Plodders and Marathons

Late last month, the New York Time had an article asking whether plodders have a place in a marathon. (NYT 23/10/2009). The Free Online Dictionary defines plods as " The act of moving or walking heavily and slowly.

So is it another case of elitism vs puralism? Is there no space in a marathon for those who will take more than 6 hours to complete?

Me - I consider myself a plodder. Although I have yet to finish a marathon after 6 hours, with my aging body and laziness, it's is not a matter of if but when, so naturally I shall side with the plodders. But that said - there should not be any place for those who do not train for it and do not respect the distance and I suppose at the end of the day, this is what most people should be up in hand against.

Coming back to the article, there has been a fair bit of interesting response to the articles and here are just some of them:

Plodders and Walkers have a place in a Marathon

Marathons and Plodders: Why Not?

Plodders and marathons

Plodders do have a plce in the New York City Marathon

There is even a NY marathon anthem:

When you plod marathons
Hold your head up high
And show that you're proud to plod on.
At the end you will come to the finish line
After winners have long come and gone.
Plod on through Bed-Stuy!
Plod on through the Bronx,
Til you think you'll hit the wall
Plod on! Plod on!
Plod through Central Park,
Where you'll never plod alone!
You'll never plod alone!

Maybe someone can come up with a SCSM plodder marathon? Maybe sing to the tune of one of those National Day songs?