is the difference between 15 and 20 for 5K REALLY effort?

Well put

Mike, I'm right there with you. I feel like I workout a ton (6 days a week and all pretty intensive sessions), yet don't feel like I could ever realistically dip below a 19-minute 5k ever again.

My PR in HS was 18:46, I would say I'm in around 20-21 minute shape right now. I ran an all-out mile last week in 5:57 and a 2-mile in 12:58. I

I'm 6'1, 180lbs.

I'm a huge running fan (hence why I've come to this board since 2000) and also enjoy running. I'll never be elite, but enjoy racing still.

Keep it Mike!

Mike's trolling effort here is:

9/10

His results are:

6/10

So he is hereby bequeathed status of:

15:46 for troll-to-5K conversion.

Use of "pig" and "piggy" cost you a possible sub-15:30 here, but a solid effort nonetheless.

Do not feed the troll.

Mike, like most have expressed, you could be leaner, you just choose not to. Losing weight is literally a matter of calories in and out.

As far as effort, on race day, you may put in the same effort as me running a 15-16min 5k. But all the other days of the month, you are barely making dent compared to my training plan. You can keep going to happy hour after work or watching the Kardashians all afternoon.

I'm curious to see the thread you were inspired by, and the connotation of what the posters there were writing, whether it was as negative as you've made it seem. I don't doubt your effort at all, and I happen to know a 20 minute 5k runner pretty well, who I see run day in day out, and I don't doubt his effort in the slightest. It's just not in his genetics. I also don't see anyone talk down to him because he is slower, or view his goals as less real than faster goals.

However, in the same respect, while he puts in a lot of effort, I notice he could do more to improve. He lacks interval workouts which could greatly benefit him. You, as others have mentioned, could focus on losing some weight (no you don't have to be 5'8 and 128lbs like me, but 20-30lbs would put you at a good weight for general health, and I'd bet you'd drop a good deal of time in your 5k).

So, my thoughts are this. I believe you are putting in solid effort, and props to you, as well as any runner willing to go out there on a hot summer day or cold rainy one to train. But I have to agree that a sub15 minute 5k runner puts more effort into his training than a sub20min. In a race? Maybe it's the same. But in training, a sub15 runner has to be more committed to training in all aspects of the word to be successful.

I am questioning Mike's effort. All he does is bellyache here and whine about so many things. He needs to get tough. Knock out some good workouts. Lose 30 pounds and get rid of his Napolean complex. Mike, you can run a 18:20 but you need to man up. You sound like a lady.

Lose weight, run faster, you'll feel better, and then you won't need to troll here.

if you are running 22 mins at 90% of your effort, and the 15 min guy is running at 90% effort, the effort is roughly comparable.

the only difference is that you are fat.

3/10

SCOREBOARD

dude has been trolling here weekly asking about 5ks every time and comparing himself to faster people.

I remember in HS, often the guys that were our #6 or #7 guys were there, not because they were slow, but they just didnt work as hard as the top runners. They were content to be on the team, go to practice, but they weren't going to do a long run on their own, or really practice hard. They got their varsity spot and they were fine with that.

I think Mike in SD is that way.

[quote]Mike in San Diego wrote:

I'm sorry...but have you not read the outpouring of negative support all over this room toward other people and their times and abilities?

Sorry, but I only started posting here because of negativity I saw previously. The negativity was not even about me. But it needs to stop, you all need to stop. Furthermore, I will post about this until it stops. This is not a supportive place, and it is a spirit breaker more than it supports people. And I singlehandedly will attempt to stop it.

Voila?

Thanks,

Mike

8/10

Mike in San Diego wrote:

and how would I have energy at 5'8" 130??

really?

lfk wrote:

Not to be a dick, but you'd run much faster, without doing anything else, if you dropped 20-40 pounds. Maybe you won't be "slender like Kemboi", but you can be slender like you're average 15-18 minute 5k guy.

Ok i'm 5'9"-5'10" 135 consistently and I have energy haha this makes no sense

Mike, I tried reading the whole thread and was put off by your style of debate.

But here's my question: if you age grade all your results from HS and on...are you improving, slowing or staying the same?

I will salute your effort and say you are trying very hard...if your current races or equal to or greater on the AG tables.

Conversely, there are a lot of 15 minute college 5k guys who are way slower now on an age graded basis than in hs/college. those guys are dogging it.

so what is it for you? effort or no effort?

http://www.usatf.org/statistics/calculators/agegrading/

Mike, I'm pretty sure the reason you are slow and overweight is because of Obama. Hopefully when we elect someone who is an actual American and not a socialist-muslim-communist-facist radical, your 5K time will be faster.

DAMN YOU OBAMA!!!

Mike,

You're giving us 20 minute guys a bad name. How about some self-awareness. You could try much harder in your day-to-day training. Personally, I should lose 25lbs, and my 25-40mpw (which is also very inconsistent) pales in comparison to what a serious runner would be doing, regardless of their times.

You have come to a running board and asked to have your special snowflake status validated. Ok, you're a special snowflake.

I think a few questions are missing from this conversation:

1) How much mileage are you doing to run 19-20 min?

2) What type of track, tempo and fartlek work are you doing?

3) How long is your long run?

At 30, I ran 14:41 on the track off 80 mpw avg and consistent workouts and long runs. At 35, I run 15:20-15:40 in most (road) 5k's off 60 mpw and less frequent workouts.

Point being, while weight and talent are key factors, much more information about your training is needed to get you the answers you are looking for.

In most cases, the main differences in those running 20 min and 16 is the above stated factors (with the main emphasis on mileage).

Hope that helps.

20 minute guy wrote:

You have come to a running board and asked to have your special snowflake status validated. Ok, you're a special snowflake.

Too funny.