" Make A Run For It " November 18, 2022

[FuminCuban]

My reasoning for half-marathon is that 5K is too easy.

This was mentioned earlier, but elaborating may convince Matt/Mike to award TWO MUGS for the FIRST TIME EVER:

Mechanisms are not usually one-step. Metas are tricky. WSJ-mug puzzlemasters like red herrings and want us to stretch to the next level. You should reward this when we do it.

Even if the intended answer was 5K, half-marathon since 21K = 13.04 miles seems like a better answer.

Always fun and I will try, try again.

Thank you.

[Acarl]

Well, I went with a 4 X 5K Relay. The Zoomers ( rightly, it seems) disdained my answer, but I figured if I happened to be right, my mug-chances were pretty good!

[halseymac]

A little upset about this one. I got 5-K but I doubted myself all weekend -thinking 'this is just too easy.' I searched and searched -in vain- for another step.

[Joe Ross]

My reasoning for half-marathon is that 5K is too easy.

This was mentioned earlier, but elaborating may convince Matt/Mike to award TWO MUGS for the FIRST TIME EVER:

Mechanisms are not usually one-step. Metas are tricky. WSJ-mug puzzlemasters like red herrings and want us to stretch to the next level. You should reward this when we do it.

Even if the intended answer was 5K, half-marathon since 21K = 13.04 miles seems like a better answer.

Always fun and I will try, try again.

Thank you.

Two mugs have been awarded, before.

Fun discussion & it will be interesting to see how these multiple answers are awarded.

[ship4u]

Phew! Thank goodness this race is over. This morning, I spell relief with 5 K's....

[Joe Ross]

Phew! Thank goodness this race is over. This morning, I spell relief with 5 K's....

It's not as if you two ran a half-marathon!

[KayW]

Occam's razor wins again - this simple solver went with the low-hanging 5K fruit. I was thinking 5K as soon as I solved the first themer, and didn't even notice that 21st K or 5th question-marked-clue until I read about all the hubbub in the forums. Nor had I ever heard a half-marathon referred to as a 21K so that wouldn't have tempted me even if I had seen it. But I agree it's an acceptable alternative, and IMHO any of those variations should be considered "correct" in the statistics and mug drawing.

Speaking of that... maybe in addition to the mug, this week's winner can be awarded 1 Australian dollar?

[Ergcat]

I went with half marathon. I noticed 5 clues with a question mark, the four thematic entries and 35A. The "long i" entry convinced me that the longer race was a better response. Oh well, I guess my chance of getting the elusive mug is now zero instead of nearly zero!

I went with half marathon too. For those reasons Plus the extra “k” in “neck”…. Matt could have easily avoided that. Plus When I googled 21k/half marathon, one entry was the “Millennium Marathon 2022” which is an elite HALF marathon race. It was held in ACCRA …. Clue 43a.

[Joepickett]

If you do run a marathon, I do not recommend following this example:
https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a4 ... on-runner/

I stuck with Gatorade, water and GU.

[STL-D]

Of the three possible answers I thought of; Half Marathon, 20K and 5K, I thought 5K was the least likely as the puzzle title is singular. Maybe if Matt would have made the title "You've got the runs..." (or something like that LOL) I would have gone with 5K.

[Flying_Burrito]

Missed the chatter over the number of answers since I have been travelling. This meta scores high on the 'meh' scale:
A) if the Ks are derived only from the 4 longest answers then the fun of completing the entire grid is removed
B) the grid was frankly rather clunky for such a simplistic mechanism
C) not sure of the purpose of the "run amok" answer ( it was someting like 41D). Mentioning the title word in a definition for no purpose to me comes across as careless
D) If we ignore Neck we have 4 5Ks: should then the clue be "footraces" just to remove any ambiguity?

[Eric Porter]

In my original post, I alluded to there being a possibility of an alternative answer, but went with the obvious 5K one. I'm a runner and have done 5K races. I've seen 20K races, but haven't done one as they're rare. I've done several half marathons and nobody calls them a 21K. It's technically 21.0975K. If the answer was 'half marathon', maybe we'd see 6 theme entries with either 'mara' or 'thon' hidden.

[MaineMarge]

TITLE, people, TITLE!
I don’t believe any of our other options fit the title “Run with IT” better than relay race.

I submitted 21K/half marathon, but considered going with TURKEY TROT to lighten the mood at the WSJ this morning.

[Flying_Burrito]

In my original post, I alluded to there being a possibility of an alternative answer, but went with the obvious 5K one. I'm a runner and have done 5K races. I've seen 20K races, but haven't done one as they're rare. I've done several half marathons and nobody calls them a 21K. It's technically 21.0975K. If the answer was 'half marathon', maybe we'd see 6 theme entries with either 'mara' or 'thon' hidden.

As a runner as well I respectfully disagree on nobody calling a half marathon a 21k. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_marathon

[FuminCuban]

My reasoning for half-marathon is that 5K is too easy.

This was mentioned earlier, but elaborating may convince Matt/Mike to award TWO MUGS for the FIRST TIME EVER:

Mechanisms are not usually one-step. Metas are tricky. WSJ-mug puzzlemasters like red herrings and want us to stretch to the next level. You should reward this when we do it.

Even if the intended answer was 5K, half-marathon since 21K = 13.04 miles seems like a better answer.

Always fun and I will try, try again.

Thank you.

Two mugs have been awarded, before.

Fun discussion & it will be interesting to see how these multiple answers are awarded.

Thanks, Joe, for that correction! Two or three mugs! Mugs all around!

B

[higgysue]

I’ve run a couple half marathons and have never heard them called 21k. Just sayin.

[Ergcat]

Of the three possible answers I thought of; Half Marathon, 20K and 5K, I thought 5K was the least likely as the puzzle title is singular. Maybe if Matt would have made the title "You've got the runs..." (or something like that LOL) I would have gone with 5K.

Agree! The singular “foot race” in the prompt and title again led me to think it was NOT 5K since there were “4 times 5K” in the grid themers.
@MaineMarge i would have loved the answer be “Turkey Trot”…. So very fitting for Thanksgiving week when many locals host them!!

[aaugusti]

I am also in “Team Half Marathon” for the simple reason that you never see the term 5k spelled out as “five k.” Races are generally the numerical digit followed by whatever length is being measured (k or mi). While the 5k is the most common race distance that is run, the marathon and half marathon are the most common that are only known by their word title.

Oh well, I will begrudgingly take the L this week.

[Ann]

At 11:15pm, one back and forth between 5k and half marathon. Picked the half marathon. Because s a lot harder than a 5k

[Ann]

*went