The penguin
The penguin
Oprah,
Danny Dreyer
bartholomew_maxwell wrote:
If you look at the population as a whole, you might want to change the terminology. If you meant "elite" as opposed to just "good", the title would make more sense based on the names handed out.
Sure, the names listed so far may not be elite runners. but if you can hold a 6 minute mile pace for 3, heck even 2, miles you're definitely good. In layman's terms, anyone who can run even a 6 minute single mile is considered a good runner.
Get out of your running bubble and then you'd appreciate just how difficult and enviable a 6 minute mile is for most people.
Agree on the terminology, but you also have to consider why they are famous. Alexi Papas was referenced on here. Part of why she has name recognition is because she has ran at the national level and in elite competition. Top 1000 all time is solid, but we are talking about someone that is over 2 minutes for 10km behind the current #1 of today.
Jeff Galloway on the other hand is currently famous for his method on having people coming up and completing their first marathon. Easily forgotten (or little known) was that he made the Olympics for 10000m back in 1972, an era where standards were easily a minute slower than what elite standards are today. I would take Galloway out of this discussion because he was not only a solid runner, but had PR's that put him in discussion with the best US runners of that day.
As for Ultra Runners and Trail Runners, it's easy to say they got into ultra running because they were not fast enough for the roads or track, but the problem here is that it does require a different skillset to get good at. However, the top runners in these communities still have PR's that can put your typical sub elite runner to shame. Max King (rightly not mentioned in this discussion) has a 2:14 marathon and an 8:30 steeple under his belt. Sage has a half and full at 64:30 and 2:16:50 respectively, both of which are considered elite in local and regional circles. Not world class for those events, but they are world class in Ultra/Trail running. With some solid PR's to back them up, you have to rightly consider them good runners.
Context is important in a discussion like this - WHY does the runner have fame?
Frank Meza
Fred Gwynne wrote:
Frank Meza
I disagree. He broke his age-group record by an hour or so for the marathon. For his age, he's elite.
Tom Brady
How has no one mentioned Allie Kiefer?
TrueStoryBro wrote:
Will Ferrell
Just about anybody on the cover of Runners World.
+2
Why did my post nominating Rojo get deleted?
Sense of humor failure? wrote:
Why did my post nominating Rojo get deleted?
Totalitarian regime
u tube wrote:
Zak Levert
No one cares about a gay neard, who lives in a van.
Sense of humor failure? wrote:
Why did my post nominating Rojo get deleted?
T.M.A.D.H.A.S.F.N.E
Ben Barrows
Spencer Brown
Waldemar Cierpinski
Frank Charles Shorter wrote:
Waldemar Cierpinski
2:09 marathon and 2 gold medals say otherwise.
over_that_hill wrote:
Jeff Galloway or should I say Jeff Gallowalk
I've learned from this thread that you can be an Olympian and not be a good runner.
ME!
BergLaufer wrote:
Frank Charles Shorter wrote:
Waldemar Cierpinski
Doped to the gills and stolen gold medals say otherwise.
FIFY
Rosie Ruiz.
Hobie Call - before there was the Sub-2 Project, there was the Hobie Call Sub-2-by-training-with-a-40lb-packpack Project.
Mike Rossi__ wrote:
ME!
Yet still the 3:11:45 remains. As does the Boston results.
And Ken is DEAD!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
RIP: D3 All-American Frank Csorba - who ran 13:56 in March - dead
RENATO can you talk about the preparation of Emile Cairess 2:06
Running for Bowerman Track Club used to be cool now its embarrassing
Rest in Peace Adrian Lehmann - 2:11 Swiss marathoner. Dies of heart attack.
Hats off to my dad. He just ran a 1:42 Half Marathon and turns 75 in 2 months!
Great interview with Steve Cram - says Jakob has no chance of WRs this year