attention runners dont be embarrassed if you dont know these terms

As time quietly passes, we welcome autumn and are about to greet September. Many sports events are concentrated in September and October, hence the saying 'Golden September and Silver October.' This saying is particularly apt when applied to marathon events.

In the upcoming September, there will be as many as 41 marathons held within just 30 days. Many marathon runners who have registered for these races are undoubtedly eager to run passionately on the track. However, as someone about to step onto the marathon stage, how could you not understand the professional terminology related to marathons?

Today, the editor will introduce you to the basic, intermediate, and advanced versions of marathon terminology, so you can fully understand these knowledge points and avoid any awkward situations~

What is the origin of the marathon?

The term 'marathon' originally comes from the name of a place and originated from a battle between Persia and Greece. At that time, Persia wanted to annex Greece, but the Greek soldiers bravely resisted and repelled the Persian invaders.

To deliver this good news to the people thousands of miles away, a messenger named Pheidippides ran all the way back to Athens, shouted 'Victory,' and then died of exhaustion. To commemorate this battle and Pheidippides' heroic deeds, the marathon race was established from the first Olympic Games.

Why is the full marathon distance 42.195KM?

Many runners are very interested in this question. How was this mysterious number of 42.195 kilometers measured? From the first Olympic Games in 1896 to the fourth London Olympics in 1908, the marathon distance was 40.2 kilometers.

However, at the London Olympics, to facilitate the British royal family in watching the race, the marathon starting point was set under the balcony of Windsor Castle, and the distance to the finish line at the Olympic Stadium was measured to be 42.195 kilometers. Since then, the International Association of Athletics Federations has adopted this distance as the standard for marathon races.

Marathon Terminology—Basic Knowledge

Full Marathon/Half Marathon

Runners are accustomed to abbreviating the full marathon and half marathon as 'full marathon' and 'half marathon.' The distance of a full marathon is—42.195 kilometers. The distance of a half marathon is—21.0975 kilometers. Friends who have never been exposed to marathon races might really think it refers toa horse or half a horse~

Lottery

Due to the actual number of marathon applicants far exceeding the limited number of participants, a lottery system is used to determine the race slots. Currently, most marathons that use the lottery system are based on luck. When the lottery results are announced, some runners are excited because they got in, while others are disappointed because they didn't.

Cadence

Cadence refers to the frequency of steps taken in a unit of time while running. The faster the steps, the higher the cadence. Generally, normal walking cadence is 95-125 steps per minute, and a running cadence of 180 means taking 180 steps per minute.

Stride Length

Stride length refers to the distance of each step, calculated from the center of one foot to the center of the other. The farther the step, the greater the stride length. The normal stride length for adults walking is about 65 centimeters, and for ordinary joggers, it is between 0.8-1.4 meters. For long-distance runners, a stride length that is too large can easily cause injury, so they should focus on increasing cadence, transitioning from low to high cadence.

Pace

The term 'pace' comes from the English word 'pace,' used to indicate running speed, commonly measured in minutes per kilometer. For example, if you complete a 5-kilometer run with a pace of 'five minutes per kilometer,' the total time taken is 25 minutes.

Pacer

When it comes to marathon pacers, many people think of those runners on the track who are dressed in bright clothing and carry special markers. They usually have different colored balloons or wear specific colored clothes to indicate the pace they represent. Participants can decide which pacer to follow based on their own needs.

LSD

LSD is the abbreviation for the English phrase 'Long Slow Distance,' which translates to long-distance slow running. LSDgenerally refers to a distance of 20 kilometers or more and is a training method that maintains a steady, relatively easy pace. The purpose of this training is to improve muscle strength, endurance, and aerobic running ability, fostering patience, courage, and confidence for long distances.

Hitting the Wall

Hitting the wall refers to encountering a physical and mental barrier during a marathon, where the body's functions temporarily become uncoordinated, making it feel impossible to continue. The reasons for hitting the wall are extremely complex, involving energy metabolism, protective inhibition of the nervous system, central fatigue, decreased muscle excitation-contraction coupling function, and other mechanisms.

Cut-off Time

In marathon races, besides the overall cut-off time, there are also different segment cut-off times. Simply put, if a participant fails to pass a designated point within the specified time, they will be disqualified and unable to continue the race. It is especially important to note that the cut-off time refers to gun time, not net time.

Marathon Terminology—Intermediate Knowledge

330/430

When you first hear someone say their full marathon time is 330 or 430, are you confused, thinking it means 330 minutes or 430 minutes? Actually, this is just a shorthand for marathon times. For example, if you complete a full marathon in four and a half hours, your time is 430; three and a half hours is 330; 2 hours and 40 minutes is 240.

