What distance could an average untrained 25 year old American male run without stopping?

When money's involved, all things become possible.

All things, that is, up to 1.5 miles.

That's my guess for the majority of 25-yr.-old guys. That majority is probably barely over 50%, though.

By the way, $1 per meter run is pretty generous; I think I feel an ultra coming on....

I bet you'd have the same performance results in people if you offered $1 for every 10 meters run.

what??????? wrote:

Bad Wigins wrote:

A significant percentage of 25 year old American males can't even run 17 METERS.

Are there that many disabled 25 year olds? There are plenty of fat guys that can sprint for a few seconds; you don't need any aerobic training for that.

I mean able-bodied 25 year olds. Yes there are many who can go a few seconds... but consider that 5 min/kilometer pace (~8 minute mile for the centenarians out there) is a brisk pace for non-runners, but is only 3 meters per second and in 5 seconds only gets 15 meters.

Maybe not all that many, but a significant percentage can't go 5 seconds. Not so much from weight but from being out of shape.

I think an AVERAGE untrained 25 year old could run about 2 miles at that pace, especially with the monetary incentive. Really depends upon if they are aerobically fit from other activities.

I'm a 50 year old female, have never run before. Last mile I ran was probably in high school around the track where I probably walked a portion of it. Physically, I'm fairly strong and "active' but not fit aerobically (I walk everyday and do other things like rake leaves, clean house, tool around on a bike for fun/errands, but I don't regularly workout.) I'm about 10 pounds overweight. Recently I decided I was going to try running (jogging to the rest of you) . On my first day out I was able to run a mile in 10 minutes ( it felt super awful but I was determined to do it). Now, three weeks later I'm up to two miles. This must sound so pitiful to the rest of you but that's how I came up with my 2 miles/7:30 pace for a an average 25 year old male with money on the line.

You have to realize that the average person assumes they are in better shape and they will inevitably take off too fast and grind to halt. They're going to have no concept of pacing.

beanyk wrote:

Seconded. I think the line between "fast walking" and "running" occurs somewhere between 12-minute miles and 15-minute miles. 12 min/mile isn't *fast*, but it *is* running.

Nope, that's the line between "fast walking" and jogging. Well, according to this site, at least:

"Walk at 13 minute/mile pace

Jog at 12 minute/mile pace"

"Jog at 8 minute/mile pace

Run at 7 minute/mile pace"

The average American male 20-29 year old is 5'9" tall and weighs 183 pounds as of 2010. Keep that in mind...That's pretty goddamn fat.

The average and median distance covered will be really different for this question. I'm guessing I might be able to make it to 50 miles, so you can take 49 guys who can't get even off the couch and the fifty of us will still average a mile each.

I think when you say "average guy" you probably mean the median performance. So what distance do half the guys make it to.

Remember about 1/3 of guys are obese and 2/3 overweight. So I'm gonna guess, at 7:30 pace, half of them make it 300m.

I love these threads. Everyone always wildly underestimates the average "non-running" population, probably to make themselves feel special. Running isn't that hard.

the experiment wrote:

For the purposes of this thread, "running without stopping" is defined as maintaining at least 8 mph (7:30/mile pace) at all times. The runners won't be chased by angry pit bulls, but they'll be given a significant monetary incentive ($1 per meter run?) to continue as long as possible.

I think the average guy will last half a mile before quitting.

7:30/mile pace may seem slow to a runner, but non-runners would find that pace far too fast. I have a number of friends who don't have a runner's build and run now just to stay in shape - a lot of them are impressed if they can run 9:00/mile pace for a 5k.

I suspect that the typical untrained 25-year old could run maybe 200-300 meters at that pace.

asdfadsffdf wrote:

The average American male 20-29 year old is 5'9" tall and weighs 183 pounds as of 2010. Keep that in mind...That's pretty goddamn fat.

That is pretty fat. I wonder how much weight the average American male 30-39 weighs? It is probably 10-15 lbs more.

You have to remember the Average US resident is decently overweight...probably close to 200lbs. Or do you mean healthy 25 yr old male?

Not past the first fast food restaurant.

Dr. Van Nostrand wrote:

Running isn't that hard.

Well aren't you special.

Instead of telling us how off base we are, why don't you throw out a number?

I have friends in this demographic. I've seen them jog for 100m either drunk or for laughs. Sticking to 1.25mi at best.

Church Lady wrote:

Dr. Van Nostrand wrote:

Running isn't that hard.

Well aren't you special.

No. I'm not. But I, along with the rest of my average 20-something make brethren can run a lot further than the runners on these boards would expect. That's the point.

*male

I agree with an earlier poster who said we should use the median, not the mean. Looking at the tables (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_252.pdf), as of 2010 the *median* measurements for American males in their 20s were 176.5 pounds and 5' 9.4". That gives a BMI of 25.8, at the low end of the "overweight" category. (Though I'll admit that the "normal" category is pretty generous: a six-footer who weighs 183 qualifies.)

I also agree with the many previous posters who guessed 300m--though there is a considerable monetary incentive, which might get the guy closer to 400m.

Nah, I take that back--I just reread the thread title, and we're only talking about "untrained" (presumably, that means "untrained for running") guys. Now I'm saying 300m tops. Maybe closer to 200.

Bad Wigins wrote:

what??????? wrote:

Are there that many disabled 25 year olds? There are plenty of fat guys that can sprint for a few seconds; you don't need any aerobic training for that.

I mean able-bodied 25 year olds. Yes there are many who can go a few seconds... but consider that 5 min/kilometer pace (~8 minute mile for the centenarians out there) is a brisk pace for non-runners, but is only 3 meters per second and in 5 seconds only gets 15 meters.

Maybe not all that many, but a significant percentage can't go 5 seconds. Not so much from weight but from being out of shape.

If a 25yo man can't run for 5 seconds, I would not call him able-bodied. You realize how short 5 seconds/17 meters is don't you? I mean, that is really short man. What's your source/evidence?