Firstly, for those who have said congratulations, thank you! And for the few people who have said thank you for the work that went into another step towards women's equality, thank you even more. And thank you to the people I spoke to at USATF who when they heard the good news jumped on board, said congratulations, and worked at super speed to get my plane tickets and uniform sorted out. And thank you to the IAAF for taking another small step towards equality. But of course, for every cause for celebration there's going to be people complaining. I'd like to take some of those arguments and give the counter. Bear with me, this could be a long one.
1. It's too short of notice. If other women would've known they would've raced a 50K so they could qualify.
Is it short notice? Heck yes! Would it have been better if this had been accomplished months, if not a year ago? (or a decade ago...) Absolutely! I don't think anyone disagrees with that. My problem is when people say that those of us who put ourselves out there, racing a 50K even if we didn't know that there would be the reward of racing at the World Championships should not be able to do it because some women chose not to race a 50K. Everyone has seen the same writing on the wall. With the IAAF changing rules last year to include women in Rome everyone had the same opportunity to think, to hope that things could change for this year and possibly be an event at the World Champs. Do I wish more women had gone out on a limb? Absolutely, but don't discount or take away my dream of racing at the World Champs because they didn't give it a try. If things go the way they are seeming to go, who knows, there could be no more 50K at all and this could be the only chance for women to race the 50K.
2. Now the women who are racing the 50K are women who couldn't make the 96 minute 20K standard.
I'm sorry? Where has it ever been said that in order to qualify for the 50K you have to also have a qualifying time for the 20K? What is this double standard? How many men who have qualified for the 50K in London also have a 20K standard? I know quite a number as there are some great 50K/20K double athletes, but most definitely not all of them. Should those guys who don't have a 20K standard be told that they shouldn't race? Are they an embarrassment? And the opposite should also be true of the guys then, those 20K walkers who don't have a 50K qualifying time, or heaven forbid, haven't even attempted a 50K, should they be able to race the 20K? or how about the marathon runners who can't keep up with the 10,000 runners? A male athlete suggested that any woman who has the sub 96 time should be able to give the 50K a try at the World Champs. I'm not sure how he can even think that's a good idea? He thinks having 5 women who have proven themselves at the distance is a bad idea, but letting a number of women who aren't proven at the distance is a good idea? Racing a strong 20K is not equal to racing a strong 50K. Some can do it, some can't. That's why there's two different races!
Ines is a top contender in the 20K, and I've been told that one of the Chinese women who has the qualifying time is also a sub 1:26 20K walker. That's 40% of the field, not too shabby for women who have not had the rich history of being able to double like the guys. One thing I've realized is that it's not that I'm a bad 20K walker, it's that I'm a good 50K walker. By any reasonable standard you could set the women's 50K time at I would be under it. The time they imposed of 4:30 is only 9.75% different than the men's standard. That's the smallest difference in all events outside hurdles and relays. The difference in the marathon qualifying time between men and women is 18.70%. So those of us who have done sub 4:30 are not an embarrassment, we are pretty darned good. So you know what that means? I've been denied being able to call myself an Olympian. I would've been an Olympian in Rio and probably in London as well. And who knows, if I'd had that opportunity to push for it in 2008 then possibly then as well. I am a good 50K walker and just because a guy looks at a standard of 4:30 and think's it's not good enough, well, honestly, that's not for you to decide? How many men in the marathon look at the women's qualifying time and think, boy that's too slow? Probably some, but it's not up to them to decide the standard, and really it just makes them look like jerks.
3. With only having a possible 5 entrants IAAF will use it as a reason to cut the event.
Quite possibly. Firstly, they set the standard there. They set the standard that would allow for only 5 entrants! But in this instance it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't. The IOC wants equality. Right now there isn't equality. We have to push for equality. If there are no women in the World Champs it's just as easy for the IOC to say, see, no equality. At least now we can say, look, it's a start. We had to push the IAAF, we had no notice, not enough time to properly prepare, and look how great the women did (because I know the women will do great.)! Now we can cite how we had to push the IAAF for equality, they can't be bothered to do it on their own. They said last year they would work for greater equality in the race walk, and look what happened? Nothing. So we have to push.
4. Letting the women have a finish place if they get pulled of the course due to the time limit and get the prize money is a joke, you could nap your way to the end.
