scott8888 wrote:
I feel like saying running a 3hr marathon on 25-30 miles per week is exceptional is like saying running a sub 16.30 5k is exceptional. It’s a matter of perspective. Thousands of high schoolers go sub 16.30 every year and in many ways a 16.30 is distinctly average for 5k runners. A 3hr marathon is nothing special for competitive male athletes and many many people can do it on minimal training.
I would also point out 10min over a 3hr marathon is 5% so I think that’s pretty darn good as an estimate.
If you think a sub.16.30 5k is 'average', you need to recheck your standards. If you start from that perspective, than ok, 3hr marathon on 25-30mpw is not a big deal.
Take a poll here and ask how many STers think a 16.30 5k is 'average' for a non collegiate runner.
If you are such a good coach that you can literally take 50% of all men in high school (not the cherrypicked talented ones) and coach them to a sub 18:00 5k (which is not even close to your 'average'), you would literally be the most amazing running coach in the world.
If this were collegiate running forums, than ok, I'd be more amenable to your standards, but I'll bet the OP isn't asking from that selective a viewpoint.