The Bark

Marathons: Race or “Metres for Millions” Fundraiser? By Ken Parker Many less competitive people think that racers are taking both the event and themselves too seriously. To them the “race” is really a social event, and they run/walk it no B efore Ottawa had a marathon race, the city held a faster than their training runs. 50-km fundraising walk called Miles for Millions Jim Hage, who won the Marine Corps Marathon in in the 1970s. (After “metrification,” it became 1988 and 1989, makes it clear which side of the argument Metres for Millions.) One year a local marathoner ran the he favours. “Why don’t charity runners start with more entire distance. Soon Ottawa boasted a world-renowned manageable goals, like walking at the mall, jogging at a marathon race that attracted runners from virtually every local high school track or even competing in five kilocontinent. The Metres for Millions walk disappeared. metre races?” he says. “They could work their way up to

Thirty years later, have we come full circle? Are charirunning the entire 26.2, just like the rest of us have done ties now taking over marathons? For several years many – and maybe even decide to do it for the run, not to raise established marathons (and other races) have focussed on money for some other cause.” raising funds for charities, filling events with thousands of On the other hand, Hage seems resigned to the changnon-competitive runners. This has led to conflict between ing face of running when he says, “When charity runners serious runners and the joggers/walkers who block their first descended upon the marathon en masse, they were path. immediately blamed for everything from ‘dumbing down

The Washington Post recently published a story entitled the most prestigious of athletic events’ to corrupting the “A Running Feud: Marathon Groups Split.” The newscompetitive spirit with an ‘everyone’s a winner’ attitude. paper said “marathons are attracting two types of runners: serious athletes, and newcomers who think the elite runners are “We needed to develop some guidelines and establish race manners and proper road etiquette.” smug and narrow-minded.”

According to the Post, the focus of marathons changed Ten years later, while U.S. marathoners remain as slow as from an emphasis on performance to one on compleever, internationally the health of the marathon has never tion or survival, popularized by Ironman triathlon and been stronger.” Adventure races. Naturally, this creates a diverse (and Recognizing the tension between newer and older rundivided) field. ners, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is trying

“The Marine Corps is the local marathon (in to educate novice charity runners through RRCA Vice Washington), but now I feel it’s not worth the effort to try President, Freddi Carlip’s, Miss Road Manners. “We’re to get in,” says Paul Goldenberg of Columbia, a veteran just trying to spread the gospel of good race manners,” of 42 marathons. “It’s unfortunate. I don’t have anything says Carlip. “We needed to develop some guidelines and against raising money or training programs that help establish race manners and proper road etiquette.” people. But if it’s meant to be a race, I just want to sign Locally, Ottawa’s National Capital Race Weekend is up and run.” experiencing overcrowding. This necessitates a route

Sometimes longtime, serious runners resent races change next year that will help alleviate the problem, but that turn into fundraisers because the quality of the will not eliminate it. Has Ottawa’s marathon weekend run deteriorates. Many serious runners are annoyed by become a “Metres for Millions” type of event or is its runners/walkers who take the Jeff Galloway approach that goal still to be an Olympic trials calibre race? advocates walking breaks at regular intervals. “(These The National Capital marathon was originally adverparticipants) walk three or four abreast. They don’t tised as “The Runner’s Race.” It had one of the highest even know how to behave at water stops,” says Henley percentages of sub-three-hour finishers of any marathon in Gabeau, of the Road Runner’s Club of America. the world. Today, despite increasing numbers, the perfor

The problem stems from a lack of understanding by mance standard has dropped dramatically, as it has across newer, less serious runners. Competitive runners are very North America. social animals on most long training runs. However, What are your thoughts on this subject? Can a race when it comes to racing they are goal-oriented and focus cater both to serious runners and charity joggers? Should on achieving a specific time. They feel that a “race” it try? Or should there be separate events? should be managed as such. Overcrowding the course Take the survey at the Runner’s Web....and/or post your with thousands of people who do not share this philosocomments in our forum at: www.RunnersWeb.com. phy only creates conflict. —Ken Parker is a long-time runner, coach and race-organizer.

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