Maybe this athlete is expressing what he would like to do, but I for one seriously doubt that anyone, male or female, would ever feel they would want to nap their way through a World Championships. If you don't think all the women on the line know exactly what's at stake and won't be racing their hearts out you're seriously fooling yourself. The bigger issue is the 4:17 last lap cut off time. That would equal a finishing time (if you evenly paced yourself) of 4:27:43 or so, over two minutes FASTER than the qualifying time. How ridiculous is that? That in itself is a HUGE gender inequality. And the reasons they gave for it are paltry at best, it's another way IAAF is trying to get things to fail instead of helping us succeed. And what happens? Guys agree with it! Don't you realize you're shooting yourself in the foot? If women don't race the 50K you're going to lose your event! Instead of working to help it be fair and equal, they put us down. What if we made that cutoff time equal for the men? They'd have to stop their last lap about 3:54. Shall we do that? How many guys would jump up and down saying that's not fair? And let's keep in mind that the women's qualifying time for the women for the 20K is 1:36, yet there's 2 hours between the women's 20K and the men's 20K. So in theory, since they haven't announced a time cutoff, they have an additional 24 minutes! But the women's 50K has a cutoff standard faster than the qualifying, which is already faster (percentage-wise) than any other distance event. Inequality? I think yes.
5. Only a limited number of women wanted to do it:
Funny enough, there are two more women who have qualified under IAAF's own rules. There is a rule that the Area Champions are allowed to enter, even if they don't have the qualifying standard. This has been the case for years and in all events. But IAAF is trying to keep them out. They are ready, willing, and able to come compete, but IAAF is trying to keep them out. So out of one side of their mouth they're saying they want to work towards equality but out of the other they are keeping women out who have qualified under their own rules.
6. The IAAF was pushed into this last minute change and that's not right.
Okay, okay. Time to take a deep breath. In every single charter it talks about equality. The Olympic Charter, the IAAF Charter, both speak to granting equality. How can you possibly say that it's not right that it had to be pushed for equality? Equality is only right if it happens during a certain time frame? It would only be right to take another step towards equality if it happened 5 months ago? Why aren't these people instead saying "it's about time!" Think about what you're saying. They had to be pushed to be fair and equal, and still are finding ways to put the women down.
7. IAAF is trying to get the 50K walk to fail.
Quite possibly. And what are you doing to keep it from happening? The men are going to lose their event if they don't stand up and support the women. The IOC wants equality and if there's only a men's 50K and not a women's 50K that isn't equality and they'll cut it.
This is the section where I'd like to propose some solutions. Instead of being an armchair complainer, here is your opportunity to push for change. For all those who said the decision came too late, your chance is NOW to start working towards next year. Because we need to know NOW what is happening in Taicang at the World Team Championships of Race Walking. So here is an idea of a letter you can send to Lord Coe, the IAAF, your federation, members of the RW Committee, members of the IAAF Women's Committee (who are supportive of the women's 50K RW by the way). It can go something like this, but change a few things so it's not the same letter over and over:
Dear Lord Coe and Others,
I would like to thank you for taking another step in the right direction in women's equality in the 50K race walking event. Their inclusion in London is helping to bring recognition to the event and the plight they have faced overcoming gender bias in track and field. With this decision the IAAF is showing they care about and support women's equality.
However, there is still much work to be done. In order to allow women interested in competing at the 50K distance time to adequately prepare for the upcoming season, I would ask that the IAAF set the program for the World Team Championships of Race Walking in Taicang and include a women's 50K division. Encourage each member federation to set a time standard that allows for a quality field, but also a chance for the women to develop.
With adequate time to prepare, a realistic but challenging time standard I am sure that we will see a quality field of strong women competing, showing that adding a women's 50K to the Tokyo Olympics is viable and necessary.
Sincerely,
Your name
Then you can send a somewhat similar letter to your federation expressing your desire for a fair and reasonable entry standard for Tiacang and a chance for women to race and qualify.
If the men do not get behind the women and support and help us they're going to lose their event.
And one other thing, the idea of negativity. I saw people talking and some were accused of being negative and they came back and said they weren't but just pointing things out. Ideas, thoughts, discussion aren't a bad thing. But if it's being said without any mention of how to fix it, then yeah, you're just being negative. Complaining that it's too late and not talking about how it could be fixed for the next big race, how does that help? Get up, get out there, and work for positive change.
And now I may retire from FaceBook and other online forums for a bit. I have a race to get ready for and prepare for and stay focused for. I don't need all this negativity and shortsightedness. Because I am going to go out there and race my heart out. I'm going to leave it all on the course. I'm going to do my absolute best. And I am going to enjoy the fact that I am one of the few women being allowed to compete. I will be racing at the World Championships!
Monday, July 24, 2017
Friday, July 21, 2017
I'm racing in London..... in the 50K!!!!!!
I've been pretty quiet and under the radar. Outdoor nationals went okay. Not great like I was hoping, but not awful. It was a solid performance and that was it. But there was stuff going on in the background that made training and staying focused difficult. And now I can talk a little bit about it.
