August 31, 2008 Marathons are a thing of beauty The Olympics are finally over, and everyone can now get some much-needed sleep after watching late-night TV of the events on Beijing time. The track and field events were in the last week; and one of the final events was the running of the marathon. Television showed the entire race that lasted over two hours. The problem with watching the marathon is that it takes a long time before a winner is determined. It’s not like the 100-meter dash that gets through in a shade over nine seconds. People today are very time conscious; and if their computer does not flash on in three seconds, they complain and look for one that is more up-to-date and faster. So even the 100-meter dash is a long time for them. For runners, the race was over in a world-record time, and the grace and speed of the runners was a thing of beauty to watch. Then comes the marathon. Most non-runners probably put watching a marathon one notch above watching paint dry. Watching runners race for over two hours can be very boring to a non-runner, and even some beginning runners. The people who really enjoy the marathon event are runners who have attempted, or even run, a marathon. These marathon runners really appreciate what these athletes are doing. What is not realized, compared to running on the track for 100 meters, 400 meters or even 1,500 meters, is the speed at which marathoners are moving. I usually break down speed in relation to running once around a 400-meter track, or for some of the senior runners, 440 yards. One time around the track for a four-minute mile time takes one minute, or 60 seconds. An average runner cruising along at an 8-minute pace takes two minutes to run around the track one time. In my earlier days as a runner, we would always train to get close to a six-minute mile pace for a 5K distance. This means averaging 90 seconds to run around the track one time. We would usually average around 82-85 seconds for a lap. Then we would walk 200 meters (half a lap) to recover, and repeat this process 12 times. I never quite managed to hit that six-minute average pace, but came within a few seconds of it several times in a 5K race. Listening to the announcers during the marathon, they commented that in the first five miles, the runners were under a five-minute pace. The marathon runners were averaging less than 75-second quarters without a rest between each quarter, or even between the miles. To an observer of the television, it looks like they are just jogging along down the street at a somewhat leisurely pace. Knowing how fast that 70-75-second quarter is, in relation to running, I was very impressed with this effort by the group. And as they went further into the distance, some of the times dropped down to 4:30 per mile pace. In many circles, running a mile at that pace will win you the race. Knowing how much effort it takes to run a “fast” quarter interval training time, and then rest between bursts of speed, just imagine and realize that the marathoners are running that fast for 105 quarter miles in a row without a rest. I have run a number of marathons in the past and thought of each mile, because then you only had to think of 26 miles and an extra 385 yards (which in itself can really seem like a long distance if you are tired). Thinking of counting down 105 quarter miles would be an impossible task in itself. When you are out 20 miles into the marathon and starting to wonder why you ever signed up to do this distance in the first place, it becomes difficult to even keep track of each mile. Watching the runners come in behind the winners, you forget that they are still running either under or very close to that five-minute mile for the entire distance. A runner who comes in even five minutes behind the winner is still only about 19 seconds slower per mile than the winner. In a 5K race, that amounts to less then one minute behind the winner and being labeled a slow runner. For non-runners, I can imagine watching the race was boring. For a runner who has run a marathon, the strategy of the race, the change of pace throughout the race, watching the early runners try to stay up with the leaders before falling off the pace and becoming a participant instead of a medal winner was a fascinating thing to watch. You need to train for and run a marathon before the London Olympics in 2012, so that you can appreciate watching the next marathon on television, the same way other marathon runners do. Dr. Maurice Johnson - better known around San Marcos as “Moe” - is a professor in the Department of Health, P.E., Recreation and Dance at Texas State University - San Marcos. Moe has been a fixture in the San Marcos running community - both as a runner and race organizer - since way back when Moby Dick was a minnow. His column on running and fitness appears each Sunday in the Sports section of the San Marcos Daily Record. • Recent “Running With Moe” Columns • Home • About the Club • Current News • Club Runs • Places To Run • TX Running Clubs • Running Links • Useful Stuff Upcoming Races • Race Results • Country Roads 10K & Kids Run • ARA-Moe’s Better Half Marathon • “Running With Moe” Contact Us!