say you take a 30 minute 10k guy and a 40 minute 10k guy. assume, for the sake of argument, that each is running to his absolute maximum ability, so that they both can push themselves just as hard (yes, this is a big assumption, but somewhere out there are 40 minute 10k guys who can go absolutely balls to the wall). is the race harder for the 40 minute 10ker? because if they're both pushing themselves exactly as hard, then at 8k, say, they're both in the same amount of pain. but the 30 minute 10k guy has to deal with that pain for 6 more minutes, whereas the 40 minute guy has 8 more minutes of the same pain. just something i've been thinking about...