Does it @#$% anyone else off when....

[BamaEd1]

....so as I got home and got back into the swing of things, of course I told just about everyone I saw that I had just completed a marathon. Some people asked if that was the "Creek Walk/Run" that was held this passed weekend locally. That was a 5K, not a "real" race!!!!! It made me so mad!!!!!I did a MARATHON and my wife did a HALF-MARATHON, not a stinking 5k that just about anyone can do!!!!! We did something very special. We (not just DW and I but everyone who participated) sacrificed countless hours; our longest training runs/walks took longer than the 5k took for packet pick-up, race, finish prizes and cleanup combined. ARRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!

I know that they asked the question out of ignorance and yes, I am fairly shocked by my reaction. It caught me completely off guard, but then again, so did the huge feeling of accomplishment that I'm feeling and the huge sense of pride in being initiated into the marathoning community. This is such an awesome group of people and I hate to see any of us diminished.

 

[laxdef69]

Can't get mad at people for not understanding the work, sacrifices and discipline necessary to accomplish completing any race.

I doubt most folks were trying to downplay your or your wife's accomplishment...it just shows that they clearly aren't the group to look for kudos, congratulations or support from.

My co-workers think nothing of taking 4-5 hours for a round of golf...and truth be told, neither do I since I love it...but they think I am INSANE for having a saturday workout that is that long while training for the Ironman.

They just don't know what they don't know.

Anyway, congratulations!

Mike

 

[aldisneygrl]

It must just be those SA's (Southern Alabamians ) Cause this Northern Alabamian is amazed by your accomplishment!

You both DID do something very special and you should be PROUD!!!

 

[CarolA]

I actually always remember that my HARDEST race ever... the first 5K I ever ran. I nearly DIED.

So just try to remember that for some folks that 5K is quite an accomplishment!

I realize that doing the half was an accomplishment for me and am in awe of those who do the full.... It won't happen here LOL!

 

[mkymsehi]

Ed, either wear or display your medal at work. That'll shut them up, or at least get them to ask about your Disney medal.

 

[SamSam]

All races, whether they are 5 K's, 10 K's, 15 k's, 1/2 marathon or a full marathon are a huge accomplishment but most people that haven't participated simply don't understand what's involved in training for and then participating in an event.

My own personal 'arrghhh' comes when I tell someone I competed in a 15K and they are like 'oh, wow that's cool', till I tell them I walked most of it.........then it's like what's the big deal.

 

[bubba73]

I have a friend that is a sales rep for Disney. He is the one that comes around and does all of the travel shows trying to talk you into doing a Disney trip of some sort. (Like that is a hard job!) Anyway, the day of the Half, the local AAA was having "Disney Days" and he was there. My Mom, wife and kids went there to see him and say Hi! I sent my wife a text message and told her to let him know how I did. A couple of hours later, I get a ring on my phone for a voice mail. (The phone never rang but I had terrible reception in the room.) Anyway, it was my friend offering is congratulations to me saying that I had just one the 5k Marathon at Walt Disney World. I had to smile and laugh about it. I called and let him know what the difference was but it didn't make me mad. I know that if you are not a runner, then you probably have no clue what the differences are in the distance. It's just not something that you thought about. But we know and being the educated few that we are, it is our jobs to inform and educate both distance and health.

Great job Ed! Keep our politicians in line down in Montgomery!

Bryan

 

[MomofCKJ]

I just did the Half last weekend but last June when I did my first 5K ever in my life, it was a real race to me and kind of a big deal. Everyone starts somewhere, maybe they just don't understand. When I wasn't a runner I know I didn't.

Allyson

 

[momof2minnies]

Yes Ed same thing happened to me.We were at my DD17 bball game the other night and 2 women who I have not seen for a while asked if I was still running.I said yes as a matter of fact we just came home from WDW because I did the marathon.
One women said to me how long is that, I did say 26.2 miles but she proceeded to say 5k or 10k??????????? Aren't they all called marathons?Ah HUH? Well knowing this woman we all just laughed.She wants to start running,I told her I have a few books she can borrow!

Saw her last night, now she says I scare her!HA!HA!

Linda

 

[gsu1988]

I find that most people outside of the running/walking community have no concept of what a half marathon or a full marathon is. It is not their fault it is just that is not where their interest lies. That is why I try to express it in miles first. I told someone at work yesterday who was looking at my medals;

"That one is for running 13.1 miles, the half marathon on Saturday, that one is for running 26.2 miles the ful marathon on Sunday and that is the one you get if you are stupid enough to do them both."

