5 ms·

Before I was injured, I used to run 8 km (about 5 miles), three times a week. I maintained about 5:30 minutes/km, and I would sprint the last 200 or so meters a

Before I was injured, I used to run 8 km (about 5 miles), three times a week. I maintained about 5:30 minutes/km, and I would sprint the last 200 or so meters at the end. I measured the speed - the run was mostly around 10-12 km/h, the sprint around 18 km/h. I'm not a fast sprinter at all, but I was in my late twenties and maintained this schedule for a while and figured I might be average or better. To put this in perspective, a marathon at 18 km/h is about two hours and twenty minutes. The world marathon record has been below that since the 1930s. There are lots of people who can run for two and a half hours faster than I could sprint.

ramraj07 3y ago
I was once biking at what I considered acceptable pace on a long empty road in Texas one fine Sunday. Slowly I approached a kid like maybe 15-16, running. While biking without exerting myself, I was only able to approach him slowly. He was shirtless so you could se he was toned and perfectly executing every step as if it’s a prerecorded NPC. A body perfectly tuned to do that one operation, with hours going to that preparation every day of their life. Why would anyone be surprised they do so much better?
- KeplerBoy 3y ago
  You probably weren't cycling that fast tbh. No human is capable of running much faster than 20 km/h for extended periods of time. The average speed of the WR for a 10k is at 23 km/h. Bicycles make humans incredibly more efficient at travelling over paved surfaces. Pretty much every sort-of healthy person with a bike would beat the fastest runner over 10k. That's crazy in my opinion.
Phenomenit 3y ago
Did you get injured because you sprinted in the end when your legs were worn down? I’m just asking because that happened to me a few times before I put two and two together.
- underdeserver 3y ago
  I don't know. This was years ago. I saw doctor after doctor and last I checked - about six months ago - it was still happening (pain and swelling in my left shin after about 4 minutes of running). I moved to bicycling instead.

ramraj07 3y ago

I was once biking at what I considered acceptable pace on a long empty road in Texas one fine Sunday. Slowly I approached a kid like maybe 15-16, running. While biking without exerting myself, I was only able to approach him slowly. He was shirtless so you could se he was toned and perfectly executing every step as if it’s a prerecorded NPC. A body perfectly tuned to do that one operation, with hours going to that preparation every day of their life. Why would anyone be surprised they do so much better?

KeplerBoy 3y ago
You probably weren't cycling that fast tbh. No human is capable of running much faster than 20 km/h for extended periods of time. The average speed of the WR for a 10k is at 23 km/h. Bicycles make humans incredibly more efficient at travelling over paved surfaces. Pretty much every sort-of healthy person with a bike would beat the fastest runner over 10k. That's crazy in my opinion.

Phenomenit 3y ago

Did you get injured because you sprinted in the end when your legs were worn down? I’m just asking because that happened to me a few times before I put two and two together.

underdeserver 3y ago
I don't know. This was years ago. I saw doctor after doctor and last I checked - about six months ago - it was still happening (pain and swelling in my left shin after about 4 minutes of running). I moved to bicycling instead.