Walkers, ever feel this way at races?

[John VN]

I have been a walker for 3 years worth of competitions and it still bothers me, feeling left out, when announcers do not recognize us walkers in a race. Plenty of this recently at WDW's Half and Full pre-race and during the races.

We do the same distances and often spend much more time out there. Seems to me that the true endurance athletes are the walkers. Just think, 2+ hours for a marathon compared to 6+.

I know that I feel good when the tortoise passes the hare.

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Didn't the walk/run method kind of ruin it because how do they know who walked the whole thing and was just doing an interval? Regardless...I don't see why anyone would differentiate themselves from runners because as long as you are on the course, you are no different. In my view, everyone out there is a runner regardless if they cross the finish line in an hour or seven.

[goofeygirl]

I do hear what you are saying though. Sometimes you feel like when the clock passes a certain time, the rest of the finishers almost don't count. People are kind of over it by then, volunteers (God bless them) want to go home...
Sometimes other runners/joggers think you are nuts to be out on the race course for that long a period of time.
But its funny because once you have that medal around your neck, no one knows if you finished in record time fast or slow..you are all sort of the same.

[John VN]

Originally Posted by goofeygirl

I do hear what you are saying though. Sometimes you feel like when the clock passes a certain time, the rest of the finishers almost don't count. People are kind of over it by then, volunteers (God bless them) want to go home...
Sometimes other runners/joggers think you are nuts to be out on the race course for that long a period of time.
But its funny because once you have that medal around your neck, no one knows if you finished in record time fast or slow..you are all sort of the same.

We are all sort of the same as finishers but the way we finished is unique in that it was achieved by walking.

I guess I am different in that I feel proud that my accomplishment was by a different method of movement and at the same time envious of those who actually do run. To see a runners fluid motion is like watching a cheetah or thoroughbred horse at full speed. Poetry in motion.

To see walkers matching the distances that were at one time only meant for runners, brings on an emotion of profound respect for their accomplishments. There is a big difference between the Wright Bros. plane and the SR71 but in the end, they both got up and down in the effort of accomplishing their goals.

[rmgreenesq]

One of the things that I like about runDisney events is that Disney celebrates the last person across the finish line with the same amount of ceremony as the first person across the finish line.

Click here for a youtube video of the last person to finish the 2012 Disneyland Half Marathon

Click here for a one minute featurette interview of the last finisher of the 2013 Tinker Bell Half Marathon produced by runDisney.

Both of these athletes are walking, and they both got the same trophy and the same amount of prize money as the person who finished first.

Rick

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Originally Posted by rmgreenesq

One of the things that I like about runDisney events is that Disney celebrates the last person across the finish line with the same amount of ceremony as the first person across the finish line.

Click here for a youtube video of the last person to finish the 2012 Disneyland Half Marathon

Click here for a one minute featurette interview of the last finisher of the 2013 Tinker Bell Half Marathon produced by runDisney.

Both of these athletes are walking, and they both got the same trophy and the same amount of prize money as the person who finished first.

Rick

Thank you for posting that. The Air Force Marathon also gives an award to the last finisher. I think all races should do that.

[BikeFan]

Originally Posted by John VN

I have been a walker for 3 years worth of competitions and it still bothers me, feeling left out, when announcers do not recognize us walkers in a race. Plenty of this recently at WDW's Half and Full pre-race and during the races.

We do the same distances and often spend much more time out there. Seems to me that the true endurance athletes are the walkers. Just think, 2+ hours for a marathon compared to 6+.

I know that I feel good when the tortoise passes the hare.

Which do you think is harder, finishing a marathon in 2:XX:XX or 6:XX:XX? The fact that so many finish in less than 7 hours, and so many fewer finish in less than 3 hours, suggests it's harder to go faster. I have no problem with any competition celebrating the swift. It is a race, after all.

[John VN]

Originally Posted by BikeFan

Which do you think is harder, finishing a marathon in 2:XX:XX or 6:XX:XX? The fact that so many finish in less than 7 hours, and so many fewer finish in less than 3 hours, suggests it's harder to go faster. I have no problem with any competition celebrating the swift. It is a race, after all.

Time is not the concern I am referring to. I just think it would be nice if the announcers recognized the fact that there are WALKERS passing by in the race.

e.g.- "How many runners are going GOOFY?" was what I heard at the start on Sunday but it would have been encouraging to have also heard, "How many walkers are going GOOFY?"

