OT: How many of you can run a mile in 4:48 or less?

[slufstuff]

I used to run when I was on the wrestling team in HS and in the air force. But I was never fast, nothing near a 4.48 pace even in my prime. I switched to walking years ago. My doctor would like me to go even lower impact, but I do not have easy access to a pool. I am glad I gave up running, I am seeing a lot of friends, family, and acquaintances runners in my age range (I am 58) getting hip and or knee replacements.

 

[hunterscock]

I had a morning paper route with over 400 papers that I would run every morning. Realized the faster I got done the quicker I could get back into bed for a 30-45 minutes. I started when I was 12 and finished just before I joined the Air Force. Never ran track in HS but had a 4:37 time during gym class, and a 7:27 time the first mile 1/2 in the Air Force. I am a avid walker now, try to get in 7.5 miles a day. Best mile to date is just over 12minutes.
I could not fathom doing that for 26 miles...

Wow. I ran an 8:54 for my first AF mile and a half. Thought that was pretty good. I know I was only one of 3 in our squadron to break the 9 minute mark. Of course, I may have done better if I didn't smoke back then.

 

[SCexpat38]

4:48 isn't world class, but it sure seems fast to me nowadays. When I ran track in high school a couple of decades ago, I never cracked the 5-minute mark. My personal best was 5:02, but the top finishers would have finished under that 4:48 mark.

If my math is correct, the guy that won the New York Marathon today just averaged about a 4:48 pace over 26.2 miles. That's hard for me to even wrap my mind around that.

On a side note, his time of 2hrs, 5min, 57 seconds might be faster than you could drive the same route through NYC on a lot of days.

These men and women who run these marathons at that kind of pace amaze me.

That's half hour faster than I ran a half marathon a couple years ago. In the Army I think my best two-mile run time on PT test was probably about 13 minutes.That was when I was young.

I did a Rock and Roll Marathon last year and finished dead last with a time of about 7 and a half hours after I cramped up at mile 20. Took me about a year to go the rest of the way, but they let me finish.

Was going to try to better that time this year but my wife, who has all the common sense in our union, convinced me to leave it alone.

Oh, and one of my big toes turned black after the marathon. It got better tho.

 

[johns#]

I

For the board: do you think the ability to do any kind of distance running is largely genetic, a matter of hard work and discipline, or both?

I ask because I am an active guy in my late 20's, and I can only run about a mile or so before I am gassed. I lift weights 4 times a week and try to do some conditioning at least once a week, but I have never been able to run for a far distance. I would guess that I could run for 2 miles max before I had to stop.

run

 

[johns#]

I run a 26:15 average 5K at 65 years old.
Could do better but do not push myself.
Enjoy running 4.5 miles 3-4 time per week.
Go Cocks!

 

[josillor]

Many moons ago I ran a 4:40 mile and 16:30 5k, however, I was a 1/4 miler(49.6) and 800 meter guy(1:56). I only ran the mile in competition because we didn't have enough milers to compete in a 4 mile relay that was a done at one particular meet in Texas. I was put in as the anchor leg in the hopes that I would be given a lead and could hold on. I ran my fastest mile ever and got caught on the last lap by a guy that ran a 4:20 split. That last 1/4 was a killer for me. I have always been amazed at how these elite runners run as fast for as long as they do. Many who have never run competitively, don't have a full understanding of just how fast these guys are actually running. It is super human.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Am old enough to remember when the 4 minute mile record was broken. Was in the early fifties by a British fellow named Roger Bannister. It was quite a big deal at the time.

 

[Horseshoe 04]

Fastest mile was 9th grade at upper state 1991 for BC
4:58

Switched to football & earning money & Dutch Fork

 

[sclawman77]

Am old enough to remember when the 4 minute mile record was broken. Was in the early fifties by a British fellow named Roger Bannister. It was quite a big deal at the time.

Now it's been done consecutively.

 

[sclawman77]

Fastest mile was 9th grade at upper state 1991 for BC
4:58

Switched to football & earning money & Dutch Fork

We could used you on the Dutch Fork cross country/track team, big dog.

 

[Silverspur02]

I bent over today and successfully tied my shoe. Only took about a full minute to be able to straighten up.

 

[sclawman77]

Got it. Thanks for the correction. Quick google search betrayed me on that one.

Looks like a lot of the faster times have been set in Berlin? Is that generally regarded as one of the faster courses?

Think it's flat but that's obviously still cooking.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

I can run a quarter of a mile in that time.

 

[The Coup Nazi]

It all depended on who was chasing me. Ex-wife? Jealous boyfriend? Snake?

 

[JGH 35]

It didn't matter but with a 31 day calender I could pace myself.

Good idea. Always pace yourself. You don't want to pull a hamstring or something.

 

[anon_n4c0cp5zhdxn7]

Maybe if I ran off a cliff.

 

[Cyan-gamecock]

I was never timed in a mile. I did run a 2:13 half mile but it was during football season so I wasn't in great shape. I was a sprinter hurdler and we won state in 1969. My best 220 time was 21.6, best 100 was 9.9. I'm sure I could've run 4:48. Our miler ran in the 4:20s.

 

[jimnasium]

I bent over today and successfully tied my shoe. Only took about a full minute to be able to straighten up.

When I bend over now it think what else can I do while I'm already down there.

 

[Silverspur02]

 

[Heyward1]

I hated running. Growing up, when you were screwing around in practice, the punishment was to go run. Running was used as a tool of punishment in sports, especially for folks over 40 who had to run until we were vomiting. Later in life I have come to love running, had to get over the hate. Running will pay you life benefits that are too numerous to list here.

 

[1SGgamecock]

I hated running. Growing up, when you were screwing around in practice, the punishment was to go run. Running was used as a tool of punishment in sports, especially for folks over 40 who had to run until we were vomiting. Later in life I have come to love running, had to get over the hate. Running will pay you life benefits that are too numerous to list here.

Like bad knees and ankles

 

[Heyward1]

Like bad knees and ankles

Lose a few pounds.

 

[1SGgamecock]

Like bad knees and ankles

Lose a few pounds.

Now that's a hell of an assumption.

 

[GCDC1959]

Sorry, I thought you were referring to my forty time. Never mind.

 

[cockycurran]

It really irks me when I tell someone I am a runner and they immediately tell me how bad it is for my knees, joints, hips, etc. You know what else is bad for those things? Not running. Fact is, running has given me so much, that even if all those things failed right now, I wouldn't regret a second of it. I love it.

 

[midline]

Wish I could run again, but can't run on a knee replacement. Well you can to get out of an emergency, but not daily. Don't miss the knee pain, but did enjoy running.

As far as the 4:48 mile. Those folks that win all those marathons are always from Kenya, or some other village at an altitude higher than we could hardly breathe in if we ran 10 steps. They run in that all their lives. When they get near sea level, it's like they have four lungs.

 

[1SGgamecock]

It really irks me when I tell someone I am a runner and they immediately tell me how bad it is for my knees, joints, hips, etc. You know what else is bad for those things? Not running. Fact is, running has given me so much, that even if all those things failed right now, I wouldn't regret a second of it. I love it.

Everyone is different. I know some 65 yr Olds that still run, also know some 40 yr Olds that's done.

 

[JeffTweedyFan]

It really irks me when I tell someone I am a runner and they immediately tell me how bad it is for my knees, joints, hips, etc. You know what else is bad for those things? Not running. Fact is, running has given me so much, that even if all those things failed right now, I wouldn't regret a second of it. I love it.

I promise to come visit you after your knee replacements.