2002 DEC 24 TUE
I know the most motivating way to convince runners that they need meters,
some how we would need a famous runner to want and demand km. Only a famous
runner could appeal to runners' emotions. Many people would follow what
famous sports atheletes do (just like people buying Air Jordans). So I
guess one of us must learn to run a 2 minute kilometer and win many races.
Or we could find someone, maybe a Kenyan, their fast and come from an SI
country.
Sincerely,
Matthew Zotter
SC, USA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harry Wyeth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2002 5:04 AM
Subject: [USMA:24206] 5 "K" runs
> Regarding the post re trying to persuade runners to adapt to the metric
> concept of 5 km runs, I have been trying to do this for some years now,
> with rather mixed success. As an experienced road and trail runner
myself,
> I have tried:
>
> Reminding runners that a sister sport, xc skiing, is totally metric and
> never uses miles. Not much response here.
>
> Telling runners that measuring speed and distance is really easier using
km
> rather than miles. A little success here.
>
> Simply always using km in conversation and in writing (I am the eMail guy
> for a local running club). Pretty successful, but still not very
> persuasive in actually getting other people to change their behavior.
>
> Badgering race organizers using miles to convert. Not successful. There
> are some races that may remain in miles for years, such as those with
> historic names ("Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run") and those which
> involve support crews needing to know where to drive cars to relay points
> (the car odometers being in miles).
>
> Making my own km distance signs and loaning them out for use in local
> races, the idea being that if a race is a 10 km, the interval signs should
> also be metric. Also arranging to measure the new distances
> myself. Pretty good success here, with no complaints and some
compliments.
>
> Always using km in talking to high school students, whom I coach in track
> in the spring. Somewhat successful, but difficult when I am the only
coach
> doing so--even though all running events have been metric for years now.
I
> still don't know if kids really know a kilometer from a snowball.
>
> But overall, there is a lot of lethargy and a "why bother" attitude in the
> running community. Progress is not what I would call rapid!
>
> HARRY WYETH
>
