Quarter Marathon

[MikeofRose&Mike]

I've seen two half marathons that also include a quarter marathon. Do you think that a quarter marathon (10.5k) is stupid, just run a 10k, or a brilliant marketing scheme.

 

[paxsarah]

You don't have an option for "all of the above"!

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

I think it is a stupid idea personally. I mean I can understand people working their way up to a Marathon but how many increments do you need in order to do so? I can't be the only one that thinks that the Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon Relay is a bit weird too.

I think that there should be 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon and Full Marathon Relay/Full Marathon. For adults at least.

 

[JCH]

I agree, just call it a 10k, but I do wish Disney would offer one! Going to Disney is pretty much my motivation for runnung, but going from 5k to half marathon seems daunting.

 

[FireDancer]

I don't think it is really either. I'd prefer to just do a 10K because it is a more standard distance but I also understand the mental boost finishing a quarter marathon might be on the way to a half.

I've only seen once race that has a quarter though, at least of the ones I've considered, so I'm not sure how much of a trend it is.

I am a little surprised Disney doesn't do a 10K as part of a race weekend. I don't think it would be a stand alone race since going to FL for anything shorter than a half is not something a lot of people would do but having it as part of a longer race weekend just makes sense.

I do think though that it needs to be a proper event and not like the 5k's they do. I personally wouldn't do a 5k or 10k that costs $50+ and doesn't have any awards or even official results.

 

[fashionista311]

It's definitely a marketing scheme - but if gets people off the couch and out the door, at least it's doing some good, too.

 

[RunRookie]

I am running a 15K in November as a training run for my pacing and fueling. I think that makes some sense. The quarter marathon just seems like a strange distance to me.

 

[Honeymooner04]

I'm doing a quarter marathon in a couple of weeks that is attached to a half. My only motivation for doing it really was that I was in search of a race with a distance 10K or longer to use as a longish training race and it is local. As an added bonus, I really like the theme of the race.

For me, it's all about the theme.

 

[DisneyRunnerGirl]

The only quarter marathons I know of are in my hometown.

Let me give you some info about these that may help you better understand what is going on with these quarter marathons.....

I think it is really important to note that both are run simultaneously with half marathons with courses that overlay the half courses. This set up gives folks who do the quarter the big race feel and support of a half including course support like bands, bigger crowds cheering you on and while you don't want to need it - the same large medical staff that is there for the half. Quarter folks also get really nice finisher medals.

In addition, the spring one has a kids race and a 5k on the same day. The 5k, quarter and half all post times. Every race gives out medals.

This particular company's races are all about the celebrating at the event that you are out there regardless of your age or speed potential- having fun while being fit, not about age group winners. For many folks taking the leap from a 5k to a half is hugely daunting. I agree that the distance is a variation on the 10k, but it is much tougher to find a local 10k than a 5k PLUS it is VERY tough to find a 10k that runs with a half to give you an idea of what the atmosphere is like at a half.

The spring race teams up with the city and a local TV station for "Commit to Be Fit", a program to encourage all ages to get out there and get moving. In addition to the half and quarter, it runs a 5k and a kids race all the same morning. Participants come out, have fun and when they have achieved their goal at one of the distances know that they can keep training and move up distance in nice increments each year.

It was really neat this year to see a new program that was done in cooperation with the local schools - the school kids were given logs and did short runs leading up to the race day. The idea was that they were going to run 13 miles BEFORE race day. On race day, they all came out and ran the last tenth mile to equal a half marathon with our mayor. Each child got a special medal for completing a half marathon distance by sticking to a training goal. In this day and age of more and more overweight and out of shape kids it was great to see a new and creative way to get kids excited about running.

Last but not least, as dumb as it sounds it amazes me how many novices don't get the conversion between miles and kilometers. I have run in 4 milers where newbies have actually said to me, "I KNOW I will have a really good time in this since I have run 5ks which are FARTHER"

Most folks get that a quarter marathon is halfway to a half marathon

The quarter may not be everyone's cup of tea, but then again there are marathoners who think a half is not worthwhile either....

 

[TooncesTDC]

It's an interesting question. I read statistics from 2010 that the number of half-marathon finishers have now essentially equaled the number of 10k finishers in the US. I imagine that there are more 10k events in the US, but the sizes of half-marathons are far larger. In my opinion, the 10k tends to attract faster, more competitive runners than half-marathons do. That's partially because many 10ks are run in combination with a 5k, and the slower, recreational runners choose the 5k distance, making the 10k speedier.

That being said, I imagine that if you want to offer a shorter race as part of a half-marathon, I can see the incentive to market it as a "quarter-marathon", which implicitly promises more of a large field, party atmosphere that you would expect from a 10k.

 

[John VN]

DisneyRunnerGirl, that sounds pretty cool!

This might seem dumb, but a Quarter Marathon is after all American sounding rather than a 10K or 15K. Same as bicycling a 100 miler or Century ride compared to a Metric Century ride of 62 miles.

I think in conjunction with a Half Marathon does indeed make sense and could bring out more individuals which would be good for the sport.

 

[mamacate]

In my area, New England, there are only a handful of 10Ks, many of which are really small and too fast for me. I've only done one, but I really like the distance--5K is too short and fast for this penguin, and half marathons are a bigger deal and not something I can just slot in to my training as a time trial. So I'd be happy to do a "quarter marathon" or anything in the 6-10 mile range, not because of what it's called but because it would add an option for me.

Cate

 

[scoolover]

I'll do a 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile, 3.425, 5 mile, 5.5 mile ...any chance for a PR is fine with me and odd distances usually fit the bill.

 

[VernRDH]

Maybe its just where I live, but 10ks are hard to come by here. Much less a quarter marathon. I would love to do either, since I really like the 10k distance (I have no speed for 5ks, but don't get "warmed up" until about 3 miles). I like halfs (having done 6, #7 coming up in 6 wks), but the 10k is just right.

Maybe I can suggest it to the running clubs locally....

 

[paxsarah]

I agree about the lack of 10Ks - as far as I can tell locally, there are about three annually, and two are in February. At least they could space them more evenly!

 

[hotblooded]

I've done one quarter-marathon, though it was officially considered a "long 10K." It was one lap of a four-loop marathon course. In that case, it makes sense to call it what it is.

 

[figment82]

I wish Disney did a 10k or a quarter marathon. My mom did the Everest 5k with us and had a blast, but we can't convince her to do a half because it's too much of a jump. She might have done wine and dine as a relay with us and done the shorter portion, but she wants to run WITH my dad instead of before/after him, and my dad and I wanted to do it as a half.

I kind of like the idea of a quarter marathon. When mom talks about EEC, she's always saying "oh but it was JUST a 5k". I was so proud of her for doing it, who cares that it was a shorter distance than a lot of the races my dad and I do together? I think if she could say "I did a quarter marathon!" that sounds much more impressive and it might give her the confidence to jump up to a half the next time.

 

[es45]

I really wish Disney did 10ks too.

 

[Lullabee]

Sounds super cute! There are all manner of races called "mini-marathon" so at least this is definable. Although, I've run an 8k and a 15k yet never a 10k so there seems to be a trend toward odd distances.