Wow, cool, you met Steve Jones the other day? He's someone I'd like to meet, he always seemed like a righteously tough dude in his day (really, I'm not beign sarcastic.)
But I think my attitude fits into a little bit of what's being said here. Because I strived to be as fast as SJ but could never come very close, I admire his achievements (and that admiration can extend to faster as well as slower runners.)
Not Elite doesn't seem to be saying someone '"should" behave and carry themselves based on their 5k time.' Rather he's asking an interesting question where the correlation runs the other way 'round: why does a certain time cause a certain behavior.
I can't speak for the original poster but I think we all realize that there are "total and comlete assholes at every level of this sport, but more importantly, genuinely thoughtful and wonderful people at every level as well". No denying that. Here the question posed alludes to there being a significant number of people who take on "airs" without deserving too based on an athletic performance that if very quality but not quite enough to take on said "airs."
Frankly, the poster, writes too well to be in high school. I side with the others who state that he should allow us to know how fast he has gone in a 5k event, even though he is correct in stating that it is irrelevant to the issue being posed.