Amazing: 2:31 US Marathoner Bethany Sachtleben had no idea that runners ran workouts when she started running in college

IAAF ranking points:

2:31:00 for women gets 1123 points for which a male has to run 2:12:10.

I don't know their algorithms, but it probably reflects that the men's field is denser.

Anyone doubting this story is completely ridiculous.

Bethany is the toughest training partner I've ever had. She's by far one of the hardest working individuals I've known and deserves all the credit she gets.

Male bias wrote:

I love how a male equates a female 2:31 to a male 2:16. Try 2:12.

If it's 2:12 it's only because women's running isn't nearly as deep as men's.

If you are a 2:05 marathoner, you could be considered a potential winner for virtually any race in the world. For the women, I"d say you need to be at least 2:23 to say that.

All I'm saying is I don't think it's 2:12. 2:16 does seem to slow.

Male bias wrote:

I love how a male equates a female 2:31 to a male 2:16. Try 2:12.

2:16 is closer to correct, as a percentage of the world record.

Just because she didn't know what a kilometer was, doesn't mean she doesn't know about workouts. Just another homeschooled American.

I'm sorry, I'm having an emotional episode. I'll try to control myself in the future.

Take it easy wrote:

Male bias wrote:

I love how a male equates a female 2:31 to a male 2:16. Try 2:12.

2:16 is closer to correct, as a percentage of the world record.

2:16 is wrong because that is stupid math.

success in distance running never comes out of the blue.

if you are a soccer player and play two ways hard, you have a tremendous base for running, because that's all your're doing except for the couple of minutes actual ball time you get.

as a kid, i would hike alone in the woods for hours, and sometimes walk and jog home from school, plus play all the sports including soccer, so that is the foundation, and with a bit of sensible training and a pinch of talent, you are the local star....

a big fish in a small pond.

that's the way it works.

I’m not going to doubt she didn’t know runners did workouts....

But im going to dount her college degree. What person doesn’t realize that the top professionals in their sport don’t do workouts? Swimmers do workouts, okay. Gymnasts do workouts, okay. Runners do workouts, WHAT THE EFFF ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?!?!

malmo wrote:

I've never looked up a training plan online in my life, and none of my peers did either. Sometimes I've worn watches in races, but only out of habit. I'm not sure how someone runs without knowing that every run is a workout? But then again, had Nostradamus told me that one day boys would be winning girls races I'd have told him, "Get the efff out of here, you're out of your effing mind!"

There was no "online" back in your day.

Take it easy wrote:

2:16 is closer to correct, as a percentage of the world record.

Young soccer players don't do workouts. They play soccer.

She clearly would have run sub-3:00 without that 20-miler the day before. That is off-the-charts talent for someone running 4-6 miles/day, long run of 8.

Andy's Boy wrote:

Anyone doubting this story is completely ridiculous.

Bethany is the toughest training partner I've ever had. She's by far one of the hardest working individuals I've known and deserves all the credit she gets.

What are you rambling about? Nobody doubted anything.

As to whether any of us care, that is a different question.

Gucci wrote:

Did any of you idiots read the article?? The quotes are describing her mindset before her first marathon in 2012. She ran a 3:08, and then, as a college student, walked on to George Mason's team. With structure and an understanding of running, she went on to set school records in college, and post-collegiate runs professionally, and has recently run a 2:31.

So obviously she trains "for real" now. She has been for 7 years. But she didn't when she was 19 or whatever when she picked up running.

Jesus people, read the darn article.

You have to understand that most people on LR only has a double digit IQ.

well,, wrote:

Gucci wrote:

Did any of you idiots read the article?? The quotes are describing her mindset before her first marathon in 2012. She ran a 3:08, and then, as a college student, walked on to George Mason's team. With structure and an understanding of running, she went on to set school records in college, and post-collegiate runs professionally, and has recently run a 2:31.

So obviously she trains "for real" now. She has been for 7 years. But she didn't when she was 19 or whatever when she picked up running.

Jesus people, read the darn article.

You have to understand that most people on LR only has a double digit IQ.

The headline is wrong typical LR

It should say

"2.31 marathoner had no idea of workouts when she ran her 3.08 debut"

Or

"3.08 runner never heard of workouts but now she has and has improved to 2.31 unsurprisingly"

but no-one would have read the article then

well,, wrote:

Gucci wrote:

Did any of you idiots read the article?? The quotes are describing her mindset before her first marathon in 2012. She ran a 3:08, and then, as a college student, walked on to George Mason's team. With structure and an understanding of running, she went on to set school records in college, and post-collegiate runs professionally, and has recently run a 2:31.

So obviously she trains "for real" now. She has been for 7 years. But she didn't when she was 19 or whatever when she picked up running.

Jesus people, read the darn article.

You have to understand that most people on LR only has a double digit IQ.

Like most Americans, I only read the headlines. I almost never read the articles.

“Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner”: protagonist is only allowed out to run. He doesn’t call it a workout, either.

Spoiler alert: the harder he trains, the greater his chance of revenge on those who have confined him.