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To:	P. Bartels
From: (your email)
Subject:	Re: If you quit, you quit
Message:	-------------------- P. Bartels's original posting: I disagree that early starts make "all the problems go away" On a narrower course, you still have the problem of clogging the lanes for faster, competitive runners. A marathon or any roadrace is foremost a competitive event. This is why we ask runners to seed themselves at the line (or sometimes large races seed runners as a service and for safety reasons). Also, every experienced marathoner from elite to pedestrian has had the feeling of needing or wanting to quit the race, to 'bow out gracefully' when you know it is just not your day. I am lucky enough to finish every marathon I started so far. Will the day come when I cannot finish one? Maybe- we'll see, but I would not think of starting something I knew I could not finish, nor would I ever violate the written (or unwritten) rules of the event by taking a shortcut of any kind. I would drop out first and try again another day. To me, there is a definite code of honor among true runners and these people have not a clue about it. What difference does it make to me whether a six hour person covered all 26.2? Not much, I guess but don't tell me you "finished a marathon," because you did not. If it's about getting a medal, I suggest the organizers of the teams create their own medal honoring the fact that their participants raised so much money (for that is the real feat) and did participate in such and such marathon, but don't take a finisher medal if you did not finish the entire race!! P.S. I won't even wear t-shirts of races I didn't finish- just doesn't feel right!!