Sean Brosnan’s “4:20 is not that fast” shirt is stupid

It's a little abrasive but

Back in the 90s a 4:20 mile was fast, very good kids ran in the 4:1x range, with a few rare 4:0x milers

Now we have more 4:0x kids, sub 4 kids again, etc. So the new standard of fast has become sub 4:10 let's say

It doesn't diminish it, just shows it's a new playing field, though the language used might be considered a little rude.

I get what you mean when it comes to kids who take the sport seriously and just have bad genetics or whatever and can barely break 4:30. I know on my old high school team, probably 5-6 kids were capable of breaking 4:20. But none of them really took the sport seriously. Little/no training during the offseason, inconsistent, low mileage, etc. I've seen a lot of 4:25 guys that could be sub 4:20 guys with adequate training and mindset.

what a joke smh wrote:

How many high school kids work their butts off to break 4:30 in the mile? And now you’re just diminishing their accomplishment?

Just irks me. Some kids don’t develop until after high school and it shouldn’t be frowned upon. You wanna keep the kids in the sport and hey some special things can happen in college and beyond. Don’t tell them they’re slow in high school.

Here come the fan boys to defend him, saying everyone is misinterpreting what he's saying. It's really just about not having boundaries.

Well, then just say that. When you say an a-hole thing, but mean something else, just apologize and restate it in a less offensive way. The guy seems to think he's a victim of jealousy, but it's really that he's arrogant and obnoxious and his poor team ends up feeling like they are disrespected because of how people feel about him.

I had no idea this shirt existed. But cmon there's other ways to express you're a fast runner without taking a dump on the guys who are slower than you. Pretty lame and comes across as distasteful, but hey it's a free market.

smh

He’s not talk shots at guys who are 4:20 milers. It’s a mindset. Stop training for 4:20 like it’s some sort of Holy Grail. Remove any boundaries and just see how fast you run.

You’re not going to run 4:0x or faster by training to run a 4:20.00. That’s for sure.

what a joke smh wrote:

How many high school kids work their butts off to break 4:30 in the mile? And now you’re just diminishing their accomplishment?

Just irks me. Some kids don’t develop until after high school and it shouldn’t be frowned upon. You wanna keep the kids in the sport and hey some special things can happen in college and beyond. Don’t tell them they’re slow in high school.

It's an absolutely dickish thing to say, and if you were to point that out to him, I'd bet he'd say you were an idiot loser to be offended by it.

made bed wrote:

smh

He’s not talk shots at guys who are 4:20 milers. It’s a mindset. Stop training for 4:20 like it’s some sort of Holy Grail. Remove any boundaries and just see how fast you run.

You’re not going to run 4:0x or faster by training to run a 4:20.00. That’s for sure.

See what I mean? He IS taking shots at kids who can't break 4:20. He may not have meant to, but like I said, realize you did, apologize and find a less offensive way of saying it instead of doubling down on being a d!ck.

By the way, I heard him say we should have more sub 13:00 minute runners, etc. Like he has some way of convincing runners there shouldn't be boundaries, but the top coaches in the country just don't know how to motivate their runners like he does. So, when in a couple years, all his studs are gone, will he have just lost the ability to motivate his runners and convince them there are no limits?

Does the shirt properly give quote credit to “9xAll-American”?

Yes. He has a way of motivating his runners and “4:20 is not fast” is part of that.

Let’s wager about how many sub-4:10, sub-9:00 guys he has after the class of ‘23 graduates. I’m willing to bet he has somewhere between 3-7 each year.

Other schools can too! He’s not a magic worker, he’s just not putting the “p**** up on a pedestal.” (In this analogy, the p**** is a 4:20 1600m.)

it is a fine thing to say to your 14:00 - 15:00 minute xc runners. it is not a comment to make publicly.

made bed wrote:

Yes. He has a way of motivating his runners and “4:20 is not fast” is part of that.

Let’s wager about how many sub-4:10, sub-9:00 guys he has after the class of ‘23 graduates. I’m willing to bet he has somewhere between 3-7 each year.

Other schools can too! He’s not a magic worker, he’s just not putting the “p**** up on a pedestal.” (In this analogy, the p**** is a 4:20 1600m.)

Are you high? I’ll take that bet all day!

By the way, can you send me your personal email? I have a business opportunity I’d like to share with you. It’s a can’t miss and you’ll be getting in on the ground floor.

I'm buying that shirt.

Don't hate the player. Hate the game.

I stand with his idea that to get kids to run 4:10, 4:05, sub 4, etc, that they can't think 4:20 is fast. If they think 4:20 is fast, there's no need to be running 4:05. If 4:05 is fast, and they want to be fast, then they'll train to break 4:05.

I can agree that some 4:20-30 guys may feel pressed because they feel like their accomplishment is getting diminished, but honestly, if you ran 4:20 in HS and feel so attacked by a T-shirt saying that 4:20 isn't really fast, I don't have a ton of sympathy. If running is such a big part of your life that you're personally offended by a T-shirt, but your PR is 4:20, that's kinda sad.

I think it'd be kinda cringe to see someone wearing it unironically though outside of a few circumstances. It's kinda just picking on people below you. It reminds me of those "3:50 your move Centro" shirts; I thought they were kinda cringe except for Hocker's friend who wore it at the trials. Maybe if a NP fan wore it to the state meet or Arcadia or something, but other than that it's kinda cringeworthy.

Peach Pit wrote:

if you ran 4:20 in HS and feel so attacked by a T-shirt saying that 4:20 isn't really fast, I don't have a ton of sympathy. If running is such a big part of your life that you're personally offended by a T-shirt, but your PR is 4:20, that's kinda sad.

Yeah, if you're feeling attacked and offended by someone attacking and offending you, it's your fault. Especially some kid who is busting his butt to run as fast as they can, but aren't as talented as others. They are pathetic losers for not running that fast. If they would just believe they can do it, they would. They just need someone as great as Brosnan to make them believe it.

He's right. We should have more sub 13min runners. I think you're missing the point. They way you think is his exact point he is talking about. The negative attitude coaches and athletes have is crazy. Saying 4:20's not fast is a mentality. He explained this in his interviews with Billy the toad.

We need more movers and shakers in this world. and the snowflakes that don't understand this quote are the ones who will just complain their entire life as others reach success.

As I understand, the idea behind the statement '4:20 isn't fast' is to

install that belief.

Of course 4:20 is a good high school mile. It is probably top 5 in many states I would guess.

If the shirt irks you just don't buy it.

Greg wrote:

As I understand, the idea behind the statement '4:20 isn't fast' is to

install that belief.

Of course 4:20 is a good high school mile. It is probably top 5 in many states I would guess.

If the shirt irks you just don't buy it.

The best part is they are giving them out. Just like the stickers. I agree is it bothers you, don't wear it.

On their team Livestream they said they will be giving them out for some instagram contests.

4:20 isn’t even a sub 4 1500.

He’s absolutely right. You want to motivate your runners to bring their A game. Shoot for the top times, part of that is your mentality.

Mentality>Physicality