My response to the NY Times article: "Plodders Have a Place, but Is It in a Marathon?"

Earlier this Fall, the New York Times published the opinion of Adrienne Wald (http://bit.ly/68SGpE), the women’s cross-country coach at the College of New Rochelle who tried to discredit the efforts of the runners at the back of the pack in today's marathons.  Her thoughts are similar to a very tiny minority of runners that I have heard from during the 51 years I have been running, and especially since I ran my first marathon in 1963.  Obviously, running has a few arrogant snobs, as one will find in any sport or activity.  These narcissistic elitists tend to set an arbitrary marathon standard and determine that "anything slower that what I say is not acceptable".  Fortunately for society, today's marathon organizations determine who can enter and finish marathons.  Those at the end tend to inspire us more than others.
 
I regularly communicate with over 30,000 runners a year, and have found them to be quite honest in their thoughts about issues like this.  Based upon the tiny number of statements similar to Ms. Wald, during the 40 years that I have been coaching, I believe that her opinion is shared by about 1/1000th of a percent of today's runners.  Almost all of the runners I hear from respect anyone who takes on the marathon challenge because it tends to change one's life for the better.  I've spoken to hundreds of very accomplished people (CEOs, engineers, inventors, artists, professors, even professionals in other sports) who place the finishing of a marathon at the top of their list of lifetime achievements.
 
While we are experiencing an epidemic of obesity due to inactivity, one-tenth of one percent of the population gets off the couch, and makes the difficult journey to the marathon finish line. The challenges experienced during the extended training and the race itself force almost every marathoner to dig deeply.  Most discover hidden resources which empower them to confront other challenges in life.  According to several experts that I have interviewed, each back-of-the-pack marathoner influences several dozen sedentary citizens to change their health behaviors for the better.
 
The finishing of a marathon bestows a unique sense of worth that can last for a lifetime - regardless of finish time.  We need to salute the efforts of those at the back who did not inherit the genetic material to run on a collegiate cross country team, but who inserted training into busy career and family schedules, improved their health and inspire others.

Jeff Galloway
US Olympian
www.RunInjuryFree.com

Comments

[Jennifer]

Thank you for this post. I am one of the "plodders" who has dreamed of signing up for a marathon but has resisted out of, among other things, fear of being in the way of the "real" runners. It's gratifying to know that the majority of marathoners respect those of us who simply want to aspire to a goal that seems impossible, and feel the rush of pride and accomplishment that comes with crossing the finish line.

[TracyTC]

Sadly, Jeff, it's not just the marathons. I participated in a 10K "fun run" (Santa Monica Gobble Wobble) this past weekend where being at the back of the pack was anything but "fun." Despite keeping up a respectable walking pace of 15 minutes/mile, cones were repeatedly picked up in front of us and we were pushed to the sidewalk to mix it up with the Saturday morning kids and dogs out for strolls. Inappropriate jokes were also made by the emcee about the last runners over the line (happy it wasn't me). I noticed that the event organizers are triathletes. It appears that elitism is alive and well on the fun run circuit, too.

[Riaarunnerboy]

How you could possibly differentiate between those who are serious marathoners and those who just do it for the accomplishment.

Case in point: myself
-I was a high school and collegiate runner, with respectable PR's of 4:09 for 1500m, 9:06 for 3k, and 15:30 for 5k
-My first marathon was a sub 3:10 effort as a 20-year-old male, during my collegiate career. (As a 15:30 5k runner, a 'serious' effort would've been around 2:40.)
-I had averaged only about 25 miles per week for the six months prior. Not nearly a 'serious' training regime.
-I walked about a minute of each mile from 20-25 miles, and about half of the final mile. Not very serious.
-I was carrying a disposable camera for my first marathon (RNR in SD) and stopping to take pictures with people along the way. I also ran to the side to give hugs to my supporters twice along the route. Not very serious.
-My fondest memory of the race was a picture with my back to the balloon-arch "Wall" that was set up at mile 20; as runners went by, I was simply standing there posing for a picture.

Does my time merely make me a serious runner because I was a little more gifted to be able to run sub 3:10 without any real training and without running the entire time? Or how about my second and third marathons, where I probably ran a total of 50 miles in the three months leading up to them, and made it to about 13-15 miles of continuous running, then ran/walked the remainder... my finishing times of around 4:00-4:30 are still very respectable, but not nearly 'serious' by any stretch of the imagination. Yet most who finish that fast could still be considered 'serious.'

Preaching to the choir a little here, but I believe a 'serious' marathoner is ANYBODY who undertakes the task of trying to accomplish the 26.2 miles. And I can tell you that my first comments to anybody considering a marathon are all about the sense of accomplishment I felt from FINISHING the great distance.

Probably the most important fact in all of this is the historical significance of the event. A man who was worn and tired from messenging and battle rose up to carry a message of extreme national importance, to the point of utter exhaustion and ultimately death. But the message got through. So, too, does everybody who now shakes off the exhaustion of life and embarks on the 26.2 mile journey.

From the 12 willing participants in the first organized marathon in 1896, to the now over 400,000 who finish in the US alone... each one deserves the recognition that they finished. Phidippides accomplishment was remembered by the saving of a country; the rest of us get a t-shirt and a medal. To each his own.

[SpryFeet]

Thank you, Jeff. I expressed a similar reaction back on October 25th in this post on SpryFeet.com: http://www.spryfeet.com/2009/10/25/only-the-top-three-marathoners-need-apply/

[Wildfire16to80]

Thank you, thank you for saying exactly what I was thinking...in such a succinct, effective and intelligent way. As a "plodder" we appreciate you standing up for our efforts and achievements. - Heather

[Get_atty]

Jeff:
Outstanding response to a mean-spirted NY Times article.

When I told my friend Jay that I'd like to run a marathon, he gave me your book. That inspired me that I could do it. I completed Houston in 2008 with a back of the pack time.

In 2009 I trained more and returned and improved my time by more than an hour to 5:05. And I'm training this year for an even faster time on Jan. 17, 2010.

Here's to the Finishers!! "Better to dare mighty things..."

[Shawn Swafford]

Wow! I didn't even know this was a debate. It seems so unnecessary. If a race wants to be for the "elite", they can do it -- just up the qualifying times. But to say non-elites are not marathoners?

I ran my first marathon about 23 years ago at the tender age of 27 and ran it in 4:10. I probably could have had a better time. But I ran the first half with my 50 something year old mother who had just taken up running only a year or two before. I wouldn't even share this article with her and denigrate her accomplishment. Or my wife who took up running after we got married and did her 2nd marathon in Big Sur for a Leukemia Society fund raising event. (In fact, I think Jeff Galloway did the kickoff for that back in '95 or '96 in Macon -- or at least I remember getting a signed book at an event in Macon.)

Can't they just satisfy themself with being an "elite" marathoner and not denigrate the other 99.99% of the population who are really out there for no other purpose than just to run?

[Account Deleted]

I think what the article was referring more to was effort. I think if someone is trying their hardest and doing their best and still takes 7 hours to complete the race, then we all should be shouting at that finish line for them.
The article acts like their is an epidemic of not slow runners, but people out for a casual walk that just want to say that they did it. I think that is flat wrong. I've done two marathons and been a part of 3 others (did the Detroit 1/2, instead of the full). I never saw anyone who was looking like they were their to slack. Everyone was nervous, focused, excited, and ready. This op ed is just whiney and was able to find a couple of statistics to support their whine.