OT: Is this the greatest athletic feat in human history?

[Eric15]

Kenyan man broke the world marathon record by a full one minute and 18 seconds. He averaged 4:38 per mile.

A New World Marathon Record Almost Defies Description

 

[All4SU]

Pretty incredible.

 

[skurey]

We're getting close to a sub 2 hour marathon which just doesn't seem right.

 

[two3zone]

We're getting close to a sub 2 hour marathon which just doesn't seem right.

In 10 years the world record has been shaved about 4 and a half minutes. Just seems impossible.

 

[tbonezone]

forget doping. put a mad bear behind me and i best that...

exits pursued by a bear
bill shakespeare

 

[Cusefan69]

Kenyan man broke the world marathon record by a full one minute and 18 seconds. He averaged 4:38 per mile.

A New World Marathon Record Almost Defies Description

That is truly amazing and serious respect for the thousands of hours required to have accomplished the feat.

 

[SU2NASA]

I can drive 26.2 miles much faster than that.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Horses should be embarrassed - they are not getting any faster.

 

[Conrad13]

To put it in perspective, go out to a track and run a lap in 70 seconds. Then imagine doing that more than 104 times in a row.

 

[690West]

Go put a treadmill on 4:38 pace and see how long you can go. Half mile? 3/4 mile? Jesus H.

 

[Doc5120]

Go put a treadmill on 4:38 pace and see how long you can go. Half mile? 3/4 mile? Jesus H.

1/4 mile, maybe slightly more. And I run 3x a week. I can't wrap my head around this type of pace.

 

[dollarbill44]

It's certainly an incredible feat, but greatest ever? It's tough to say. What about Mike Powell's long jump or Jonathan Edward's triple jump or FloJos 200m, all of which bested the previous records by large margins. There are also the weightlifting records that are insane to me, like 1,265 lb squat, 1,077 lb bench press and 1,015 lb deadlift. What about throwing a baseball 105 mph?

 

[721Comstock]

1/4 mile, maybe slightly more. And I run 3x a week. I can't wrap my head around this type of pace.

We did a "challenge" regarding this on a triathlon board that I participate in - run ONE lap in 70 seconds, or less.
It is seriously HARD for an adult to run a single 70 second 400m (one lap of a regulation track).
Unless you are a fairly fit and avid runner or triathlete - it might be nearly impossible.

Seriously - go try it. You will be shocked at how hard it is, for one lousy lap.

And then think about doing 104 more consecutive laps that fast, without stopping.

PS - for a treadmill, you'd need to set the ramp to like 2-3%, since running on a flat treadmill is actually faster/easier than running outside, due to the speed of the mill assisting leg turnover.

 

[Doc5120]

We did a "challenge" regarding this on a triathlon board that I participate in - run ONE lap in 70 seconds, or less.
It is seriously HARD for an adult to run a single 70 second 400m (one lap of a regulation track).
Unless you are a fairly fit and avid runner or triathlete - it might be nearly impossible.

Seriously - go try it. You will be shocked at how hard it is, for one lousy lap.

And then think about doing 104 more consecutive laps that fast, without stopping.

PS - for a treadmill, you'd need to set the ramp to like 2-3%, since running on a flat treadmill is actually faster/easier than running outside, due to the speed of the mill assisting leg turnover.

Challenge accepted - I feel like I'm going to fail.

 

[721Comstock]

Challenge accepted - I feel like I'm going to fail.

Yeah, it is really stupidly hard. Be careful, don't hurt yourself!

I was in much better run shape a few years ago when I attempted this, and while I did manage to break :70, I also pretty much fell over and collapsed into the fetal position after crossing the line.

So - the point was fully made - I cannot even begin to imagine running TWO laps that fast now (I ran 800m in HS, so back then I could do that - but not more than 3 at that pace), much less 105.

 

[Eric15]

It's certainly an incredible feat, but greatest ever? It's tough to say. What about Mike Powell's long jump or Jonathan Edward's triple jump or FloJos 200m, all of which bested the previous records by large margins. There are also the weightlifting records that are insane to me, like 1,265 lb squat, 1,077 lb bench press and 1,015 lb deadlift. What about throwing a baseball 105 mph?

In my opinion, this marathon record trumps all those things. There's just something primal about long-distance running. People have been doing it for millennia, anyone on Earth can do it, and you don't need any equipment.

 

[sufandu]

I would go with Bob Beamon's long jump. The length he extended the record by was ridiculous.

 

[tbonezone]

Go put a treadmill on 4:38 pace and see how long you can go. Half mile? 3/4 mile? Jesus H.

well J.B. says college athletes don't get tired. play the full forty felines !

 

[Oakland]

I would propose this: climbing El Capitan in less than 2 hours.

Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell Set Historic Speed Record on El Capitan

 

[USMCSnyper]

Wow.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

In my opinion, this marathon record trumps all those things. There's just something primal about long-distance running. People have been doing it for millennia, anyone on Earth can do it, and you don't need any equipment.

So if people have been running forever, what's the real reason these guys are running so fast. Looking at this link, the record has been lowered by five minutes in the last 20 years. However if the 20 years prior to that, it was only lowered by 4 minutes. So it's been lowered by 9 minutes in the last 40 years. That's pretty significant. I guess you could argue equipment, medical technology, diet. It is amazing what this guy did. Marathon world record progression - Wikipedia

Let's talk 5000 meters as well. In the 90's, the record was lowered 6 times. However it's been lowered only once in 20 years (in 2004). Is it possible that the record will never be broken again.
5000 metres world record progression - Wikipedia

 

[dollarbill44]

In my opinion, this marathon record trumps all those things. There's just something primal about long-distance running. People have been doing it for millennia, anyone on Earth can do it, and you don't need any equipment.

What equipment is needed to sprint or jump? I think sprinting might predate distance running by a couple of hours.

 

[obliterata]

Quite an accomplishment to lower it by that much time, it very well could be the greatest athletic feat ever.

And running 13MPH for about 2 hours is amazing, most people couldn't do that on a bike.

 

[nzm136]

We did a "challenge" regarding this on a triathlon board that I participate in - run ONE lap in 70 seconds, or less.
It is seriously HARD for an adult to run a single 70 second 400m (one lap of a regulation track).
Unless you are a fairly fit and avid runner or triathlete - it might be nearly impossible.

Seriously - go try it. You will be shocked at how hard it is, for one lousy lap.

And then think about doing 104 more consecutive laps that fast, without stopping.

PS - for a treadmill, you'd need to set the ramp to like 2-3%, since running on a flat treadmill is actually faster/easier than running outside, due to the speed of the mill assisting leg turnover.

Man, I remember crushing 1:10 laps in high school track. I also remember being able to laugh off a sub 5 minute mile. I'm not sure I could run sub 10 right now if a vampire alien bear was chasing me these days.

What happened?!

 

[nzm136]

Quite an accomplishment to lower it by that much time, it very well could be the greatest athletic feat ever.

And running 13MPH for about 2 hours is amazing, most people couldn't do that on a bike.

*greatest athletic feat that didn't involve beer