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Yeah, and if you do a full marathon you’re subconsciously not committing to do an ultra
by shepherdjerred 4y ago
Yeah, and if you do a full marathon you’re subconsciously not committing to do an ultra
- kazinator 4y agoI don't have a sense that the same psychology is at play there. The marathon stands alone as the iconic event; it is not defined as a truncated ultramarathon. While the half marathon (like any distance) is a serious sport at the competitive level, to the ordinary recreational runner, it just represents an easier version of the marathon. People of all kinds decide to try the marathon for all sorts of reasons, and for many people, the goal is simply completing. That goal is much easier when the distance is cut in half. Many a recreational runner can knock off 21 km over an extended lunch break, and then shower and get back to work like nothing happened.
- shepherdjerred 4y agoI don't know. I have many friends that regularly do halves. I know fewer that do a marathon for than once. A half marathon is not an easy thing to do. It requires preparation and training -- obviously not as much as a full marathon, but still quite a bit, especially if you're not someone who runs regularly. There's always something harder or more prestigious to do -- for many people a half marathon is enough of an accomplishment that they don't feel the need to progress, in the same way that many feel that many think a marathon is enough and they don't need to run an ultra.