articles and blog posts recently about the ‘average runner’ and whether they belong in marathons. I’m a bit saddened by this discussion. I’m not talking about the otherwise sedentary person who doesn’t train at all, shows up on race day, and potentially puts themselves in serious personal risk. I’m talking about the person who puts in the time to follow some sort of training program, weaving this thread into the complicated cloth of life. The person who has no intentions or delusions of victory, but rather defines their own personal finish line, and duels with the mental and physical challenges each day brings in an attempt to reach that line. The person who has their own reason for the chase, perhaps profound or perhaps spectacularly mundane, and need not share that reason or justify why they continue to log the miles. I’m talking about the person that looks an awful lot like what I see in the mirror.

I’m of the opinion that if the race is open to the public, then anyone should have the opportunity to make the decision to join the battle. We’re all responsible for our own actions, and we’re all free to make good or bad choices along the way. We all need to challenge our own boundaries and push ourselves into places where we’re not sure we can go. Sometimes we not only want to, but we need to color outside the lines.

Admittedly I’m not a follower of the sport of running, and my knowledge of the elite runners doesn’t go much beyond Ryan Hall. However, most everything I’ve read or heard regarding elite runners and their interactions with us non-elite folks has been very positive. They are ambassadors for the sport, especially when interacting with children who represent the future of the sport, and they don’t seem to begrudge anyone who is trying to make it to the finish line, or the starting line for that matter. They are elite runners, but not elitists. They recognize that the clock is not the only way to measure the accomplishment.

So much of what we do today is sanitized, and sterilized, and regulated, and over-engineered, yet at the heart of the matter running remains the same as it was hundreds and thousands of years ago. Back when anyone could do it … and thankfully anyone still can.

11 comments:

  1. I agree...it's kind of disheartening for a beginner runner to hear those kind of comments from the elitist runners. Thankfully so far most of my experiences have been with ambassadors of the sport that are just happy to have someone to chat with and motivate. I chatted with someone who has finished Western States five times, and was so surprised to hear her get excited over my little 5k. It felt great, and kept me wanting to push further.

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  2. This is a tough one. I'm of 2 minds on this. Part of me believes everyone should be included, but then, 8 hours for a marathon? Hour and a half for a 5K? I'm definitely an average runner, no illusions of victory, not looking down on anyone, but...

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  3. I've only been running (run/walking really) for a year and this debate amazes me! I don't understand why someone would begrudge my participation as long as the race organizers don't mind waiting for me. I stay to the right; I start at the back; I pay my fee. Two years ago I was 70 lb heavier and completely sedentary. A year later I started run/walk and now have done 4 half marathons -- so empowering! And I'm insanely slow (my best half time was 3:35; my worst 3:42)
    That said, the elite runners aren't the problem. They're welcoming as you said. (Jeff Galloway - king of walk/run - personifies this and I've chatted with him a few times about my continuing weight loss and run/walk journey...) The thing I've noticed - both on the net (anon. makes people brave ... and rude!) and in person to a much more limited extent - it's also not the really fast runners that have a problem with the rest of us.... which is just a little sad. I assume they'd rather I gained back the 70 lbs and went back to my couch just so I'd be out of their way, but I bet I'm more prepared for my races than many of them are for theirs.

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  4. I personally think anyone should be able to do it so long as they don't injure themselves. Who are we or anyone for that matter to begrudge someone of their right to feel good about themselves.

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  5. Totally free game! running is something we are born to do, we do it as kids, some of us pop right outta the womb running.. And "they" are trying to take that away? Nope Nu-uh, not gonna happen!

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  6. Great post...very well written...thanks!

    Here's a quote that expresses my thoughts well:

    "Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others.” H. Jackson Brown, Jr. :)

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  7. I think what gets me about this whole debate is aside from the slow runners costing the race more money overall because they need to keep the streets open longer, we aren't affecting the elite runners in any way, shape, or form. If our slow running is somehow getting in their way, they clearly are not an elite runner.

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  8. Everyone should be able to compete. The masses make the race in the end. In South Africa most marathons will have a cut off of 5:30 or 6:00. Some are 5:00. I’m slow but I train very hard, 6 days per week. I’m all for the slow masses, but think if you can’t run a marathon in less than 6 hours you need to train more before you attempt it.

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  9. I always feel bad for the elites in a LOOP race course, where they have to contend with crowds of we average runners.

    At the same time, it's not like we're taking up any room at the Olympics. Guess it depends on what you consider a big race.

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  10. Hum. I gotta kinda agree with Johann on this (and Kovas)....it's very expensive to host a marathon and there are cut-off times for a reason. If you do the work, you can run under the cut-offs, no matter if you're elite, average or even back of the pack. I always feel that yes, we are all given the privledge to run, but the race is the reward for all the hard work getting there.

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  11. Just found your blog - love your comments. Thank you!

    Great post - thorny issues. I understand about having to have cut off times and all that but I actually would err on the side of letting whoever has trained and worked towards the goal, achieve the goal. Running a marathon in 6 hours is NOT easier than running it in 3.5. Also - and I feel strongly about this - I have run marathons in 5:13 and 3:45. And all sorts of times inbetween. Who knows where we will all end up? If I had never been allowed to run my 5:13 I might never have run my 3:45. Just sayin...

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