Can the average person even walk a marathon?

[Alobar]

Im just curious what everyone thinks. Obviously this is inspired by the marathon vs wheeling thread. But also yesterdays becnhpress thread got me thinking about what an average person can actually do.

I should stipulate im talking the average american here, and lets say they've got 12 hours to do it.

Im saying its easily a no. Especially considering the amount of overweight people over here and the fact it seems most people will circle a parking lot for 20 minutes rather than park far away. I think the average european could do it easily.

[Uglyowl]

Very easily as long as there isn't ridiculous weather and you can have some water and a couple of Big Mac's on the way.

[istewart]

I'm guessing yes, but I want to say no.

[Bukem_]

Very very easily no. Marathon is about 26 miles?

The average american is very out of shape and would actually have trouble with 10 miles.

[thatpfunk]

I think it depends what the pay off is. The average american *could* do it for a large sum of money, etc.


However, without a very good reason to, they are not mentally tough enough.

[Catch of the Day]

If you had good shoes, I think that the average person could do it easily given the right motivation. You have to want it. Would and could are two totally different things here. I spontanesouly ran 1/2 marathon on the tail end of a 10 day back packing trip when the Dean of my School gave this speech about "Doing it for somebody else." We had the option to run or walk 3, 6, 9, or 12 miles. After he teared up upon dedicating his run to his dying dad, I knew that it was going to be a long day.

So yeah, they totally could if given the proper motivation, whatever that would be.

Catch-

[Reef]

the average person (american) is overweight. No way they could do it

[zaxx19]

Most Marathoners arent great athletes.

I never aspired to run a marathon and I dont believe running a marathon makes you special.

[manpower]

We hold a walk for MS in the town I grew up in. Hundreds of people turn out to walk to raise money every year. The walk is about 20 miles. Now most of these people are high school kids (they get the day off from school if they do the walk), but a lot are pretty average looking Americans. So I'm going yes based off my anecdotal evidence.

[Skipbidder]

[ QUOTE ]
I should stipulate im talking the average american here, and lets say they've got 12 hours to do it.

Im saying its easily a no. Especially considering the amount of overweight people over here

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I could do it. 12 hours is a long time. You are giving me almost half an hour per mile. I should see if I can get anyone I know to make a prop bet against me doing it. (I'm way fat. 5'6" and over 200 pounds, and not in a good way. I have to be on the wrong side of average for age 34.)