Hear Me Out: A Generous Time Limit Can Transform the Whole Vibe of a Running Race

Around mile 10 of the Every Woman’s Marathon (EWM) in Savannah, Georgia, in November, my goal shifted from racing to the finish line to racing to the nearest porta potty. And then the next porta potty. It was the third marathon I’ve recently run where my stomach rebelled on me.

But instead of stressing over the demise of my race pace—like I had the previous two times—I found myself embracing “party pace.” I high fived as many kids as I could. I pulled out some dance moves at a neighborhood DJ station. I might have even downed a shot of beer in the final mile. (Hey, carbonation can soothe an upset tummy, right?)


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What made the difference this time around: I had a luxurious 7 hours and 45 minutes to get to the end and still be counted as an official finisher. Even if I had to walk the rest of the way, I’d still cross the finish line in time to get a medal wrapped around my neck. By contrast, most marathons shut down after about six hours. Runners that aren’t moving fast enough to make that cutoff might get redirected to the sidewalks or picked up in a bus, and aid station amenities like water will disappear.

I’d argue that no matter the race distance, giving all the runners who enter enough time to get to the finish line completely changes the mood on a course, in the best way. Back-of-the-pack runners might benefit in the most obvious ways. But even faster runners will tell you that when you’re doing a race where nearly everyone has good odds of finishing, there’s a certain feeling of possibility, a celebratory energy that’s downright contagious.

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