Can an average guy run sub 3:10 in the marathon?

Women are getting faster as well and many are under 3 nowadays.

I knew a well-known HS distance coach in Greater Cleveland, a long-time female masters runner, who ran 2:58. But she ran 70-80 mpw.

Anyone running more than 70mpw for a 3:10 'thon should find a new hobby like cycling.

The average guy, no. You? maybe.

Average Joe bro wrote:

Serious question but can any average guy trained right run sub 3:10?

Average guy? No

Above average guy? Maybe

Guy that can breathe while running fast? Yes

Average Joe bro wrote:

Serious question but can any average guy trained right run sub 3:10?

Even IF the average guy ever had the discipline to train for a 3:10, most couldn't get there. By pure talent, the top 30% could do it in theory. But most of those would be too heavy or too lazy or too injured.

Posters on this board, as always, have no clue how terrible the average person is when it comes to running talent. There is massive self selection when it comes to running.

Related story: I work with a kid that is thin and looks pretty fit. He wears running shoes at work and seems like he had a perfect runners frame. I just assumed he would be at least decent. Then he told me about running in High school. He was once LAPPED running an 800! In a real race trying all out lol. This was junior year, after 3 full years of running. So he quit the team.

Truth is most people suck at running, so they don't run.

Well average no but Lance Armstrong ran 3 hours. That means an extremely fit guy who is best at things other than running can.

The average guy can't run one mile at that pace.

When we debate this average man/woman stuff, we have to go to high school. Here on let'srun, there are gals & guys who were runners from age 12 to age 22 or 23 non-stop. Many men & women from that group race sub-3 hour Marathons or were capable of racing sub-3. You also have on here people who started running after college who never were runners in high school. It's tougher for them. While in high school, there were three of us capable of racing sub-3. We used to go on 12 mile runs at sub-6 pace. There was a soccer player who participated in T&F. I know he was capable of racing sub-3 while in high school. Out of a school of app., 1500, four of us were capable of racing sub-3 in high school.

runnER/DR wrote:

Related story: I work with a kid that is thin and looks pretty fit. He wears running shoes at work and seems like he had a perfect runners frame. I just assumed he would be at least decent. Then he told me about running in High school. He was once LAPPED running an 800! In a real race trying all out lol. This was junior year, after 3 full years of running. So he quit the team.

What a load.

There is no chance in hell someone ran for 3 consecutive years and could only run a ~4 minute 800 unless he had a serious disability.

No chance.

No.. Is the 100% correct answer. There are tens of thousands thousands of above average male runners who will never run a 310. Forget the average male who has almost no chance

CallingThisOut wrote:

runnER/DR wrote:

Related story: I work with a kid that is thin and looks pretty fit. He wears running shoes at work and seems like he had a perfect runners frame. I just assumed he would be at least decent. Then he told me about running in High school. He was once LAPPED running an 800! In a real race trying all out lol. This was junior year, after 3 full years of running. So he quit the team.

What a load.

There is no chance in hell someone ran for 3 consecutive years and could only run a ~4 minute 800 unless he had a serious disability.

No chance.

Poster did not communicate well with his work colleague. If someone was lapped in an 800m race, one was lapped in an INDOOR 800m race.

Almostsbs wrote:

No.. Is the 100% correct answer. There are tens of thousands thousands of above average male runners who will never run a 310. Forget the average male who has almost no chance

What do you call above average male runners? Are you considering 45 minute 10K gals & guys above average runners? I am sure at many high schools, there are one or two dozen capable of racing sub 3:10. If you mean average like pulling 50 year olds off the bar stool at Applebees? Then no. If you mean the average 39:15 10K runner? I am sure (80 to 90)% of average 39:15 10K runners can race sub-3:10

CallingThisOut wrote:

runnER/DR wrote:

Related story: I work with a kid that is thin and looks pretty fit. He wears running shoes at work and seems like he had a perfect runners frame. I just assumed he would be at least decent. Then he told me about running in High school. He was once LAPPED running an 800! In a real race trying all out lol. This was junior year, after 3 full years of running. So he quit the team.

