I agree with the OP. It is sad to see these hobby joggers stuck in first gear forever. Don’t be that balding skinny-fat duded with a grey ponytail and a gut on him. Please.
You young buggers will end up there a lot sooner then you think.
People start threads on here from time to time asking how to break 20 minutes in a 5K. I always think....ummmm....just like....ummmm.....do it? I broke 20 as a little 10-year-old kid with basically random nonsense training of 5 miles per week.
But then again, I bet people who are naturally built for powerlifting think the same thing when people say that they can't AUTOMATICALLY bench press 200 LB.
I know this wasn't OP, but I've got to point out that any 10yo breaking 20min in a 5k is very talented. Especially with "nonsense training of 5 mpw". Considering the 10yo WR is 17:24 (I think), and that kid was definitely training hard. Honestly, I don't believe you. ;) It was a "5k" that the coach thought was about 3mi, and was actually 2.5.
Anyway, best of luck breaking 20min at your local Jingle Bell and Resolution Runs, all my fellow hobby joggers.
I don’t get the fact is the hobby jogger can a have PR in the 5k , 10 k and marathon and they are splits of each other . 27 min 5 k , 54 min 10 k etc . one speed wonders
Cause not everyone is good at running!!!!! Why is that so hard to understand, i'm awesome making gainz in the gym, but i never wonder why are there so many skinny mother effers in the gym, they just probably cant build as easily even with diet and training.
These hobby joggers you denegrade do it for socialising and fitness above all else. Most have a family and s career. Meanwhile you are jerking over your 20:47 5K on letsrun.
First of all, that 20:47 isn't close to my actual PR.
Second, I do have a career and am running for fitness above all else (hence the 10-12 mpw) just like the other hobby joggers. I may not make $250K+ like everyone else on here, but I do make enough to live comfortably.
I think the bulk of runners who show up at races have never really pushed themselves or don't like the discomfort of a hard effort. At the local turkey trot this year, I asked my wife to REALLY RED-LINE the race. Like, start right from the gun running like you can only make it to the corner and even then you might die. (I was spectating). I cut over to see her at the corner and she was jogging and smiling and waving to me and I just knew it's never gonna happen. She doesn't get "hard effort."
I think that pushing ourselves beyond the pain threshold is part of what makes us good runners. We understand that to be fast, you have to be willing to suffer. And maybe even enjoy it...
I think the bulk of runners who show up at races have never really pushed themselves or don't like the discomfort of a hard effort. At the local turkey trot this year, I asked my wife to REALLY RED-LINE the race. Like, start right from the gun running like you can only make it to the corner and even then you might die. (I was spectating). I cut over to see her at the corner and she was jogging and smiling and waving to me and I just knew it's never gonna happen. She doesn't get "hard effort."
I think that pushing ourselves beyond the pain threshold is part of what makes us good runners. We understand that to be fast, you have to be willing to suffer. And maybe even enjoy it...
You nailed it. Hobby joggers are slow because they don't want to push hard during a race.
I'm surprised at how unpopular of a view that is. Thought most people on here would know better.
I'm in my mid 30s and haven't run more than 10-12 mpw since 2012. No workouts, no cross training, and barely any racing.
I ran a 5K a few weeks ago, got a 20:47, and easily finished in the top 10% of all men.
My question is, why is everyone else so slow? Many of them are doing more training than I am, and it's not like I'm a talented ex-track star either. I wouldn't have been able to walk on to any college with the possible exception of the absolute worst D3 schools. And even then, I'd probably be the slowest guy on the team (my lifetime 1500 PR is 4:40 set in 2011, and that's my best event).
Is everyone else just stopping at the first sign of discomfort or something?
Its hard to believe you reached your potential back when you were a competitive runner. If you ran 4:40 for the 1500 and that was your best event, by far, then you were probably over 18 min for a 5k. As an older man who hasn't even been cross training or running more than 10 mpw its just hard to believe you could run a 20:47 if 18min was your peak. To me this just says you had the potential to run much faster and actually have a decent amount of talent.
If I don't run for even a year I go from an 18min 5k to over 24 minutes. Now I can get down to sub 22 min very quickly with a few weeks of serious training, but you must have some talent or aren't telling us something.
I'm in my mid 30s and haven't run more than 10-12 mpw since 2012. No workouts, no cross training, and barely any racing.
I ran a 5K a few weeks ago, got a 20:47, and easily finished in the top 10% of all men.
My question is, why is everyone else so slow? Many of them are doing more training than I am, and it's not like I'm a talented ex-track star either. I wouldn't have been able to walk on to any college with the possible exception of the absolute worst D3 schools. And even then, I'd probably be the slowest guy on the team (my lifetime 1500 PR is 4:40 set in 2011, and that's my best event).