Back at the beginning of the year when there was that huge scare that IAAF or IOC or whoever (or both) was going to cut the 50K, some people went into high gear to save the event. One of them was Paul DeMeester. Paul was on the national team for Belgium when he was young and then moved to the US, did a ton of cool stuff, got a law degree and now practices in California. And he race walks and helps the sport. He saw the threat to the 50K and jumped into action, going to London and meeting and talking to people and educating them and persuading and changing mindsets.
One of the things Paul realized is that the IOC is looking for gender equality (as they should) and that puts the 50K in a dangerous position. He realized that unless we can get more women participating the event may be cut all together.
So Paul and I (mostly Paul, he's the smart one for sure) fought for there to be a separate woman's standard. And today, I'm so excited to say, there is one! IAAF is implementing a standard of 4:30 for the London World Championships! I wish the time was a bit more relaxed to allow more women to compete, but it's another step. One step at a time. But it is progress! Women will be on the starting line in a mixed event. We will have our own medals. We will be recognized in our own division. It's very, very exciting. And if it wasn't for Paul and his unwavering belief and commitment then there wouldn't be any women on the line.
I have been so fortunate that whenever there have been people there telling me no, telling me I can't do it, I have someone behind me who says, yes, yes you can, and has helped fight for it. The hours and hours and hours Paul put in to accomplish this are just about beyond measure, and he did it out of the kindness of his heart and passion for the sport.
So now it's time to focus. I'll be on the line, not as the only woman this time, but with others around me. And that will be the most amazing feeling ever.
But let's start something now. Let's look forward to Taicang next year and get a woman's 50K figured out now. A time standard, selection procedures for federations, so that women can start to plan NOW instead of finding out they're racing a 50K three weeks before the event. Guys, push your federations, for without women and equality you're likely to lose your event. Women, consider giving it a try! Train for it, do it, get excited for it! And if you can't do either of those things then consider supporting women who are going for it. It's only because of the prize money I've been able to save over the years that I was able to pay for fees and costs associated with all this. We don't make a lot of money, so consider supporting an athlete to help with shoes, travel, training aid, something, anything! It all helps.
If you'll be in London come cheer for the women, show your support. Say hi. I think I'm going to go do a workout :)
Happy training!
ps, if you do want to support me, consider going to my online stores where when you purchase something I get a portion. And please "like" my FB page :)
If you need to buy tickets to a show or sporting event, please go here first to look. If you buy through my portal I get a percentage!
https://www.tix4cause.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Racew
Back at the beginning of the year when there was that huge scare that IAAF or IOC or whoever (or both) was going to cut the 50K, some people went into high gear to save the event. One of them was Paul DeMeester. Paul was on the national team for Belgium when he was young and then moved to the US, did a ton of cool stuff, got a law degree and now practices in California. And he race walks and helps the sport. He saw the threat to the 50K and jumped into action, going to London and meeting and talking to people and educating them and persuading and changing mindsets.
One of the things Paul realized is that the IOC is looking for gender equality (as they should) and that puts the 50K in a dangerous position. He realized that unless we can get more women participating the event may be cut all together.
So Paul and I (mostly Paul, he's the smart one for sure) fought for there to be a separate woman's standard. And today, I'm so excited to say, there is one! IAAF is implementing a standard of 4:30 for the London World Championships! I wish the time was a bit more relaxed to allow more women to compete, but it's another step. One step at a time. But it is progress! Women will be on the starting line in a mixed event. We will have our own medals. We will be recognized in our own division. It's very, very exciting. And if it wasn't for Paul and his unwavering belief and commitment then there wouldn't be any women on the line.
I have been so fortunate that whenever there have been people there telling me no, telling me I can't do it, I have someone behind me who says, yes, yes you can, and has helped fight for it. The hours and hours and hours Paul put in to accomplish this are just about beyond measure, and he did it out of the kindness of his heart and passion for the sport.
So now it's time to focus. I'll be on the line, not as the only woman this time, but with others around me. And that will be the most amazing feeling ever.
But let's start something now. Let's look forward to Taicang next year and get a woman's 50K figured out now. A time standard, selection procedures for federations, so that women can start to plan NOW instead of finding out they're racing a 50K three weeks before the event. Guys, push your federations, for without women and equality you're likely to lose your event. Women, consider giving it a try! Train for it, do it, get excited for it! And if you can't do either of those things then consider supporting women who are going for it. It's only because of the prize money I've been able to save over the years that I was able to pay for fees and costs associated with all this. We don't make a lot of money, so consider supporting an athlete to help with shoes, travel, training aid, something, anything! It all helps.
If you'll be in London come cheer for the women, show your support. Say hi. I think I'm going to go do a workout :)
Happy training!
ps, if you do want to support me, consider going to my online stores where when you purchase something I get a portion. And please "like" my FB page :)
https://www.tix4cause.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Racew
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