A local race considers hiring someone to announce at the race. The choice is a DJ whose usual gig is a wedding or prom. In these examples the races in question were treated less like a traditional athletic event and more like a social event. Though the races were big events, the winning and losing, which Tom Dedarian and others embrace as the true purpose of the sport, were shunned aside. A discussion about this issue is not complete without mention of the walkers.
Walkers participate solely for the purpose of contributing to the cause and getting some exercise.
Yet, walker's names appear in the newspaper when results of a race are listed on the scoreboard page. I sometimes wonder if their names belong on a page reserved for the results of athletic events. I still think bigger is better. We can have the best of both worlds if we continue to encourage more and more to participate while also honoring the top athletics. At most races etiquette is observed when slower runners and walkers get in the back of the pack.