Slowest guy you know who takes running seriously?

slower and broer wrote:

I know people who are very serious, run 10+ hours per week, and barely beat 30 minutes in a 5k.

They enjoy running and enjoy challenging themselves even though they know they're not good at their chosen hobby. The fast guys are very encouraging to these people while some runners who take great pride in being just above average can be d!cks.

Or so I've heard.

They should all quit, unless they reach the standards of people around here.

huh what wrote:

You must be thinking only of young, relatively fast people. Plenty of older runners and meet your standard and can't run anything close to those times.

For reference, running sub-20 in a 5k puts you in the top few percentiles among the general running population (obviously not all these people are running 40+ a week, but still).

http://www.pace-calculator.com/5k-pace-comparison.php

Thank you very much for sharing that. It seems that average is in fact much different than most folks around here think.

seattle dude wrote:

Some of the people here crack me up. At tennis courts all around the country there are people who are serious about Tennis and play every day. They practice a lot. I've got friends who do this. None of these people have ANY chance of even doing well at even a small local tournament. Yet no one mocks them or says they are wasting their time.

What is it about some of the runners here who feel the need to mock runners who would still finish in the top 5% of a road race?

You are only wasting your time if you don't enjoy what you do overall.

Well said.

fdasfasdf wrote:

I'm approaching 40 years old and jog 40 per week, but I'm at least 20 pounds overweight because I like to eat. If I didn't run, I'd be morbidly obese. I do races for fun, but the best I could do now is 19 something for 5k and just under 1:30 for a half marathon. If I lost 20 pounds, I'd be faster, but I'm not super motivated to do that. I don't really know if I'd call 40 per week taking running super seriously, depending on the person's background and how intense the 40 per week is for them. 40 per week is like my bare minimum for fitness, not intense training.

I am Magine that running 40 miles per week put you in the top 1% of all runners in the world for mileage. The overwhelming majority of runners will never come near that kind of mileage.

Sure! If it makes you feel better,blame her coach. But unless you consider all of the negativity she received, you might want to realize that you and your friends, if you were involved, started the fall.

holpin wrote:

Stoppit Smith wrote:

Watch people insult her weight, running gait, potential, drive, desire and passion

...

Watch people try to break her spirit

Yes, that is what people did to Mary Cain.

Are these "people" you are referring to her pro coach?

Slowbro wrote:

By "running seriously", I mean 4+ years of consistent training, averaging 40+MPW in base phase for at least two seasons.

The slowest person I know who matches that description is a friend whose 1500 PR is 4:47. That's his best event, as his 800 (2:22) and 5K (low 19s) times are even worse.

Decent speed bro, should be at least sub 18 and into 17min 5k territory if he trained smarter bro

Probably me. 4 hours a week for a 19 minute 5k. But I run my easy runs too fast.

Boulder bro wrote:

Slowbro wrote:

By "running seriously", I mean 4+ years of consistent training, averaging 40+MPW in base phase for at least two seasons.

The slowest person I know who matches that description is a friend whose 1500 PR is 4:47. That's his best event, as his 800 (2:22) and 5K (low 19s) times are even worse.

Decent speed bro, should be at least sub 18 and into 17min 5k territory if he trained smarter bro

the guy described in op is almost exactly me, at 38 years. unfortunately, some of us are just not gifted aerobically, while also not having any the speed to sprint! I do think in a year or so I can at least get my 5k closer to 18 though.

Technically they're wasting 5 fewer minutes.

I have a slow friend who transitioned to triathlons. He doesn't seem to finish any higher in his 3 events than in his road races, but covering 70 miles in a race is impressive. He also has some income (from his wife!) and he makes sure to spend a bit of it on bike gear. He is much happier being an average triathlete rather than an average runner.

Do you know what, those lads at the front of the pack will always be at the front of the pack and for them fast times are normal times. The runner I respect most is a local chap who started out doing a regular parkrun, it took him over a year to do it without stopping, and when he started he must have been 300lbs. He's went on to do 10k, Half's and full marathons, not quick, bit he does them. That bloke works as hard as the quick lads at the front.

Think of the physiological load on an elite marathon runner, heart rate, body temperature etc, he'll maintain that for just over two hours, some of those at the back will have that same load, but maintain it for 4 to 6 hours.

We are all different, for each of us the challenge is different, running is more than just being in the top 0.1%. We all need to support each other, because you know what, without those at the back, there's no one at the front.

Naked’s husband.

Slowbro wrote:

It's sad and dumb because it's pointless and because that time can be achieved with no training by a significant fraction of the population in that age group. What's the point in training that much to run a 22:00 5K when it's not going to win any races and when there are literally tens of thousands of random guys in the country who can beat you without training at all? You don't need to run 40+MPW if you just want to stay in shape.

Because I love it.

I used to get up in the morning before work and run 8 miles (not fast, but I'd generally finish in just over 60 minutes). On weekends I'd do a longer run of 12+ miles.

I loved being able to decide to run a half marathon on a day's notice. I loved having my "short run" be a 5 miles.. I loved the fact that my body was in sufficiently good condition that it could run for two hours. I loved being outside. I loved running trail runs. I loved running road races.

It's tougher now, because I'm married and have kids and responsibilities (and where I live is ON FIRE RIGHT NOW), but I can still get out and run hilly roads for half an hour without stopping. I have a level of fitness that a lot of Americans *aspire* to have and it's normal for me.

Please feel free to stuff it.

Basically anyone from jacuzzi boys athletic club who posts about their trials and tribulations alllllll the time on instagram and twitter.

You're not fast, and to double up, your captions are not witty and are a sad cry for help.

lol bros in pdx wrote:

Basically anyone from jacuzzi boys athletic club who posts about their trials and tribulations alllllll the time on instagram and twitter.

You're not fast, and to double up, your captions are not witty and are a sad cry for help.

What about us?! We are BTC ELITE!

BTC ELITE wrote:

lol bros in pdx wrote:

Basically anyone from jacuzzi boys athletic club who posts about their trials and tribulations alllllll the time on instagram and twitter.

You're not fast, and to double up, your captions are not witty and are a sad cry for help.

What about us?! We are BTC ELITE!

At least you make the olympic trials. JBAC is lucky to win a beer voucher from Shamrock shuffle.

LIkely ... me.