Why is it that runners so often use the phrase "he's a (insert race time here) guy"?
Does this strike anyone else as stupid sounding?
I mean, if you were giving a range or speaking in generalities, I would get it. "He runs in the 3:50s" or even, "He's a 3:50s guy" to express that he has several runs in the 3:50s but none that are faster.
But it is often used very specifically, such as, "Ritz was a 27:35 guy." (This appears in a post this morning).
I understand that to convey meaning quickly, word economy matters. But it is quicker to say "Ritz ran 27:35." The whole "guy" thing adds meaningless words.
So, what say you? Anyone else find this as annoying?