Why is this website so out of touch how hard it is for most normal people to run?

Old PR list:

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=139659#140539

First part is an absolute yes, and the base reality of 90+% of people actively on LRC. I was a so-so HS and College runner who hasn't run more then 10x/year for the last decade and 7min pace is still plenty doable. Most posters on LRC put in (or are putting in) a lot of work towards our running and are reaping the rewards/dividends. I think a lot of people on the flip side don't understand that or what led up to now.

But the reality here is that Letsrun has never been and never will be a Runners World/hobby jogger site to discus/encourage/consider new runners. If the OP or others are looking for sympathy (or trolling for lulz) about cracking 9min pace, this is just not the platform

This is true, but not as relevant in a world such as Letsrun. I think most people who succeeded at running got there mostly because they worked hard and their body went along with it. Some had a massive genetic upside to start with, but still worked a lot to succeed. I don't think it's impossible for a big boned/poor cardio type person to work hard and find some success at running. But that work is going to be that much harder.

finallyransub17 wrote:

In reality, the average person probably could run a 7 minute mile, but they would need to run consistently for a couple months to build up their fitness enough to manage it.

First of all, half of the population are female. (A fact most LRC posters often forget or ignore.)

Then, there are many people over 60.

And then, there are many kids under 10.

If you are only thinking about men in their 20s and 30s, then half of them could probably run a 7 min mile after a few months of training.

blort wrote:

This site is primarily for runners, not joggers. It's about elite racing. People fans of elite racing. Those who were once elite, or hoped to be elite. Those who hope to be elite. Those who dream they coulda/shoulda been elite. (Oddly, though it's not for elite racers. Kinda of like an NBA site is not for NBA players).

Sure, jogger can look around, but it's not a site for joggers.

This site is for people who believe they can run, almost everyone can’t break 13:59 for 5km

david45 wrote:

People here think the average person should be able to run a mile in under 7 minutes, yet I never could run a mile in under 9 minutes in high school PE even though we ran 15 minutes everyday. Why is this place so out of touch?

What high school PE class requires their kids to run 15 minutes everyday?

david45 wrote:

Blame my shitty genetics

0/10

You have no one to blame but yourself. That's the worst excuse in the book.

What's your training like? Have you hired a coach? How often do you run? Do you do any workouts? Cross training? Stretching? Have you joined a club?

I'm sure you're not doing a lot of things you could be doing to maximize your potential.

david45 wrote:

Well, I have a VO2 Max of 37 after 6 months of running

I probably should not take you seriously enough to respond but you've suckered me in. Six months of running is nothing, especially if you only been doing the fifteen minutes a day you mention above. It took me four years to run under 6:30. Why you know what your VO2 Max is, if in fact you really do, is beyond me. Running gets easier when you do more of it but not if your main reason for doing it is to complain about what a poor little soul you are and that no one here understands that.

david45 wrote:

Well, I have a VO2 Max of 37 after 6 months of running

How did you even get your VO2 max tested? I've gone sub 5 and trained for 8 years, and I still haven't found a place to get my VO2 max tested.

david45 wrote:

People here think the average person should be able to run a mile in under 7 minutes, yet I never could run a mile in under 9 minutes in high school PE even though we ran 15 minutes everyday. Why is this place so out of touch?

I am pretty sure that the average person can not run a mile under 7 minutes.

And what is an average runner?

From World Class to the average LR poster is a big spread of speed.

Most people on this forum are not as fast as they pretend to be, they are also not earning $250000 + but they do live in the basement.

Mine?

Then how do high school kids break 6 so easily?

Smartwatch

david45 wrote:

Then how do high school kids break 6 so easily?

How do you know how easily they're doing it. No one is saying you're the next Jim Ryun but if you're focused on what you can't do you've lost much more than half the battle. It's supposed to be hard. That's what makes doing it worthwhile.

david45 wrote:

Smartwatch

A stopwatch doesn't measure VO2 max. A stopwatch could measures times, like "6:30" or "9 minutes" or "15.43 seconds."

Smartwatche vo2's are an estimate, stop worrying about it and just f ing run. Running is a "long game" and takes years of consistent and periodized training to get fast.

Smartwatch vo2's are an estimate, stop worrying about it and just f ing run. Running is a "long game" and takes years of consistent and periodized training to get fast.

A lot of people on this board have top 1% or higher natural talent for running. They generally assume they got there through hard work, which is certainly a part of it, but not the whole story. Following their logic, if all their success is due to hard work, then anyone should be able to do it.

I said "SMARTwatch", not "stopwatch"

david45 wrote:

I said "SMARTwatch", not "stopwatch"

Does your smartwatch hook up to your mouth so it can measure your breath? If not, then it's not measuring VO2max. Sorry.