Is everyone else just stopping at the first sign of discomfort or something?
Its hard to believe you reached your potential back when you were a competitive runner. If you ran 4:40 for the 1500 and that was your best event, by far, then you were probably over 18 min for a 5k. As an older man who hasn't even been cross training or running more than 10 mpw its just hard to believe you could run a 20:47 if 18min was your peak. To me this just says you had the potential to run much faster and actually have a decent amount of talent.
If I don't run for even a year I go from an 18min 5k to over 24 minutes. Now I can get down to sub 22 min very quickly with a few weeks of serious training, but you must have some talent or aren't telling us something.
Yeah, my 5K PR is in the low 18s.
I could potentially have run faster than 4:40 back then, but I always got injured when doing more than 40-50 mpw. But diminishing returns is a thing, and even if I somehow avoided getting hurt while doing 70-80 mpw, I'd likely have maxed out at 4:35-4:36 and not at 4:00-4:05.
I'm in my mid 30s and haven't run more than 10-12 mpw since 2012. No workouts, no cross training, and barely any racing.
I ran a 5K a few weeks ago, got a 20:47, and easily finished in the top 10% of all men.
My question is, why is everyone else so slow? Many of them are doing more training than I am, and it's not like I'm a talented ex-track star either. I wouldn't have been able to walk on to any college with the possible exception of the absolute worst D3 schools. And even then, I'd probably be the slowest guy on the team (my lifetime 1500 PR is 4:40 set in 2011, and that's my best event).
Is everyone else just stopping at the first sign of discomfort or something?
Ok buddy! Check back at 50 or 60 and tell us if you feel the same. That is if you can still walk and run by then. You probably beat a bunch of older people who are having a hard time. You will be working your butt off to run 20 minutes at that age.
That doesn't explain why I still finished in the top 10% even after narrowing down the race results to men under age 40. Without that restriction, I'd be in the top 3%.
I think the bulk of runners who show up at races have never really pushed themselves or don't like the discomfort of a hard effort. At the local turkey trot this year, I asked my wife to REALLY RED-LINE the race. Like, start right from the gun running like you can only make it to the corner and even then you might die. (I was spectating). I cut over to see her at the corner and she was jogging and smiling and waving to me and I just knew it's never gonna happen. She doesn't get "hard effort."
I think that pushing ourselves beyond the pain threshold is part of what makes us good runners. We understand that to be fast, you have to be willing to suffer. And maybe even enjoy it...
You nailed it. Hobby joggers are slow because they don't want to push hard during a race.
I'm surprised at how unpopular of a view that is. Thought most people on here would know better.
Wait, aren't you the OP who was asking the question in the first place?
Why would anyone even care what time some other random people are running? I just jogged 20 minute 5k dressed as one of Santa's elves .What an amazing experience to feel the sense of belonging to a group. Nobody even looked at their watches we were just a group of like minded people out for a good time .In marathon shape I could probably run around 17 minutes but who even cares ?I don't.
Talent isn't all or nothing. My 1500 PR, as a DIi walk-on, was likely very similar to yours (I ran mostly 5k/10k as I definitely lacked the raw speed for the mile). Though I was clearly one of the slow guys on the team, there was still modest talent or the motivation to compete likely would not be there.
Perhaps more importantly, you may have answered your own question by mentioning "diminishing returns".If someone runs primarily for social, fitness, mental clarity, stress relief, etc., then competitiveness plays a reduced role.
Very few of us, if any, reach their absolute potential. The reasons are as varied as the whims of the wind.
Its hard to believe you reached your potential back when you were a competitive runner. If you ran 4:40 for the 1500 and that was your best event, by far, then you were probably over 18 min for a 5k. As an older man who hasn't even been cross training or running more than 10 mpw its just hard to believe you could run a 20:47 if 18min was your peak. To me this just says you had the potential to run much faster and actually have a decent amount of talent.
If I don't run for even a year I go from an 18min 5k to over 24 minutes. Now I can get down to sub 22 min very quickly with a few weeks of serious training, but you must have some talent or aren't telling us something.
Yeah, my 5K PR is in the low 18s.
I could potentially have run faster than 4:40 back then, but I always got injured when doing more than 40-50 mpw. But diminishing returns is a thing, and even if I somehow avoided getting hurt while doing 70-80 mpw, I'd likely have maxed out at 4:35-4:36 and not at 4:00-4:05.
You needed 40-50 mpw to run low 18s for 5k at a young age. I agree you're not very talented.
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.