Run Run Away

Question:

I propose that bandits be shot on sight

that’s a good idea. photographic evidence always hold well if you want to haul them to court for illegal use of facilities. jobs

Response:

Many powerful men (Avery Brundage) thought that running long distances (800meters) would cause irreparable harm.  As my girlfriend likes to say "He thought their uteruses would fall out." In the Olympics one year in the 30s or just after WWII, a woman or two apparently collapsed at the end of the 800m race due to running hard (gasp!) and the heat.   Apparently, the people in power thought that was a good rationale for limiting the race distance.   Of course, when did the first woman swim the English Channel? I wonder what those men thought later as women entered the same distance events as men and posted times that would have made the great Finns of the 20s proud?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – in the history of women’s running.   Check out this awesome picture: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/tindall/timelinf/marathon.htm Wow… what a powerful photograph. What kind of neurotic pigs were behind that "men-only" policy? You know, I don’t think they were neurotic pigs, they were just men of their times who didn’t question what was given to them as facts: – women can’t run, they are not strong enough – women can’t be <some profession they are not [smart|tough|etc] enough. I think people accept a lot of things without questioning, and as time goes by those beliefs change enough that we look back and say "Oh my gawd!!! What were they thinking???" — Asya Kamsky I will complete a marathon and raise $5000 for the SF AIDS Foundation, Dec 9, 2001, Honolulu, Hawaii.   Sponsor me! For more information see http://www.things.org/~asya/why.html

Response:

Here we go again….. I think banditing is wrong, ethically, morally and legally.  I think a theft of services argument can be made in many cases.  BAA pays to have the streets closed and police on hand (I assume) and that by not paying, you are using the service without permission (like stealing cable service). Bandits usually do not line up even at the back since a race official would see them and confront them (one hopes). I usually see bandits (and registered runners in some cases) jump into the race a mile or two into the race. I propose that bandits be shot on sight

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What’s everyone’s take on the idea of running a marathon (i.e. Boston) without having a bib or qualifying time?  Do the bandits pretty much just sit in the back and wait for all the bib runners to start, then start themselves? Thanks, Rob

Response:

About 4 miles into the race, marathon organizer Jock Semple spotted Switzer from the press bus. He jumped off and attempted to rip off her numbers (in those days worn on both the front and the back), but her running partners warded him off. Captured in photos that were published all over the world, the incident will long endure as a defining moment in the history of women’s running.   Check out this awesome picture: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/tindall/timelinf/marathon.htm

Wow… what a powerful photograph. What kind of neurotic pigs were behind that "men-only" policy? — jm http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx Note: My E-mail address has been altered to avoid spam

Response:

You know, that’s one of the fights that comes up again and again in this newsgroup:

Well it’s slightly different. Men-only races (eg Boston until very recently):  "bad" and organized by "neurotic pigs" Women-only races (eg several franchises of the Run for the Cure breast cancer race): "good"

Actually a good point and you did not tie it to sexual preference. It’s a product of the times or the backlash from the prejudices of times back. Boys want to be girl scouts and vice versa. I have no problem with women or men only races as long as there is also a variety that both can enjoy. — Caveat Lector Doug Freese

Response:

in the history of women’s running.   Check out this awesome picture: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/tindall/timelinf/marathon.htm Wow… what a powerful photograph. What kind of neurotic pigs were behind that "men-only" policy?

You know, I don’t think they were neurotic pigs, they were just men of their times who didn’t question what was given to them as facts: – women can’t run, they are not strong enough – women can’t be <some profession they are not [smart|tough|etc] enough. I think people accept a lot of things without questioning, and as time goes by those beliefs change enough that we look back and say "Oh my gawd!!! What were they thinking???" — Asya Kamsky I will complete a marathon and raise $5000 for the SF AIDS Foundation, Dec 9, 2001, Honolulu, Hawaii.   Sponsor me! For more information see http://www.things.org/~asya/why.html

Response:

Bandits don’t upset me as much as slow people way up front.  I guess it might be because there are more of them than bandits in this area. One of the very first races I was in, I didn’t pay for it.  I ran a block here and a block there with my sister and I was the only one wearing a leather jacket and long pants.  I doubt if anyone got mad at me, heck they probably thought it was pretty funny. I did it with a valid bib number when I ran the whole thing and I’d run it again if it didn’t conflict with another race I like doing, that now falls on the same weekend.  Darn. Thanks,         Roger – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   Hi:   There is a wonderful race in West Brome Qu