If somebody's just smarter than you, I mean, what are you supposed to do about that? Take vitamins?

I was reading in a forum yesterday about how the Houston marathon has changed their cut-off time from 5 and a half hours to 6 hours. And people, fast runners, are LIVID about it. "Bowing to the turtles", "weakening the sport", etc. etc.

Man. I tell you what. That pisses me off. Like people who run continuously for 6 fucking hours are LAZY? Are losers? Are wannabes?

I can see restricting time and walkers because of logistical things - can't have the course open that long, can't find the volunteers, etc. Even "want to focus on elite running", like Boston or what. But 5.5 or 6 hours isn't the fucking olympic trials, man. (heh, not that houston even has any elite runners in the field, they have no prize money. so this all seems even sillier, it's like complaining about how the Poodleville Mother/Daughter 5k isn't hard core enough.) Complaining about the difference is just all about you being a jerk. It's great that you run 2:50. But here's the deal, you run 6 hours at that speed, and then I will be as impressed with you as I am with the people who take 6 hours and don't. walk. a. step. They're not running an experiment in how slow humans can go and they're not doing it to piss you off. They're not gifted by nature but they're out there running anyhow. That impresses the pants off me, I tell you what. I think it's great that houston is moving to be more inclusive.

heh, anyway. probably it just touches a nerve because I wonder if I'll need to register for the walker's start next May in my marathon. (which doesn't have a cutoff time =)) I assumed up until now that yes, of course I'd have to - whatever nature had in mind when it designed my body, running was not it. But I'm starting to think maybe not. Right now my long run pace is slow, and I mean I can walk at the same speed. If I kept it up for 26.2 miles, which I couldn't right now, it'd take 6 and a half hours. But I have a year. I wonder.

man, too much mayonnaise is really disgusting.