Is the 30-34 age group slow?

I'll bet that a lot of the 30 - 34 "slump" has more to do with career issues and children than with anything else.

Screaming babies do not lead to fast times, this I know for sure.

I am so thankful I am not 30-34.

All the fast people are older.

When I raced, it was always the slowest group. I keep track of the local results and the times are still off compared to the other groups. I have no idea why.

Age 27 and 28 ran 1:56, 4:19, 15:47. I was 162 lbs. with 6% body fat. Now 34 with kids of 4 and 2 I run 2 or 3 miles on the treadmill at night after work and coaching and puting the kids to bed. Now I am 185lbs, and would be lucky to turn a 20:30 5k. Actually I would take a 20:30 5k!

Actually for road racing at a local level the 20-24 seems not very competitive. College kids are running in college, and many recent grads are starting jobs and probably not interested in sluming at road races. You get a few folks that arent running college but kept running right out of High School, but these folks arent usually that fast.

The majority of local road races probably arent competitive enough for a recent college grad either. Most of the 5K's in my area can be won with a low 16 performance.

Perhaps it is more related to where people are in their lives. So, in theory, even 15 years from now the 30-34 will still be slow.

-B

Yep, that's the way is around here too...for reasons listed above for sure. i was a prime example, did not run for 11 years after college. Started running again at age32 and could easily win or place in most local po-dunk races. turned 35, now all of a sudden everyone got faster!

Also, i think males especially, slack off for years while not just starting careers and family, because they have that immortal mentality so to speak. Somewhere in the mid to late 30's, guys begin to see 40 in the near future and beging to challenge themselves and prove to themselves that they are just as good as when they were 20. A runner's mid-life crisis.

they're fast round here

They're slow here too. I'm in the 45-49 AG and would generally win 3-5 of the AGs below mine, even when I come in 3rd or worse in my AG.

Where I live I've noticed that the 30-34 age group isn't very competetive.

I think it depends a lot on the area as you say. In new york city, it's 30-39 and that is the most competitive age group. But I did a race in Long Island once and I won my age group -- there were kids in front of me, and an older guy, but no one my age. I guess there are a lot of 30-something fitness nuts around new york city, whereas out in the suburbs, there are more high school runners, and 40-something runners.

Round here (college town) the 20-29 year olds are the slowest. Too much drinkin, druggin, and casual sex... in that order??? Yuck.

This will shock...maybe

2 years back I won my age group (M25-29) in a half marathon (1:40:01) beat the second guy by 10 mins. But got my ass kicks by every age group above me up to and including the 65-69 group. In fact the W25-29, W30-34 and W35-39 beat me also.