In the marathon, the "rabbit" plays a crucial role.
The so-called "rabbit", known in technical terms as a "frontrunner" or "pacemaker", is a runner who has been carefully selected to have a certain level of speed and a steady cadence.
Their main task is to lead the runners to a predetermined pace and help them meet or exceed their personal bests.
The presence of "rabbits" not only has an important impact on the runners, but also plays a significant role in the marketing and viewing value of the event.
An event with a professional "rabbit" can often attract more amateur runners who pursue breakthrough performance, so that they can try to break through themselves in the process of following the "rabbit", achieve personal growth and progress, and then improve the popularity and competitiveness of the event.
The role played by the "rabbit" is also reflected in the shaping of the overall event culture. They are not only a symbol of speed, but also a symbol of unity, mutual assistance and shared success.
Heavy Horse Recruits "Rabbit"
Recently, the Chongqing Marathon has sparked a discussion among runners on the criteria for openly recruiting "rabbits".
The main reason is that the Chongqing Marathon not only pays attention to its running ability and past performance in the selection of "rabbits", but also takes into account image and age in the selection criteria.
In addition to the requirements for the results of the "rabbit",
In addition, there are several requirements related to physical appearance:
Mainly: men are 170cm tall, women are 160cm5 or more, and the age limit is over 20 years old and under 45 years old, with good image and temperament.
This approach is somewhat in stark contrast to other urban marathons. For example, the Beijing Marathon focuses more on the strength and experience of the "rabbits", while the Shanghai Marathon emphasizes their international background and diversity.
Therefore, some runners complained: Isn't this an obvious selection of only "handsome men and beautiful women"? First, a group of people were removed because they were not tall enough, then a group of people were eliminated because they were too old, and finally those with poor temperament were also kicked out. I really don't know how pleasing a rabbit selected according to this standard can be!
Some running friends joked: Kipchoge is 167cm tall, and Master Joe can't be a "rabbit" with a heavy horse when he comes!
Some runners also believe that there are no clear regulations on the selection of "rabbits" in the Chinese marathon regulations, so there is nothing wrong with the Chongqing Marathon.
There are also runners who think that it is good to be able to recruit openly, and many marathon "official rabbits" are predetermined.
What do you think?
Controversy and reflection
When paying attention to the selection criteria of the "rabbit" of the Chongqing Marathon, especially the controversy caused by image and age factors, it is not difficult to find that this issue is not only about the setting of race rules, but also about the multi-dimensional discussion of sports economics and social science.
First of all, from the perspective of sports economics, image and age criteria are included in the selection criteria, and I suspect that part of the reason is the requirement of the sponsor "Xtep".
The brand has to worry about the aesthetics and communication of each appearance, and it is up to the marathon organizers to try to improve the market appeal and spectacle of the race through these factors.
This approach can increase the commercial value of the event to a certain extent.
However, this also raises the question of whether it will be overly commercialized and affect the essence of marathons – challenging oneself and pushing the limits.
Second, the perspective of the social sciences provides another perspective on such selection criteria.
Image and age as selection criteria may inadvertently convey a stereotype about age and appearance, which in turn affects the public's perception and attitude towards sports, especially marathons.
As much as we want the marathon to be an inclusive and open sport, such selection criteria may make some potential participants hesitate.
However, there are also positives that cannot be ignored. In addition to adding ornamental colors to the race, the diversified "rabbits" make the marathon more "eye-catching" and fashionable, attracting more people to join the running movement.
Although the rabbit selection criteria of the Chongqing Marathon have caused some controversy, it has also brought about a diversified marathon culture, and it is still necessary to return to the core values and goals of the marathon.
Explore and balance the relationship between commercialization and sportsmanship, while striving to make marathons fun and challenging for more people.