When did a 3-hour marathon become something to brag about?

It's all relative. There are probably a million people walking around the earth who have attended an Ivy League school. It's still prestigious, right? Do you have to be a Bill Gates or Zuckerberg to be proud of the fact?

PS never ran one, probably could've gone 2:40-2:50 based on my other times, back in "the day".

There are a lot more people who run marathons than just 20-40 year old men. 3 hrs for a woman is quite impressive. Obviously not professional or elite, but very very few people are elite athletes. 3 hrs is also a very good time for masters men and above. It's not incredibly fast for guys in their 20s and 30s, but as others have said it certainly shows a certain level of dedication and at least a certain ability for endurance sports. Most people who run marathons were not college or even HS runners. Relative to the general population (which is comprised of more than just slow-twitch ectomorphs) 3 hrs is certainly a solid time that is also not so fast to be an unreasonable goal.

~2% of marathon finishers do so in <3:00. Its the equivalent to a scratch game of golf.

To this particular self-selected group of enthusiasts, its slow. But in the context of all participants, it very very fast.

It's an easy training run, but nothing special.

Once I did it, and Oprah couldn't.

I think it became acceptable to be proud of when my sub 28 minute 10k, sub 4 mile, Olympiad friend said it was respectable.

I have run much faster since I first broke 3 hours but for some reason that performance was a break through of sorts.

I guess it was the day that I went from being a jogger to being a runner.

Equivalent statement:

"When did earning $300,000 become something to brag about?"

The LR equivalent retort - "Unless you are earning $10 million/year, you suck"

When months of training has paid off and a person accomplishes their goal. Don't be a stuck up pig. The fact that anyone finishes a marathon is something I can respect

always a benchmark

Well put. I think some of the younguns here also have to take into account that many 3 hour marathoners are working full time at a career, married, some with families.

I love to run, but when my kids came along their lives took priority (this was NOT a sacrifice) and my running was put on the back burner.

I still trained, but not as much and I skipped some races for their activities- you get the picture.

Now, they're grown, I still love to run but I'm older and can only get so much out of my body.

It's nothing to brag about, but it is an accomplishment.

chump wrote:

It's all relative. There are probably a million people walking around the earth who have attended an Ivy League school. It's still prestigious, right? Do you have to be a Bill Gates or Zuckerberg to be proud of the fact?

What he said.

Look at the percentage of people under 3:00 at any marathon. At many races with around 1000 people, it will place you in the top 20.

The fact is, this whining comments sounds like a semi-pro golfer asking why you'd brag about breaking 80, just because they're jealous nobody cares that they consistently hit 72-75. The whiners here sounds like idiots.

Do you think that pro baseball players sit around on message boards asking "since when did winning your city beer league become something to brag about?" No. Unlike the sad little men here dreaming about going <14 (which nobody will care about but you), professionals are secure in their own positions and in fact encourage recreational players, knowing that it builds interest in the sport at all levels.

And you nitwits wonder why there are 30,000 recreational runners in every large marathon but empty stands at track meets? Hilarious.

It's all about context. You can't brag "sub3" to real runners because it is not impressive, and non-runners are unable to put it in context and/or do not care. I find that most people don't actually ask about times. The top 3 questions I get when a non-runner asks about marathon running are probably:

1. How far is that?

2. How many marathons have you run??

3. Do you run every day ???

I think most non-runners just picture hoardes of runners going down the street like a parade, without a concern about what their time may be. Which is generally the case.

You're all winners.

Look at it this way, a non-runner who breaks three hours is akin to a tiny 'real' runner who can bench at least 250 pounds. 250 pounds ain't crap in the real world but is damn impressive for someone who is 5'9 and 125 to 140 pounds.

When you actually have some friends to brag to, because your life doesn't revolve solely around running!

well, for starters, the vast majority of the population can't fathom doing it, which certaintly makes a 3hr marathon sound very impressive to your friends and family. In the running world however, a 3hr marathon is but an "ok" time. I'm not sure I'd even consider it good. I would agree that it is all pretty relative as well. You shouldn't really brag about your times, just be proud of what you accomplish, and you can say your time with pride when someone asks your PR. A 3-hr marathon is a lifetime achievement for some people, and just because you can go faster doesn't mean you have to put them down. I will agree though, someone excessively bragging about a 3hr marathon would get annoying.

thirded

HCTIU wrote:

marathoning for 200 Alex wrote:

for years getting a BAA Q was a mark runners aimed about 3:05.

Brag no but like breaking your Novice and moving to Open is HS it said you met a standard that was above average.

3 hours said that you gave a dam about getting good enough to get a BAA Q .

3 hours said you passed warriors school now go count coup.

It's like when you were a kid and you picked sides in the playground. 3 hours says you will be pick way before it's not picking as much as settle for.

Brag no but 3 hours is kinda the serious marathoners club handshake.

I ran 2:57:58 a few years ago. I am not an elite runner but took up running late in life ( about 33 ) and ran the sub 3 eight days after my 40th birthday. I lost 70 lbs. in the process so for me it was a great achievement. I find that most runners and non-runners who thinks it's no big deal have never done it. Maybe they just want to stick to their short distances. I don't know if it merits bragging. If I were bragging, I would say that currently my verifiable PR is faster than Kenesia Bekele, Usain Bolt or Alan Webb. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Totally agree.... bragging is for the insecure. But a sub 3 marathon for someone who never ran in HS or university is solid. So many of you past collegiate runners take yourselves so seriously. Lighten up Cassidy.

G5 wrote:

When did a 3-hour marathon become something to brag about?

When you turn 65.