They seem to get a little better respect for the distance when you put it that way. I don't think anyone is trying to belittle our accomplishments I think they just do not know what it is we have done.

 

[FireDancer]

I have to say I haven't experienced a lot of this. While most people have no concept of what distance a 5K or marathon is they know a marathon is pretty long.

We know what we accomplished and the running/jogging/walking community knows so as long as we keep patting each other on our collective backs I say who needs them.

 

[Villains_Rock]

One thing I can't stand if when people refer to me as a jogger...or the attitude of "Oh...how cute...you jog every day!" There nothing "jogger" about a serious tempo run or an interval workout or a 20 mile LSD. I know they don't care about our passion or running, but don't belittle us for it! Geesh.

 

[jam217]

I agree that most non runners don't understand the different distances. This is a conversation I had Christmas Eve with my cousin when she found out I did the Steamtown Marathon in October.

Her -- "How long was that marathon?''
Me -- "26.2 miles.''
Her -- "And how long is the Disney marathon?''
Me - "26.2 miles.''

And my own mother never understood why the smaller races are in kilometers and large ones are measured in miles.

 

[laxdef69]

...And my own mother never understood why the smaller races are in kilometers and large ones are measured in miles.

Have to admit, I don't understand that, either. I also don't quite understand how the Ironman distances came to be chosen...2.4 instead of 2 miles? 112 instead of 100?

 

[corinnak]

I also finished the WDW Half Marathon last weekend. I have had the opposite kind of confusion here. During training and after, I can't tell you the number of people who have talked about my "marathon." It's like the difference between -10º and -30º to someone who lives somewhere warm. It's just hard to fathom what that difference really physically MEANS if you've never been in temperatures that cold, you know?

 

[laughinplace199]

In my neck of the woods, everyone seems to know how long a marathon is.

However, whenever I mentioned to anyone that I was running a marathon, the conversation would go something like this...

Friend/relative/neighbor/etc: I hear you're running a marathon.
Me: Yes, it's my first and I'm really excited.
Friend/relative/neighbor/etc: Where is the marathon?
Me: Disney World
Friend/relative/neighbor/etc: Oh...how many miles is it?
Me: It's 26.2 miles.
Friend/relative/neighbor/etc: Really? Wow!

At first I thought it was because I'm new to running and people didn't think I could/would run that far. But, my DH (who has been running for years) had the same conversation with many of his coworkers. I think that once people hear the race is in Disney, the assume it's a "Mickey Mouse" marathon and not a real one.

 

[escape]

I get funny reactions all the time and I've been told "you don't look like a runner" from many people. I'm not a runner. I walk mostly with a little running mixed in.

What I find a little annoying is not from the non-running community but from within the running community. When I mention that I completed a marathon, I'm then asked what my time was. When I tell them it was around a 6:40, then it's the standard - "Oh" (as if anyone can do that without trying). I can't really say that it bothers me too much because I have a medal - the same medal the first place finisher gets.

 

[AuntieM03]

I did 2 5k's and a half marathon in 2008. They all felt like "real" races to me. As was said before a 5k is a real accomplishment for some and should not be diminished. Congratulations on finishing the marathon.

 

[Cruella de mom]

Ed - non runners do not get it. I once saw a t shirt that said "ALL marathons are 26.3 miles long" I was new to running at the time so I didn't get it. Now I do.
My daughter runs track and the track coach knew I was running Goofy so he asked her "how did your mom do last weekend?" She replied "great she pr'd and she's thrilled" coach: "do you know her time?" daughter: "4 hours and 20 minutes" (she got it wrong but hey I'll take it) At this point the kids around my daughter are shocked. "Your mom RAN for 4 hours?" So how does my daughter respond? not with 'my mom rocks' or 'yeah isn't she fast' but she says "last year she ran over 5 hours!" She is my daughter and yet even she didn't get why her coach burst out laughing!

 

[BamaEd1]

I did 2 5k's and a half marathon in 2008. They all felt like "real" races to me. As was said before a 5k is a real accomplishment for some and should not be diminished. Congratulations on finishing the marathon.

I'm not diminishing a 5k at all and yes, they are real races; Olympic events in fact. However, they are not marathons....I guess its just the ignorance of the people asking. It's like saying that you climbed Everest and having someone say that they went rock climbing back in boy scouts/girl scouts. It is the same activity but two very different parts of it. In fact, I run with a guy who has run Boston before and only does 5&10k's now. He likes the fact that his "long" runs take less than an hour instead of 2 or 3 (he's fast). I love 5k's myself, the purpose of the post was basically how it made me mad when people confuse them.