I’ve been a Let’s Run fan for years, but I have had enough of the negative BS message board nonsense.
I was a NJ State Group champion in the 80’s (4:20, 2:00, 15-flat XC, etc), did well in college (New England mile Champion, ran 30-flat at IC4A’s in XC, several college records, etc) and am now a 50-year old executive who runs a few miles at lunch. I broke 18-minutes last year, 37:30 10k, sub 1:24 half and only manage 20 to 30-ish miles a week with little to no speed work.
I can drop a 5:35 mile at will in jeans, in sneakers. It would hurt like hell, but yes I could do it. I’m 6’4” and have a really slow cadence based on what all the “experts” say is normal. It’s been the same since high school and despite being the “distance guy” I was always chosen as the 4th person on the 4x400 relay (high school and college) so I think I had reasonable speed.....and decent turnover.
I’ve watched this video several times and based on the original poster’s fitness level, yes, I buy it. Why shouldn’t he be able to run a 5:30? Based on how it looks, his cadence is super slow, so yes I think it’s fudged a little. But no, I do not doubt the guy could run a 5:30 mile? It’s more than plausible.
Ultimately who cares? Let’s all try and raise the level of our responses. Why all of the negativity? Running is a fantastic sport, has given me the best 35 years of my life, and some of the knuckleheads on this board set us all back. To what avail? Be positive, assume everyone is a good person, and try to enhance the image of running. Without judging, why does it seem like there is some unwritten contest for who can bash someone the most or say the most idiotic thing?
Until then, if some random 50+ year old guy smokes you in your local 5K.......yep, that was me and I’m older than your father? I got that way by shaking every hand on the starting line and congratulating every finisher at the end. I’ve never beat anyone I shouldn’t have, and have smoked more than my share of runners who thought they were “all that”.
Be good, do good, make good.