Sub300

For every marathon enthusiast, race times are very important. They not only care about whole-hour times but also half-hour segments. They often set their desired times as core goals to motivate their training. Thus, the term 'Sub X' was born. For example, if you want to complete a full marathon in under 3 hours, it is called Sub3 or Sub 300.

PB

PB stands for 'Personal Best,' referring to one's best performance. Achieving a new PB is a small goal that every runner pursues. For many runners, nothing is more satisfying than setting a new PB.

PW

In contrast to PB, PW stands for'Personal Worst,' referring to one's worst performance. Even if you achieve a PW, there's no need to feel dejected; find out the reasons and keep striving for better results next time.

SB

In marathon terminology, SB stands for'Season Best,' referring to the best performance of the season. For regular runners who may participate in many races each year, the best performance of the year is called SB, which generally has a specific time limit.

Net Time/Gun Time

Nowadays, almost all marathon events provide timing chips for participants. Net time refers to the time recorded by the chip, which is the final race time. Gun time is generally longer than net time because, with many participants, there is always a delay in crossing the starting line. In some large races, the time difference between the first and last participant crossing the starting line can be as long as half an hour.

Heart Rate

Heart rate refers to the number of heartbeats per minute while running. It is generally divided into resting heart rate and exercise heart rate.Resting heart rate refers to the normal heart rate when the body is not engaged in physical exercise, i.e., the daily heart rate. The resting heart rate of a normal person is generally between 60-100 beats per minute.Exercise heart rate refers to the heart rate maintained during physical activity. Maintaining the optimal exercise heart rate is important for exercise effectiveness and safety. If the heart rate is too high, it can be detrimental to health, causing nausea, dizziness, chest tightness, and even potentially life-threatening conditions.

VO2 Max

During running, oxygen is needed for energy metabolism, and the higher the intensity, the more oxygen is required. The oxygen absorbed enters the blood through the lungs and participates in energy metabolism. However, at a certain point, no matter how much you open your mouth, increase your pace, or intensify your exercise, you cannot utilize more oxygen. The amount of oxygen utilized by the blood at this point is the maximum oxygen uptake capacity.

Bandit Running

Bandit running refers to people who, without registering, forcefully blend into the crowd to participate in the race on the day of the event. They do not have bib numbers, timing chips, or official results. Additionally, they are not covered by the event organizer's safety measures, making this a very dangerous behavior. Therefore, runners should never engage in bandit running.

Marathon Terminology—Advanced Knowledge

BQ

Many marathon runners have probably heard of BQ. So what does BQ stand for? BQ is the abbreviation for 'Boston Qualify,' referring to the qualifying standards for the Boston Marathon. The world-renowned Boston Marathon is highly coveted by many running enthusiasts worldwide due to its extremely strict qualifying standards.

Apart from sponsor and charity slots, only runners who meet the BQ standards can participate in this prestigious marathon. BQ standards are divided by gender and age. For example, men aged 18-34 need to achieve a time of 3 hours 5 minutes, while women need 3 hours 35 minutes. The qualifying time must be achieved within a certain period; times from several years ago do not count. Additionally, the qualifying races must be recognized by the Boston Marathon organizing committee, and non-qualifying races require additional review by the committee.

WMM

WMM stands for 'World Marathon Majors,' representing the highest level of marathon events worldwide. The six races are the Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, New York Marathon, and Tokyo Marathon.

WMC

WMC stands for 'World Marathon Challenge,' also known as the '777 Challenge': completing 7 full marathons on 7 continents in 7 days. In other words, within 168 hours, participants must travel by plane to different locations on 7 continents and complete a full marathon at each location, totaling 296 kilometers.

Anaerobic Threshold

The anaerobic threshold, more commonly known as the lactate threshold, refers to the point during long-distance running when aerobic activity transitions to anaerobic activity, and lactate begins to accumulate. Through proper training, you can increase your anaerobic threshold, reducing lactate formation, allowing you to run more comfortably.

Tempo Run

The key feature of a tempo run is maintaining an even pace, balanced and powerful, achieving the highest efficiency with the least effort, thereby achieving the best performance.This running method requires runners to train at a medium-high intensity and a certain speed, covering distances ranging from 10K to 30K with an even pace.

Interval Training

Compared to tempo runs, interval training has higher standards and requirements. This training method is more suitable for advanced runners looking to improve their performance, requiring strong willpower and discipline. This method is often done in sets, such as the Yasso 800s, which involves running 800 meters in 10 sets. During training, time must be strictly controlled, and the intensity is very high.

Recovery Run

Recovery runs, also known as lactate-clearing runs, are usually done after long-distance races like full marathons or ultramarathons. When lactate accumulates in the body and cannot be cleared immediately, and you are very tired, a small amount of slow running the next day can help clear lactate and relieve fatigue.