Mens Decathalon answers the age old sub 5 mile question?

95% of this field gets smoked in a World/Olympic class decathlon.

The dudes who would beat them aren't too fast either but can certainly do better than 5:00.

It's actually spelled Decathlon.

jamb innn wrote:

Winner ran 4:20 (nice) for the 1500m. The remainder were significantly closer to the 4:45 or 5 min mark.

While these guys ate not classically trained distance dudes, half the field did not break 5 mins in the mile.

You're wrong. Half the field were in the 4:30s or better.

iowalover wrote:

jamb innn wrote:

Winner ran 4:20 (nice) for the 1500m. The remainder were significantly closer to the 4:45 or 5 min mark.

While these guys ate not classically trained distance dudes, half the field did not break 5 mins in the mile.

You're wrong. Half the field were in the 4:30s or better.

Nevermind, I thought you meant 1500m

jamb innn wrote:

Winner ran 4:20 (nice) for the 1500m. The remainder were significantly closer to the 4:45 or 5 min mark.

While these guys ate not classically trained distance dudes, half the field did not break 5 mins in the mile.

The "winner" finished 5th in the decathlon and is not going to Tokyo.

The actual decathlon winner finished 12th in the 1500m. Third was 9th. Second actually tried hard and came in 2nd.

6 guys ran the equivalent of a 5:00 mile (est 4:37)

6 guys broke 5:00 in the 1500m.

This is at the end of a decathlon. So what's the motivation for some other than finishing?

On fresh legs my guess is 90% of the field breaks 5:00 in the mile.

Alan

Runningart2004 wrote:

jamb innn wrote:

Winner ran 4:20 (nice) for the 1500m. The remainder were significantly closer to the 4:45 or 5 min mark.

While these guys ate not classically trained distance dudes, half the field did not break 5 mins in the mile.

The "winner" finished 5th in the decathlon and is not going to Tokyo.

The actual decathlon winner finished 12th in the 1500m. Third was 9th. Second actually tried hard and came in 2nd.

6 guys ran the equivalent of a 5:00 mile (est 4:37)

6 guys broke 5:00 in the 1500m.

This is at the end of a decathlon. So what's the motivation for some other than finishing?

On fresh legs my guess is 90% of the field breaks 5:00 in the mile.

Alan

Yes, the s hit looked like a manditory run for a participation medal.

jamb innn wrote:

Runningart2004 wrote:

The "winner" finished 5th in the decathlon and is not going to Tokyo.

The actual decathlon winner finished 12th in the 1500m. Third was 9th. Second actually tried hard and came in 2nd.

6 guys ran the equivalent of a 5:00 mile (est 4:37)

6 guys broke 5:00 in the 1500m.

This is at the end of a decathlon. So what's the motivation for some other than finishing?

On fresh legs my guess is 90% of the field breaks 5:00 in the mile.

Alan

Yes, the s hit looked like a manditory run for a participation medal.

Because it is. The 1500m being in the decathlon is a joke. The Dec isn't some fantastic mix of physical skills, it's a good mix of TECHNICAL skills but at the end of the day it's 9 purely explosive events and ONE random "endurance" event tossed in on top.

10 hour days in that heat, barely any rest, c’mon. Those dudes are unreal. My hat is off to them all.

cluelessinseattle wrote:

10 hour days in that heat, barely any rest, c’mon. Those dudes are unreal. My hat is off to them all.

Agree. I don't get the point of the OP's post.

Nonathlon wrote:

jamb innn wrote:

Yes, the s hit looked like a manditory run for a participation medal.

Because it is. The 1500m being in the decathlon is a joke. The Dec isn't some fantastic mix of physical skills, it's a good mix of TECHNICAL skills but at the end of the day it's 9 purely explosive events and ONE random "endurance" event tossed in on top.

I don't think it's a joke, but it is an afterthought for sure.

Eaton has run 4:14 in an open 1500m

The current WR holder has run a 4:18, but again I am pretty sure that's in an open.

It's all about points.

In 2016 Eaton ran 4:23.....directly in front of 2nd and 3rd. I imagine any move those guys made would have been matched by Eaton.

Unless the overall scores are super close I don't think the 1500m really comes into play.

However, I vaguely remember an Olympics where the 1500m decided it. 92? 96?

Alan

2019 world cup was decided in the 1500m. It has happened before.

Triathalete wrote:

It's actually spelled Decathlon.

People who say 'triatherlon' are idiots

It's always the last event isn't it?

If so I think that's probably a big factor in the times/effort people run in it.

1,500 is probably least important event to train for

The sprints all have aspects that can be carried to other sprints cross over with training plus helps speed for vault jumps

Hurdles have sprint aspects lifts similar to sprints

Throws have lots of technical cross overs and explosiveness with sprints hurdles jumps

Jumps have simlilar aspects with each other

Sprints other events

1,500 is the odd duck slow twitch event

Ask the hardcore dec guys they will say least important event for training

Dec favors sprints jump hurdles guys

Posters are right that “sometimes” the whole thing comes down to the 1,500

But I would bet the it was very very close in all the other events etc etc

I don't see how the 1500 is more ridiculous than any other event in the dec. They may not really train for it, but being able to race a mile(ish) is pretty high up there on well-rounded athletic skills. Plus, with most of them being so bad at distance running and pacing, the race can be very entertaining if it's meaningful.

DumpPost? wrote:

cluelessinseattle wrote:

10 hour days in that heat, barely any rest, c’mon. Those dudes are unreal. My hat is off to them all.

Agree. I don't get the point of the OP's post.

Perhaps he meant it answers the question "How fast can the average male run a mile?" And all the clowns who suggest any time under 5 minutes, or even under 6 or 7 minutes are delusional.

In 2019 it was not close all the time. Kaul was *way* behind after 6 events but it was known that he would be the best in javelin and 1500m (and pretty strong in discus and pole vault). Still, even after javelin it was not obvious that he would win and he could not jog the 1500m.

But I think the point is missed if one correctly says that the decision is often clear before the 1500m. Because it is still a test of both physical endurance and willpower; even a Mayer with 300 points lead has to finish the 1500m. The whole point is that the sprint/jump guy, even the 220 pounds thrower type HAS to endure this, has to get through it to successfully finish the whole event.

Anyone who wants an octathlon or nonathlon (should be enneathlon ;)) has not understood the magic of decathlon.