I was just chatting with the IT bloke in work about running. He was saying he goes out and does 5 miles three times a week and that he had started playing touch rugby and that has really helped his running.
Anyway, I started being a clever dick and explaining that the bursts etc in touch rugby would compliment his running if he is just going out and jogging 15 miles a week at circa 8-9 m/m. He then said he started out at 8 m/m however he now averages about 5.20 m/m! He showed me his last run which is done on an app on his mobile and his average pace was 5.19 mm and mile 5 came in at 4.54 mm. It was clearly set to miles not k's. He did however say that he did mudrunner and it took 80 mins but he got there late and started at the back.
Surely this i an IT error? I have told him to leave his phone at home and plot a 3 mile route on google and just take a stop watch. He was a bit taken aback when i showed him where he would sit it in the national rankings!
Comments
Suggest that he enters a race!
Yep, parkrun was first thing i suggested but he said there wouldnt be any by him as he lives on farm in Hereforshire. I will find one!
I told him to enter a race also, simply because he would probably win it if he picked semi sensibly!
As i said above, the mudrunner time, regardless of start position, leaves me with a fair level of doubt.
Oh no, not another one
He proves it in a race or it didn't happen.
All his phone is showing is that it travelled 5 miles in 26 minutes or so. Nothing about how it did it. He could have been on a bike for all you know.
Yes, how many more people are out there as undicovered world beaters!
Dave- I dont think he was lying to me, he was genuinely astounded by my own amazement and had no appreciation whatsoever how good that was, particularly off 15 miles a week at 37 years old with no actual background or training structure. I think he is now doubting the accuracy of it all having seen where last nights training run placed him in the runbritain rankings. It was a shame as his first mile was uphill and only came in at 5.54 mm!
In lieu of an actual race/parkrun, this seems like a reasonable suggestion. I don't know much about running apps, but a lot of these "errors" (if indeed it is an error) seem to stem from wildly inaccurate measurement of some sort. Get him to map out a route on gmap-pedometer or something and see what that comes up with.
I think that is the bst i will get him to do in the first place. Have looked and his nearest parkrun is in worcester which would be a good 40 min drive so unlikely he will be inclinded to do that.
There will, as there always is, be a logical explanation somewhere. The times per 'mile' are about what i would expect his times per km to be so i am sure there is some set up issue with the phone app or something.
Coughie, the runner you mention wasn't actually incorrectly reporting times, but was just running every run too hard!
This guy is just simply wrong.
He isn't doing sub 5min miling 5miles into a run.
I think he's an amazing natural talent and you lot are all just jealous. Dodgy phone apps don't lie.
Maybe the IT chap has recently moved from the US, a certain young man over there hasnt been in touch recently...
I think DF3 works in IT...
(something like that anyway)
6 months ago, I would have believed him unquestionably, however having seen the frequency of gps type errors on here resulting in people claiming the ridiculous, my starting point is to disbelieve him unquestionably or thereabouts!
Just ask him to turn his phone off and back on again. That will sort out any errors with the app. I'm sure working IT he would accept that advice.
I did do one treadmill run where I rattled through the first rep. I had the pace/speed set to imperial but had forgot to change distance from KM to miles. Plonker.
Otherwise, just go and have a run with him.
When he can't keep up with you trotting out a 7mins per mile pace run, you'll have your answer.
Good idea! But I think to make it a fair test you ought to throw in some sub 5 minute miles.
stevie g- yes, that's plan b, if he still insists its right I will take him on my lunchtime 4 mile route and use it as a mp tempo instead of easy paces and hope to god he falls by the wayside in the first 2!
Literatin- yes, absolutely, I will smash in a 4.55 m/m if I cant shake him, just because i'm that good
I'm looking forward to the outcome of this one
My hunch is that the bloke will develop a sudden injury and be unable to run. Or go sick. Or resign
Well.....suspiciously he is on holiday next week so I am afraid I wont be able to harrass him until at least the week after in order to restore the balance!
I think DT19 is just teasing us.
I kid you not. I am so frustrated and disappointed that i am downing tools for the afternoon in order to surf the net and download a selection of nasty viruses!