What age do you have to be before you can no longer run sub 20 5K and not feel ashamed?

to add to this, at what age does simply breaking 20 minutes become respectable? Or perhaps, dear I say, make one a real man...

Minimum age=65.

Maybe 10 years old.

60 yo for man

45 yo for woman

high school xc coach wrote:

to add to this, at what age does simply breaking 20 minutes become respectable? Or perhaps, dear I say, make one a real man...

Comeback when you're 50 and we will talk. This is why dudes give it up or jog a few miles, never want to make a comeback. I had a buddy run 29:56 for 10k and college, and 33s in his late 30s, and when he was 49; he wanted to make a comeback, and train hard, but he didn't like the idea of people laughing at him. You got to start somewhere dude. He said it would take him awhile to get to something under 20 for 5k, and he didn't want to show up at race he won in 16:03 10 years ago, and run 24 minutes and have to devote all that effort and humiliation to get there. I told him no one will laugh and in no time you will be back, it just takes dedication and belief. You SR are the reason people just give it up or become the occasional Sunday jogger of a few miles with a bar buddy.

40 years old

Old Man Respect wrote:

I'm talking about serious amateur runners/hobby joggers or even once decent competitive runners. Lets assume they have carried on as dedicated hobby joggers into their 40's, 50's, 60's, at least 20 miles a week, and no serious injuries/health concerns (other than general aging) that would set them back years.

At what age does it become permissible to no longer be able to go sub 20 in the 5K while still running regularly?

I'm guessing around 52/53 y.o.?

It's more about weight than anything.

My high school cross country coach was still able to run 16 min 5ks at like 53 years old I think. Something like that. I think he actually ran his best times in upper 40s.

It was due mainly to the fact that he watched his weight over the years and never allowed himself to become heavy.

Ed Whitlock ran 18:45 at age 75 and no one older has run sub 20, so, I'd say at age 76 you can hold your head up high running shower than 20:00. Anyone 75 or younger better get with the program.

matt_london_413 wrote:

Old Man Respect wrote:

I'm talking about serious amateur runners/hobby joggers or even once decent competitive runners. Lets assume they have carried on as dedicated hobby joggers into their 40's, 50's, 60's, at least 20 miles a week, and no serious injuries/health concerns (other than general aging) that would set them back years.

At what age does it become permissible to no longer be able to go sub 20 in the 5K while still running regularly?

I'm guessing around 52/53 y.o.?

It's more about weight than anything.

My high school cross country coach was still able to run 16 min 5ks at like 53 years old I think. Something like that. I think he actually ran his best times in upper 40s.

It was due mainly to the fact that he watched his weight over the years and never allowed himself to become heavy.

If the rest of your life is top notch, who cares about a sub 20 5k

age has nothing to do with it, body weight everything. Any skinny stick arm weakling can run sub 20 with a bit of training. Not so easy with big muscles.

It's his own fault he quit for 10 years and got fat

No Respect wrote:

Ed Whitlock ran 18:45 at age 75 and no one older has run sub 20, so, I'd say at age 76 you can hold your head up high running shower than 20:00. Anyone 75 or younger better get with the program.

I love this crap!! Let's factor in is he just returning to running? but nevertheless, your statement that people running 26 minutes at 75 suck, is the craziest statement I've ever heard. I know that wasn't your exact words, but none the less anything in that realm is insane. "Better get with the program," is what you said. What program, your high school cross country team, or college team, or your early 20 something running group ? People should be respected for still running in their late 30s , late 40s, and 50's,, and definitely 60s, and 70s, and so on from there.

Facts speak wrote:

No Respect wrote:

Ed Whitlock ran 18:45 at age 75 and no one older has run sub 20, so, I'd say at age 76 you can hold your head up high running shower than 20:00. Anyone 75 or younger better get with the program.

I love this crap!! Let's factor in is he just returning to running? but nevertheless, your statement that people running 26 minutes at 75 suck, is the craziest statement I've ever heard. I know that wasn't your exact words, but none the less anything in that realm is insane. "Better get with the program," is what you said. What program, your high school cross country team, or college team, or your early 20 something running group ? People should be respected for still running in their late 30s , late 40s, and 50's,, and definitely 60s, and 70s, and so on from there.

First day on Letsrun?

. Hello, this is planet Earth calling you. Running is not the be all end all to everyone; crap happens, life a responsibility, and so on, and in his case he got older, had three kids, and money problems, and other problems. So should he bow down to you, tell his kids, and job, and creditors, that you said he should keep running, and at a high level to please you? You should respect people like him for wanting to comeback; and on a side note, everyone who quits running doesn't get FAT. This guy looks like an average weight guy, but not a fit athlete that's all.

To give some perspective, 220 60-64 guys ran under 20 in the parkrun 5k's in the UK in 2019. Only 32 age 64-69 managed it. So, roughly, 20min puts you in the top 1,000 in the US. Pretty respectable, in my opinion.

I am not fast myself, so im not reason. and that's just silly anyways. if you are embarrassed to come back and race that is fine. Train until you feel like you are able to run a time you feel proud of. If you can't do that, that is on you. not the people who you feel are judging you.

My last one was at 54. I had a bit of a battle with a variety of injuries over the following years and couldn't sustain enough decent running.

Last year at 59 I was able to get back to racing regularly but was only running 30 to 40 kms per week. My best was a sad 22.30.

I seem to be a bit fitter now as a 60 year old. Just from over a year of uninterupted training I guess.

I haven't raced but have run a couple of 22.30s in training.

I am still only running in the 30 to 40 km per week range.

I might get back to the 21s but a sub 20 might be beyond me now.

.

Alan55 wrote:

To give some perspective, 220 60-64 guys ran under 20 in the parkrun 5k's in the UK in 2019. Only 32 age 64-69 managed it. So, roughly, 20min puts you in the top 1,000 in the US. Pretty respectable, in my opinion.

That's an incredible stat. I don't think you can project UK's numbers to the US in a linear format. No way are there 1000 in the 60 age class going sub 20. I might even be surprised at half that.

I think the long established club culture and the parkrun popularity are factors in the UK Coyote.