WSJ Article

[cewait]

The balloon ladies have made the big time. There was a nice article written in the WSJ about them.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304561004579137713459355656.html

 

[wiigirl]

Great article.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

"....finishing a course requires little more than a brisk walk...."

 

[Figment1990]

"....finishing a course requires little more than a brisk walk...."

Yeah... uh, I love the balloon ladies and am glad that they are getting a little love here.... but to say completing a half marathon or marathon requires just a little more than a brisk walk is ridiculous. Even if you can briskly walk 15 min miles, can you do that for 3:30 hours??? That takes training and NOTHING GOING WRONG on race day. What about heat, humidity, rain, bathroom breaks, water breaks, shoe malfunctions, an illness, an injury, bad allergy attack, a fall on a speed bump, etc etc etc. Yes, you CAN do it at a 15 min pace, but it's not a cake walk like this article makes it sound. Sheesh!

 

[DoctorK]

Thanks for posting - I missed this article this morning.

 

[cewait]

"....finishing a course requires little more than a brisk walk...."

The author was obviously a non-runner who lacks context. The point of the story in my mind is that everyone who toes the line is an athlete. What I would have really liked for the author to say is that

Every athlete out there is struggling to win their personal race. For some, additional competition comes from the runner one is attempting to beat across the line. For others, the additional competition is to beat the balloon ladies. For all, the competition is against the inner demon trying to tell them to stop.

 

[Figment1990]

The author was obviously a non-runner who lacks context. The point of the story in my mind is that everyone who toes the line is an athlete. What I would have really liked for the author to say is that

I am sorry if I stirred the pot. It was a nice article about the balloon ladies and the "back-of-the-packers" (of which I have been, in some races). All the participants are athletes, as jeff pointed out in the article. The courage to sign up and the commitment to train is admirable in and of itself and the journey is worth just as much as the race. But honestly, to make it seem like all you have to do is a little more than a brisk walk was a little condescending. I was surprised to hear that Competitor group picks people up and takes them further up the course. I did not know that. I'm forever grateful that places like Disney and Rock n Roll races, Nike, space coast, etc have gotten so many people into running. It's a wonderful thing. But it's a real challenge whether you are a faster runner or slower runner and the author seemed a bit well... rude and unknowledgeable about that.

Ok, I've stirred the pot enough today. I'm very sorry. I should stop typing now.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

Stirring the pot is ok, that is why I posted the quote.

The problem with many of these online "articles" is that they are so ridiculously written without any background research just to provide content.

 

[cewait]

It is a little more than a walk in the park....

 

[FireDancer]

Yeah... uh, I love the balloon ladies and am glad that they are getting a little love here.... but to say completing a half marathon or marathon requires just a little more than a brisk walk is ridiculous. Even if you can briskly walk 15 min miles, can you do that for 3:30 hours??? That takes training and NOTHING GOING WRONG on race day. What about heat, humidity, rain, bathroom breaks, water breaks, shoe malfunctions, an illness, an injury, bad allergy attack, a fall on a speed bump, etc etc etc. Yes, you CAN do it at a 15 min pace, but it's not a cake walk like this article makes it sound. Sheesh!

I think you are taking what the author said wrong and reading too much into it. I didn't take what he said as walking a marathon was easy but rather that a 15 mpm pace is the pace of a brisk walk. If you can keep up that pace for 26.2 miles you have completed a marathon at the pace of a brisk walk. I didn't take it as an insult or put down and would agree that a 15 mpm pace is a brisk walk. Slower then a jog but faster then a casual walk relatively speaking.

It was a good article and no matter what pace you do a marathon in (or shorter race) I congratulate anyone who gets out there and finishes.

 

[joan4mickey]

I'm more confused about the last statement...she finished her first half in 4:28??? That works out to a 20+mm. If the requirement is 16mm, then I think some will assume that a slower mile pace will be fine. The message is that it is "ok, to go over the required pace and not get swept", but I fear some one in the future will be swept at that pace and he/she will wonder why.

 

[Figment1990]

I'm more confused about the last statement...she finished her first half in 4:28??? That works out to a 20+mm. If the requirement is 16mm, then I think some will assume that a slower mile pace will be fine. The message is that it is "ok, to go over the required pace and not get swept", but I fear some one in the future will be swept at that pace and he/she will wonder why.

I did not even catch that. I wonder if they meant 3:28.

And Coach - yep, same guy. I read that slowest generation articles too. Don't get me started.

 

[cewait]

I'm more confused about the last statement...she finished her first half in 4:28??? That works out to a 20+mm. If the requirement is 16mm, then I think some will assume that a slower mile pace will be fine. The message is that it is "ok, to go over the required pace and not get swept", but I fear some one in the future will be swept at that pace and he/she will wonder why.

I did not even catch that. I wonder if they meant 3:28.

And Coach - yep, same guy. I read that slowest generation articles too. Don't get me started.

Net Time 4:28 - Clock Time 4:43:44. That would make her a corral hopper as well. That spread between times represents a B corral start in the 2013 PHM.

 

[paxsarah]

It would have been C. I started in B and only had a 9 minute spread. C would have been 7 minutes later, matching her 15-16 minute spread. But still. With the new corrals and time requirements, having that sort of buffer is going to be even less likely.

 

[cewait]

You're right... I was looking at the delta and saw that it was just before the scheduled C start. I was thinking a late B but I am sure that the runner was pushing up as far as possible.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Interesting article. I'm glad that they also explored the Rock 'n Roll Series policy of busing people further on the course.

Running a half marathon is not a joke. For many people, a 16 minute pace is not a joke. However, it's always a judgment call whether or not you should be taking pictures.

 

[taratru]

RnR buses people ahead in the race?!?!? Isn't that, um...cheating?

I'm all for people being active and doing whatever it takes to have fun and be fit and try new things. But races almost always have cutoffs for safety reasons, which I agree with.

 

[RnbwSktles]

Being swept is my greatest fear!