How long could you keep up for?

[Lord Tyrion]

This subject was touched upon in the Running thread but I thought this would be a bit of fun.

I watched the Eliud Kipchoge run on Sunday and started having a classic pub style chat of how fast was he going etc. This developed into how long could you run alongside him for when he was going at the pace he ran his sub 2hr marathon in?

The breakdown of his run is that he effectively ran each 100m in 17 seconds, each mile in 4mins 33sec. I may be marginally out but it is about right.

I reckon, to much scoffing from my wife, that I could keep up for the first 100m but I would tail off very quickly after this. 100m is no great boast so I am hardly puffing my chest out at this moment, particularly as he would be running an extra 26 miles and a bit at the same pace.

Any runners on here? What is the furthest anyone on here reckons they could match him?

Could anyone make it to the mile mark?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I think I would be with him for about 5m - he'd be quicker off the mark and I'd never catch him...

 

[Orikoru]

I can't even process the speed that these guys run. If you don't think about you imagine they're just really good at jogging but they are genuinely sprinting for 2 hours, it's ridiculous. When I think about the fact that he effectively ran 21 kmph, the treadmills at my gym only go up to 20 ffs. I tend to run at around 11kmph or just over when doing a 5k. To answer your question I think I might be able to run at his pace for.. two minutes?? Maybe two and a half? It's insanity.

 

[robinthehood]

He was running at 2.50 pace per k. I'll have to give it a go!
Let's not forget he was running in perfect conditions with a lot of assistance.

 

[IanG]

His mile pace is 4mins 33sec (or 4.56 mins). When I was in my 20s and pretty fit I could just about run a 5 minute mile and 400m in about a minute. So back then I could likely have kept up for about 400m. Nowadays maybe 100m. Their pace is astonishing.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I can't even process the speed that these guys run. If you don't think about you imagine they're just really good at jogging but they are genuinely sprinting for 2 hours, it's ridiculous. When I think about the fact that he effectively ran 21 kmph, the treadmills at my gym only go up to 20 ffs. I tend to run at around 11kmph or just over when doing a 5k. To answer your question I think I might be able to run at his pace for.. two minutes?? Maybe two and a half? It's insanity.

I agree, it is bonkers. I shared a house as a student with a lad who ran for NI in the Commonwealth Games at the steeplechase. I remember him going past me on a 5 mile run one night, I was walking to a friends, and the pace was just silly. It is hard to comprehend really and then when you think he is doing that for 26 miles it gets crazier

 

[Lord Tyrion]

His mile pace is 4mins 33sec (or 4.56 mins). When I was in my 20s and pretty fit I could just about run a 5 minute mile and 400m in about a minute. So back then I could likely have kept up for about 400m. Nowadays maybe 100m. Their pace is astonishing.

Thanks Ian. I thought my mile figure was wrong but I couldn't get my head around it. I'll edit my initial post.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

He was running at 2.50 pace per k. I'll have to give it a go!
Let's not forget he was running in perfect conditions with a lot of assistance.

So not all that good then?🙄

 

[GB72]

My wife did a 10k in London and I was at the finishing line waiting for her. Few elite athletes there as it was testing some of the route for the 2012 Olympics. I can honestly say that I could not start at the speed these athletes were finishing the 10k at, it was freaky quick.

 

[Piece]

Wow, I thought the thread was going to be Viagra related. Disappointing.

Anyway, in answer to the OP and the question I thought I was going to be asked...about 15 seconds.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Wow, I thought the thread was going to be Viagra related. Disappointing.

Anyway, in answer to the OP and the question I thought I was going to be asked...about 15 seconds.

Fair play, I thought it would be fewer than 10 posts before this was raised . I thought about amending the name of the thread but hey, I love my Carry On films so I let it stand.

 

[robinthehood]

So not all that good then?🙄

You don't think so?

 

[woody69]

I run the 100 metres in about 15 seconds, so I'd be ahead of him for the first 100 metres before coming to a wheezing halt about 105 metres in.

 

[woody69]

You don't think so?

I think it was more a sarcastic response to your statement about how he was running in perfect conditions with lots of assistance.

 

[Cherry13]

My wife did a 10k in London and I was at the finishing line waiting for her. Few elite athletes there as it was testing some of the route for the 2012 Olympics. I can honestly say that I could not start at the speed these athletes were finishing the 10k at, it was freaky quick.

Can’t remember the exact timings etc, but after the 2012 olympics Andy Murray was asked his thoughts on Mo Farah, and he commented on the fact that Mo basically did the same pace 400m on the final lap as Andys fastest time doing 400m. I always thought that was incredibly impressive considering at the time Murray was regarded one of the fittest tennis players in the world.

 

[robinthehood]

I think it was more a sarcastic response to your statement about how he was running in perfect conditions with lots of assistance.

It's true though, he was.....
If i want to see how long i could go at that pace , really you'd need a track, as road running is tricky to keep a real steady pace.
I've no doubt I'd be better in perfect conditions than out on my regular evening runs

 

[AmandaJR]

I recall once setting the treadmill to what I thought was 12kph, not realising it was in miles. In a heartbeat (or two) I was grabbing the sides and getting off whilst trying to press the Stop button!

I did once start on the Elite Women's race at London. The helicopters above very quickly fade into the distance leaving us so called decent club runners far behind.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Can’t remember the exact timings etc, but after the 2012 olympics Andy Murray was asked his thoughts on Mo Farah, and he commented on the fact that Mo basically did the same pace 400m on the final lap as Andys fastest time doing 400m. I always thought that was incredibly impressive considering at the time Murray was regarded one of the fittest tennis players in the world.

They are all impressive, ridiculously fit but don't forget Murray trains for a different type of endurance. He will be all about short bursts of energy and speed, spread over a long timeframe. Farah is less about short sprints and more about about endurance, albeit at a daft pace still. It is about being the right type of fit for your sport. All of these people are pushed to the edge of their limits, all very impressive.

 

[drdel]

Managed a personal best of sub 11sec 100mtrs ; now a very long time ago !! Today I guess I might see his trainer bottoms for a few seconds.

 

[Hobbit]

If its about how good we were at our best, which was over 40 years ago, I could have beaten him over 100m/200m/400m. After that he'd nail my a$$. He'd pass me at 600m no problem at all and would be through the tape at 800m whilst I would still have the thick end of 100m to go.

At 14 my 100m = 13s. 200m = 25s. 400m = 56s. Best not mention 800m up over. I was not, nor never, a distance runner. I had the bug at 14 and trained almost every day. The difference the training made, over 3 months, was huge. I shaved 10s off 200m and 9s off 400m. My 200m back then equalled the county time but that is now a shade under 23s, which would see me about 15 metres behind.