By starting this thread you're essentially asking permission from LetsRun posters whether you can feel good about your time. That's a dangerous thing to do.
Ultimately, it's all subjective, all opinion. If it makes you feel better, consider 2:39 sub-elite. If you want my opinion, I think it's a great time. I'm trying to break 3:00 by my 50th birthday, so I'd be elated with a 2:39. It's elite enough for me.
On the other hand, a 2:39 means you're a full six miles behind Kipchoge when he finishes an at least 5 miles behind other elites that are major marathon threats. That's quite a huge gap. If you're "sub-elite" what are the guys that are two or three miles behind, yet still have no chance to win? I don't know.
Choose how you want to view your performance, not how Letsrun says you should view it.
I am a female sub 2:40 marathoner, and I don’t consider myself to be “sub elite.” Yes, I can get free entry into most marathons in the US, but I am also a whole three miles behind the top US women. I ran 18 minutes in the 5k and 5:30 in the mile about one year before I ran my first (and only) marathon. I think I would consider myself to be sub-elite if I was a sub 2:30 marathoner.
In my opinion, I think sub 2:30 is sub elite for females and sub 2:20 is sub elite for males.
It depends from what country you are. Let's take a small marathon (2000 runners)like Pisa marathon in Italy. In december 2022 . No East Africans in the race . So only Italians and some europeans. The winner did 2:17. 10th place with 2:37 , and 20th place 2:41. More impressive some guys in their 50's with 2:39 . 88 runners were sub 3:00. So to answer your original question.A better question woukd be if Elite marathon runners still exist ( in a good number) out of East Africa and Japan. In the last years we have seen East Africans and japanese runners run away from the rest of the world . We have seen the top quality and quantity of Japanese runners like when in 42 break 2:10 in a marathon . And they have a lot of runners able to run sub 2:08. To be in the top 50 marathon runners in 2022 in Japan you need a 2:09:32" and to be in the top 100 you need 2:11:50. In East Africa same thing but with even faster times. So in this two countries a 2:39 is very far to be an elite. But if you are in other countries maybe a 2:39 can be a good time . in Italy in 2022 with a 2:29 you are among the top fifty marathon runners , with the best has 2:08:34. And with 2:39 you are just out of the top 100. Now let's look at Kenya to be in the top 100 marathon runners of 2022 you need 2:09:08 !!!! With the best has 2:01:09. and you need 2:07:18 to be in the top 50. So as you can see the word sub Elite has different meaning , and it really depends on where you live.
My take is that sub-elite means you get your name on your bib at major races, but nobody expects you to win. Guaranteed entry is different than getting into a sub-elite corral.
I agree with this. Sub-elite to me means just below elite. You get entry into a USATF Championship but you aren't going to place. If you want to be reductionist and say "everything not elite is sub-elite" you are obfuscating.
2:39 equates to 16:35 5k and that's a totally different category of runner than a sub-2:20 guy.
The bar has to be set high enough to shut down any hobby joggers from ever daring to dream of having anything to do with the word "elite". That glorious title is reserved to the more worthy pure running souls on this message board.
Sub-2:05 = Medal Contenders / Podiums at the Majors
Sub-2:10 = World Class
Sub-2:20 = National Class Runner (USA)
Sub-2:30 = Sub-Elite
Sub-2:40 = Very good amateur / Excellent Masters Runner
Sub-2:50 = Good amateur / Very good Masters Runner
Sub-3:00 = Solid runner but nothing to write home about
p.s. I can't run any of these times anymore, but I have had friends most of these categories and I think they would agree with my assessment.
To the majority of recreational runners, which is probably 90% of the base of this sport, a 3:00 marathon is the holy grail.
The fact that this accomplishment is so belittled here is baffling. More so the fact this is about the most upvoted reply in this thread. It says a lot about the negativity of this forum. It seems like people here feels the imperative necessity of preserving the purity of distance running, keeping any and all hobby joggers in their place, that their so called "achievements" are utterly and absolutely worthless.
Sub-2:05 = Medal Contenders / Podiums at the Majors
Sub-2:10 = World Class
Sub-2:20 = National Class Runner (USA)
Sub-2:30 = Sub-Elite
Sub-2:40 = Very good amateur / Excellent Masters Runner
Sub-2:50 = Good amateur / Very good Masters Runner
Sub-3:00 = Solid runner but nothing to write home about
p.s. I can't run any of these times anymore, but I have had friends most of these categories and I think they would agree with my assessment.
To the majority of recreational runners, which is probably 90% of the base of this sport, a 3:00 marathon is the holy grail.
The fact that this accomplishment is so belittled here is baffling. More so the fact this is about the most upvoted reply in this thread. It says a lot about the negativity of this forum. It seems like people here feels the imperative necessity of preserving the purity of distance running, keeping any and all hobby joggers in their place, that their so called "achievements" are utterly and absolutely worthless.
Eh. I have a couple of athletes that are in that 2:45-3:00 range and I'm just as excited for their accomplishments as I am for mine. I probably spend most of my time with runners that are above that 2:45 mark.
I will say that that same group tends to be the most entitled and gatekeeping group out the groups mentioned above. I won't see many 2:30 and below people talk down to others but I've definitely seen my fair share of BQers talk down to others if they feel like their accomplishments are in any way minimized.
There is no difference between someone who runs a marathon in 2:15 and someone who runs it in 6 hours.
Both are hobbyjoggers and earn no money as PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES.
Exactly this. People who do mental contortions to split hairs over what imaginary parameters are met by some performance that would win an age group, at best, are clowns. I can see one possible exception for people who are slow yet serious calling themselves "hacks."
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