What a load.

There is no chance in hell someone ran for 3 consecutive years and could only run a ~4 minute 800 unless he had a serious disability.

No chance.

His story. Have no way of confirming it. He very well may have been exaggerating. Seems odd to exaggerate how sucky you are.

Almostsbs wrote:

No.. Is the 100% correct answer. There are tens of thousands thousands of above average male runners who will never run a 310. Forget the average male who has almost no chance

That wasn't the question.

Can they do it if they trained properly....yes they ought to but don't

Not sure if I'm average, but I ran 2:59 for my first marathon after only training for a few months prior. Ran a bit of XC at school and university, but at least 10 years of no running subsequent to that. Was doing a reasonable amount of cycling though, so fitness levels were reasonable.

Averaged 17 miles per week, and ran 2:59 on a hot and hilly race in India, aged 33.

3 years later I ran 2:51 on 15 miles per week in Edinburgh

The following year having started taking running a bit more seriously, I ran my first London in 2:42 on 18 miles per week.

Last London, my 4th outing there, I ran 2:23 on 93 miles per week, getting a bit closer to my potential.

Probably a major factor for me was decent starting aerobic fitness, and being pretty skinny.

You are an idiot. Why would the non runners be faster than runners? If the average time is over 4 hours for the population who have the knack for running, the rest of the population woukd be slower. The average guy would probably run 4:30 if fully trained. The actual average time would be infinity because some couldn't finish regardless the amount of training.

Lancelegstrong wrote:

Well average no but Lance Armstrong ran 3 hours. That means an extremely fit guy who is best at things other than running can.

This is the most conclusive answer, if Lance can only run 3 hours, what chance does a regular person have?

If I recall correctly Sedin twins were both over 3:10 this spring when they ran the Vancouver marathon after retiring from being professional hockey players. So, no the average person cannot run 3:10 on proper training.

Unless by proper training you mean perfect training (ie running everyday as a kid, working up to 100 mpw etc) then maybe. But even that is unlikely as the average person couldn’t run 100 mpw, they are simply too slow. 100mpw would be too much time spent running.

Bad_comment_pointer_real1 wrote:

...

GTFO for misinterpreting the question.

The question isn't DOES the average guy run 3:10 in the marathon. The question is CAN the average guy run 3:10.

There's always someone who can't tell the difference. GTFO!!!

100% with the above poster. WTF is wrong with all the posts in this thread? Can no one understand the OP's question?

'CAN AN AVERAGE GUY RUN SUB 3.10 IN THE MARATHON'

Yes they can is the answer. Will they? maybe not, most people are lazy, have too many commitments that they'l will put first over going for a run. I.e. watching the game, its raining, got small cold, etc etc. But if they manned up, trained properly for x amount of time, of course they can. I'd say most males under the age of 55 could run sub 2.45 is they had the time and commitment.

GTFO-FTW wrote:

Bad_comment_pointer_real1 wrote:

...

GTFO for misinterpreting the question.

The question isn't DOES the average guy run 3:10 in the marathon. The question is CAN the average guy run 3:10.

There's always someone who can't tell the difference. GTFO!!!

100% with the above poster. WTF is wrong with all the posts in this thread? Can no one understand the OP's question?

'CAN AN AVERAGE GUY RUN SUB 3.10 IN THE MARATHON'

Yes they can is the answer. Will they? maybe not, most people are lazy, have too many commitments that they'l will put first over going for a run. I.e. watching the game, its raining, got small cold, etc etc. But if they manned up, trained properly for x amount of time, of course they can. I'd say most males under the age of 55 could run sub 2.45 is they had the time and commitment.

Not racing sub-3:10 Marathon for many has nothing to do with being lazy. It has nothing to do with manning up as you stated. People choose to race Marathons for numerous reasons. Those who do not are not necessarily lazy . I do not associate Marathon training with manhood. Look at all the women doing it.