I got my medal thank you!!!

cougie wrote (see)

 I cant see London getting shut down for the day for the top 100 runners to do a marathon ?

I would happily see London shut down just  to have the top 100 marathon runners race.

Maybe it could be done just now and again, lets say every four years.

Ba boom tish!

Bit early for you eh Cougie?

You of  course Nick would never insult anyone !!

Nick Windsor 4 wrote (see)

Rich, you should call yourself Dick

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23042012/58/london-marathon-death-tests-place.html

This is why ill prepared runners get short shrift. It has nothing to do with snobbery.

Experienced runners can die yes. But no one wants to advise anyone to run a marathon that hasn't trained well for it.
We all think about the injury potential. Hoever moderate or severe that is the potential is still there.

I stood and watched from mile 17 until the walkers were comming through every few minutes. People who were going to take 8 hrs + to complete the distance. This isn't something that I would recommend anyone do. It isn't something that I would congratulate anyone for doing if they are generally physically and mentally fit. (of course we all know of people who have fought demons, struggled with adversity to get to the start but for the most part we also know that these people trained for it and are well aware of there limitations and competances.)

I will not pat Sally on the back and say well done. She knew she was under prepared. She knew that she was going to have to walk for the best part of 26.2 miles. She knows that if she had trained well that she should be capable of at least the avarage time of 4:15. For many finishing in pain is less demoralising than knowing you havr gone to far and pulling out. It's easier to continue than to give up. Most of us have been there at some point and know this.

Getting a medal for something that you didn't put the effort into seems a little hollow.

Sally knows that now she is fit she can find another marathon, train for it and run it all in a time that anyone would be proud of having put in the training.

It doesn't always work, things go wrong. Run / walking a marathon or any race is fine by me.

camillia sinensis assamica mouse wrote (see)

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23042012/58/london-marathon-death-tests-place.html

This is why ill prepared runners get short shrift. It has nothing to do with snobbery.

Sorry - yes to some extent you are correct, that I why I said even experienced runners can die.

It's the nagging doubt at the back of my head - the advising something that is going to be tough for someone who hasn't trained for it. That they may suffer more than they gain from it.

I kindof wanted to illustrate that it isn't always best to do something regardless. I know that it's hard to not to do a race that you want to do, esp something like London or Brighton (or any of the 'big' marathons).

I have recently changed from heel to forefoot landing and run with walking breaks although rather brief ones now (30-60 secs). I have Berlin marathon booked which I had booked before embarking on this journey to improve running form. Coach says I can only run/walk it, walk through water stations most probably. I originally wanted to quit as when I signed up for it I wanted to beat my previous marathon time (4:28:28). Currently my speed dropped and beating this time with walking breaks is unachievable. I am not sure whether running/walking this marathon will be for me, you need to be pretty much organised and keep your eye on the clock or walk through every water station. I may do it for the sake of having a place now and using it up but would not count this experience as marathon running as its purest form. I properly ran my last marathon all in one go and can now say 'I ran a marathon'. If I decide to do Berlin this year it will only be a training run.

What I am trying to say that a real achievement in my humble opinion is to run it in one go walking maybe briefly through water stations to take in more liquid. I think that applauding for minimal effort is false.

camillia sinensis assamica mouse wrote (see)

I will not pat Sally on the back and say well done.

...because she was just plain rude.