I always think I've ticked the "running posts only" box for this board, but then someone posts some retarded troll take and ruins it for everyone again.
I agree. 72s laps are slow enough that it's a relatively easy "goal" to hit. I broke 30 the first time as a glorified tempo run with a strong finish - clicking off 4:48s and then closing under 4:20.
My college team was 4th in the NCAA D1 Cross Country Championship. Only 4 of that top 7 ever ran under 30 minutes for 10K on the track, road or CC. I guess the other 3 guys were total chumps despite 2 of them being All American in other events.
Yeah, I know you’re trolling, but untrue. I mean, it’s true for the most talented of the talented, yes, but not the merely talented. I ran not-quite-60 mpw in high school & could break 9 but not 30 for 10k. Never happened. Most guys need 80+.
However, it’s certainly less impressive in the super shoe era, both because recovery in training is faster and the races themselves are faster. So, actually, maybe 60 mpw is all it takes. Still aggressive.