To run or not to run?

However beautiful the strategy,

you should occasionally look at the results.

-Sir Winston Churchill

The question is to be, or not to be a marathon runner?

The consensus among many runners today is I want to finish a marathon. The answer should be in the form of another question. Why do you want to run 26.2 miles? Really, just thinking about the training and mental preparation is exhausting. Many want to be runners arrive at the start line already fatigued from the months of long distance running. One must really be informed and educated on what to expect, physically and mentally, pre and post race.

Just a few days ago, Ryan Hall announced his decision to not run in the upcoming Chicago Marathon. The decision was not a complete surprise to many. However, he has received a 

lot of negative comments from the peanut galleries. The naysayers stated that Hall should run the race, no matter if he wasn’t quite ready physically or mentally. These ill informed 

malcontents have absolutely no idea of the commitment and demands of big time marathoning.

The following is a post from the letsrun.com message boards. It was written by a world 

class runner from Canada. His comments are in response to the negative remarks written about Ryan Hall’s decision to withdraw from the Chicago Marathon. He definitely understands the challenges of the marathon.

"I ran for Canada between 1995 and 2003 (2 OG’s, 4 WC). It was a blast and I had some good performances. But the emotional and physical effort that goes into a marathon race is draining. If you invest everything you have for months and then get a bad day, it is devastating. It can set you back for months or years.
I was a journeyman and not a star like Hall. The pressure I felt was nothing compared to what he feels. He made a smart decision not to have a bad race, but rather to regroup and go when he is ready. Sometimes stuff doesn't work out and your training doesn't come together how you hope. Better to back away when you know you aren't set to go.
People can slam him for scratching, but they have no idea what is involved in racing at his level. He is not out there for a fun run. He is a professional who has to manage a career that might only include less than 8 more solid marathons. Why waste one when he is not really fit?"

I completely agree with the comments. I believe Hall made the right decision and hope he takes the necessary time to rest and recover. While he is not running the marathon, he still did the training and must regroup, evaluate his training plans and make what ever changes are necessary to get back to the world’s elite marathon stage. From the outside, it appears some changes are due.

O.