[hungrygreenhippo]

I am a runner, but have walked some races when coming back from injury or illness and I think I get where you're going with this. One of the races I walked was the RNR AZ 1/2 marathon a few years ago. I trained for it and was able to meet my goal of coming in under 3 hours. It would have been nice to get some kind of recognition that I accomplished this by purely walking rather than simply being lumped in with the slower runners.

Unfortunately as someone pointed out earlier, I don't think it will ever be feasible to distinguish between walkers and runners because there's no way to tell whether someone truly walked the entire race. I've done a couple smaller races where they had separate award categories for walkers based on the honor system and that was pretty neat. But at larger races I think you just have to accept that they're using "runners" to mean all participants, the same way that "you guys" isn't gender-specific.

[indygirl99]

Originally Posted by John VN

I have been a walker for 3 years worth of competitions and it still bothers me, feeling left out, when announcers do not recognize us walkers in a race. Plenty of this recently at WDW's Half and Full pre-race and during the races.

We do the same distances and often spend much more time out there. Seems to me that the true endurance athletes are the walkers. Just think, 2+ hours for a marathon compared to 6+.

I know that I feel good when the tortoise passes the hare.

But John you didn't WALK the Goofy. From a post of yours on another thread:

M&M McFlurry John here

Friday's 5K was a nice walk in the park with DW

Saturday I left the motor home, parked in EPCOT lot, about 0515 and walked to the start for the Half. Went left and got in at the back of D. Felt good and headed out faster than planned. Spent LOTS of time on the grass passing! Speed walked first 9 miles then included some jogging since the knees felt OK. Finished in 2:15:10.

Bolding mine.

Maybe they don't recognize WALKERS because so many muddy the waters by not completely walking?

I myself do the Galloway and run/walk/run. I have much admiration for those who RUN the entire thing.

[John VN]

Originally Posted by indygirl99

But John you didn't WALK the Goofy. From a post of yours on another thread:

M&M McFlurry John here

Friday's 5K was a nice walk in the park with DW

Saturday I left the motor home, parked in EPCOT lot, about 0515 and walked to the start for the Half. Went left and got in at the back of D. Felt good and headed out faster than planned. Spent LOTS of time on the grass passing! Speed walked first 9 miles then included some jogging since the knees felt OK. Finished in 2:15:10.

Bolding mine.

Maybe they don't recognize WALKERS because so many muddy the waters by not completely walking?

I myself do the Galloway and run/walk/run. I have much admiration for those who RUN the entire thing.

In 2011 and 2012 I walked both Goofy races because back then I was not able to jog at all.

All I am trying to get across is that WALKERS are usually not recognized by announcers.

p.s. Replying to your But John you didn't WALK the Goofy, I did walk more than 3/4 the distance of each race. Jogging was still limited. If for some reason there were medals awarded to WALKERS, I would not consider myself to be eligible because I did do some jogging; however, at the same time I would not call myself a jogger because I did not jog the entire distances.

[Dreamer2012]

Maybe they should just announce "racers" - then everyones happy! But lets ALL remember we are ALL there to have fun!!

[rmgreenesq]

John:

Although I can run and finished the WDW Half Marathon in 2:21:11, tomorrow I'm going to get a flavor of what you did in January: I'm walking the Surf City Half Marathon with my wife. She can't run due to cardiac issues, so we are going to walk it together. Should be fun.

Rick

[John VN]

Originally Posted by Dreamer2012

Maybe they should just announce "racers" - then everyones happy! But lets ALL remember we are ALL there to have fun!!

Hi D2012, you hit the nail on the head. We are all racers no matter the speed. When I start a race my goal is to finish and only recently have I been able to add some jogging. Yes I did jog in the Half but it took 9 miles of walking to convince me that my knees were ready to go; however, when I crossed the start I was WALKING.

BTW, good luck to to you and DD and have a great time!

Originally Posted by rmgreenesq

John:

Although I can run and finished the WDW Half Marathon in 2:21:11, tomorrow I'm going to get a flavor of what you did in January: I'm walking the Surf City Half Marathon with my wife. She can't run due to cardiac issues, so we are going to walk it together. Should be fun.

Rick

You will have fun. I walk with DW except when DD can race with her. Last year we had the Sarasota First Watch Half Marathon relay where I went off first. I met her and she set off walking so I just continued with her to the finish. Great company. ENJOY.

[BikeFan]

Originally Posted by hungrygreenhippo

But at larger races I think you just have to accept that they're using "runners" to mean all participants, the same way that "you guys" isn't gender-specific.

That's the way I see it - runners=walkers. I have nothing but respect for race-walkers. The world record in walking for 50K (31 miles) is 3:34, faster than my marathon PR (3:56), which I ran the entire way except for the water stops! That's blazing fast!!