Why do we say "mile" when you mean 1600?

In reference to the thread title, why did I write "you" when I meant "we"? Careless mistake after debating whether I should use "you" or "we" in the question. This is totally different than the mile/1600.

What's a 1600?

imperial empire wrote:

Many do this. HS does not run the mile, but we say "mile" when referring to what we know is the 1600.

Why? We're not lazy. We run. We're not imprecise. A 4:09 and a 4:10 1600 are not the same.

We're not stupid.

Why can't we say "sixteen hundred" or just "sixteen" when we know that's what we mean?

Don't do it again.

Because this is America and we don't like sayin' no dern meters. Now, if you want to call it the 1760, that's a horse of a different color.

Massho.e wrote:

What's a 1600?

0/10

Because a mile is 1609m not 1600m.

Masshole wrote:

What's a 1600?

Exactly. In MA, a mile means a mile. You can keep your damn 1600.

every state runs 1600

soothsayer: wrote:

every state runs 1600

moran

elmore345 wrote:

Because a mile is 1609m not 1600m.

False. A mile is 1609.344m.

In response to op, I do it when talking to non-runners so that they have even a rough idea how far it is.

Why do we say "tempo" when we mean lactate threshold?

Why do we say "interval" when we mean repeat?

Why do we say "race pace" when we mean VO2?

I don't think you are going to like this, but sometimes I call 400s "quarters". Not when talking about races, but still. I hope you aren't too mad.

Bob Schul Country wrote:

Why do we say "tempo" when we mean lactate threshold?

Why do we say "interval" when we mean repeat?

Why do we say "race pace" when we mean VO2?

these seem ok

elaborate

Because it should be a mile and we are projecting our wishes by referring to it as a mile.

We also do this when referring to splits in a 10,000m race on the track.

Easier to say you ran the 4th mile under 5 minutes than saying you ran the 4th 1600 in under 5 min.

I've actually never ran a 1600m race myself.

So didn't have that dilemma of finishing 9m short or a real race distance all of the time.

And an 800 is a "half".

Star wrote:

Because it should be a mile and we are projecting our wishes by referring to it as a mile.

We also do this when referring to splits in a 10,000m race on the track.

Easier to say you ran the 4th mile under 5 minutes than saying you ran the 4th 1600 in under 5 min.

I've actually never ran a 1600m race myself.

So didn't have that dilemma of finishing 9m short or a real race distance all of the time.

Maybe, but why would we wish it to be a mile? Why is that something to wish for?

Your 10000m example is good. Talking about running the 4th mile is horribly inaccurate as you point out the most likely intended meaning.

just thought you should know wrote:

I don't think you are going to like this, but sometimes I call 400s "quarters". Not when talking about races, but still. I hope you aren't too mad.

this is ok

i take to mean a quarter of a 1600

not a quarter of a mile

even though that's what you meant

and it's not what you mean

you like contradictions, don't you?

Big Dog Investments wrote:

And an 800 is a "half".

Of course, it's the same general question with 2mile/3200, mile/1600, half/800, quarter/400

Why don't we call a 5000 a 3 mile?

"Mile" has less syllables than "sixteen hundred".

Because a "mile" means 1600m.

If we meant 1609.34m, we would say a "full mile."