sub 25 8K

Its okay not good. I once ran that for the last 8k of a marathon and I was slowing down.

You also dropped out of the Oly marathon!

I did and am very discouraged by that race. It was the first marathon that I didn't win or set a world record. But give me a flat course and I can smoke those women.

I'm sure that less than 1% of all runners can break 25min for 8k so yes it's good.

Shut up Paula. Everyone knows you're doped to your eyeballs and you run like an autistic 5 year old. No one respects someone who gives up in two olympic races and doesn't finish. Disgraceful.

Just about everyone here will say they can run sub 25 minutes for 8k but probably about 5% of those people could actually accomplish this, and put down anyone who can't but in reality 25 minutes for 8k is a very fast time and will win most local races. Sure it's not going to get you on any Olympic teams but if you are much faster than 25 minutes for 8k then you likely aren't going to hanging around here slamming people trying to get information on getting faster. BTW I am about in the high 26 minute range.

I think sub 25 is crazy fast. Not many people ever get to run that fast. I am hoping to do it next fall. I have gone sub 26 as of now.

I'd say it's in the top 3% of collegiate runners but if you are including recreational runners, it is in the top 0.01% at least.

I'm not in that top 3% range. I'm still hoping to crack 27 as a freshmen, and am hopeful that it will come one day this season. As for 25. It is FAST.

It's 31:15 10K pace. That may be better than the average person but does anyone consider a 31:15 to be anything to write home about?

I'd say it's an honest mark. I'm not great by any stretch of the imagination, but ran 24:50 for 8k in Chicago (St. Pat's 8k). For most guys running in college they can identify with the distance simply because 90% of the xc races they run are 8k. 25:00 is a good barrier and I would agree it means you are fairly competitive, not going to run in the Olympics, but you can't be a joker and run sub 25:00 for 8k. Just my 2 cents.

I'd say this, if you run sub 25:00 for 8k then you are good enough to shoot for some good marks over other longer distances as you get older, stronger, etc., like the marathon, etc. That's fast enough to dream of a sub 2:20 marathon down the road. Again, remember the leg speed required to run sub 2:20 isn't much, neither is the leg speed required to run sub 25:00, but the ability to run steady aerobic miles one after another is another story. There are a lot of guys in college who can burn good 1500's, etc, but get beat in xc by guys with much less leg speed and not even great track times for 5k or 10k, but they are strong and will have the ability to develop that part of their running as they get out of college and into longer races on the roads, etc.

depends on who ur writing home to...but even still yes 31:15 will place high in many meets around the country, it might be fast for stanford kids and some top level D1 guys, but then again thats a different league of its own.

Undecided wrote:

It's 31:15 10K pace. That may be better than the average person but does anyone consider a 31:15 to be anything to write home about?

cross i assume. it makes a big difference (so does the course obviously). sub 25 on a respectable cross course is very good, percentage wise.

You guys have to be kidding me! Granted the only 8k course I am really all that familiar with is Van Cortlandt's, but I know quite a few guys who were around 25:00 there and who went on to run 8:30 in the steeple, 14:03 in the 5k, 4:03 in the mile, etc. Sub 25:00 completely depends on the surface. For the track or on a flat road course sub 25:00 means something completely different than running it over hills on dirt and grass.

A sub 25/8km is good regardless if you ran it on a xc course,road race,track or falling from a plane with no parachute.

I can run under 25 for 8k and have done it 3 times with my best being 24:40.

I'd say the surface and terrain make a huge difference. On a legitmate (read: rolling, golf course-style) cross course, 25 is definitely the separation point at any decent sized meet. I've run 25:27-25:50 a few times on the faster of these types of courses. On the same note, I ran a 25:05 8K split en route to a 10K on the track, and that was paced and under control, whereas the 25:27 was balls-to-the-wall after 3 miles. So yeah, I think if it's on a cross course, it's a legitimate time...on the track, it's just not as lofty an accomplishment.

Depends on the perspective.

Most college runners DO NOT run sub 25. I agree with the person who said less than 1% of RUNNERS can run that fast.

Sub 25 minutes for 8k is very fast.

People may think I am on drugs because I run so fast. But I know that I am clean. Yes, the Olympics were hard for me to take. However it has only made me more determined than ever to do well. Also I am sure that could destroy you, Mr. Thought Police. You are probably jealous that woman is faster than you.