Can you racewalk a marathon in less than 3hrs?

[cewait]

Don't look up the answer - just looking for folks paradigms on the subject.


Post an anwser in reply then scroll down........
















































It's possible but not happened, yet. It's like the 2 hour marathon barrier. The world best racewalk time in the 50k is 3:34:13. This equates to a 6:53 pace or 3:00:28. Granted there is a little issue comparing a 31 mile event versus a 26 mile event and quite possibly Denis Nizhegorodov, the record holder may have beat 3 hours without the extra 5 miles.

The World Best time is 2 years old so one would expect the next Olympics to possible drop the record below an equivalent 3 hrs.

 

[MeredithRX]

That's just amazing to me. I feel like I would be doing something spectacular to walk a Half Marathon in 3 hours. As it is, it looks like it's going to take me a little longer.

It's amazing what the human body can do.

 

[Honeibee]

Here's my reply, before I looked -----> Maybe YOU can, Charles, but don't look at me.

 

[cewait]

In a very HONEST answer I could never walk a half marathon in a 16 minute pace. I would have to start from mile 0 in training. I can walk a 12-13 minute pace for maybe 3 miles but soon feel like my world is coming to an end.

I am very serious when I say I am impressed with anyone who can walk 13, 26 or 31 miles at a pace that avoids a sweeper.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Okay - so I cheated Sorry, I am the person who has to read the end of a book before the start - I just can't help myself.

But I just wanted to ask; how long these people's legs? Standing at 5"2 (and most of this height being in my top 1/2) - I can't even begin to contemplate how someone could do this. I don't think I could do a 5k at a 16 min/mile pace without being swept. You walkers rock

Kirsty

 

[MeredithRX]

In a very HONEST answer I could never walk a half marathon in a 16 minute pace. I would have to start from mile 0 in training. I can walk a 12-13 minute pace for maybe 3 miles but soon feel like my world is coming to an end.

I am very serious when I say I am impressed with anyone who can walk 13, 26 or 31 miles at a pace that avoids a sweeper.

**Rather unrelated comments**

OK, can I just tell you how incredibly good this made me feel. I've been very down because I've been desperate to get my pace up (I do 16 min/mile and have made it up to 10 miles reliably so far) and can't run like I want to. I've got MS and can run/jog for a very short distance, but much more than that and my coordination goes and I tend to trip. I'm dead set on walking these half marathons I have planned and adding a teeny bit of jogging if I feel I can do it that day.

The fact that even COACH said it was difficult to do makes me feel so proud of myself for making it so far! I'm definitely afraid of sweepers, since I will be right on the cusp the entire time, but it's not going to stop me from trying. I may not avoid them, but they're going to have to catch me first!

**Back to our regularly scheduled post**

 

[escape]

Well, I won't. Heck, I'd be happy at twice that speed. I do believe someone will someday. The people who can do this are amazing. There are several WISHers who racewalk and I know of at least one who is pretty darned good at it - Windwalker Dave.

Okay - so I cheated Sorry, I am the person who has to read the end of a book before the start - I just can't help myself.

But I just wanted to ask; how long these people's legs? Standing at 5"2 (and most of this height being in my top 1/2) - I can't even begin to contemplate how someone could do this. I don't think I could do a 5k at a 16 min/mile pace without being swept. You walkers rock

Kirsty

There was a girl at the racewalking clinic I took a few weeks ago that is a little shorter than you. She's been racewalking a little over a year now and completed her first marathon racewalking last March. She finished in a little over 5 hours. Not bad. She is super speedy despite having short legs. However, I will say that most of the speedy people in the clinic had long, lean legs. I was amazed at how fast they were. And the beauty of it all = most (in the clinic) are 45 or older.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Ok, I WAS patting myself on the back cause I did 7 miles last night walking at a 14 minute a mile pace..... I have/am planning on doing the 1/2 wine/dine walking...and NOT getting swept

However, I am hoping to incorporate a run(jog)/walk plan as we get closer.....My last 5K I was at 13 minutes per mile....however I lost a few mths of training over the summer...

I am hoping to join friends at the finish line around 1-15 am!

But I cannot imagine someone walking for a full!!!! That is amazing!
Interesting thread!

 

[escape]

**Rather unrelated comments**

OK, can I just tell you how incredibly good this made me feel. I've been very down because I've been desperate to get my pace up (I do 16 min/mile and have made it up to 10 miles reliably so far) and can't run like I want to. I've got MS and can run/jog for a very short distance, but much more than that and my coordination goes and I tend to trip. I'm dead set on walking these half marathons I have planned and adding a teeny bit of jogging if I feel I can do it that day.

The fact that even COACH said it was difficult to do makes me feel so proud of myself for making it so far! I'm definitely afraid of sweepers, since I will be right on the cusp the entire time, but it's not going to stop me from trying. I may not avoid them, but they're going to have to catch me first!

**Back to our regularly scheduled post**

You should be proud! Walking a 16-min mile is no easy feat (no pun intended). Having MS makes it extra hard. Way to go for being able to do 10 miles at this point. That is awesome!!! Keep up the good work. You can do it!

Edited to add: Ask any runner who's been forced to walk a race just how difficult the process was? I know several who said they gained a new respect for walkers after having to walk a race.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Sure, if you have super long legs! There has to be a world record for speed walking! I wonder if that person would ever consider doing a marathon?

 

[cewait]

I may be one of the few forum members who remember this -- Disney did have a race walkers division in the first 10 years. There were judges scattered along the course looking for foot contact and straight leg fouls.

 

[escape]

Charles, yes, I think I did hear something about this but I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it. I guess with the increase in participants, it made it almost impossible to judge?

Racewalking is something I would like to incorporate into my routine but I can't right now. It's a whole different movement than what I'm currently doing. I need to start from scratch, work on my form and build up the miles slowly. Maybe someday I can knock 3 or 4 minutes off my current pace without running.

 

[BriarRabbit]

Oh yeah? What if he was being chased by Samurai?

http://videosift.com/video/World-Champion-Race-Walker-Attacked-By-Samurai-Run-or-Walk