There are many people who can break 20 mins in a 5K that can't run a 3:11 marathon. On the other hand, I would be willing to bet that anyone who can run a 3:11 marathon can break 20 mins for a 5K.

I had to read the three times to wrap my simple mind around the statement, but I think you're probably pretty spot on with that ...and I bet a little trolling on athlinks could pretty much verify it.

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“Bloom wherever you are planted"

This. Sub-20 5K would be easy for me, a 3:11 marathon is unfathomable to me. I'm about the same age as Mike Rossi.

I would say that's exactly why it isn't as safe as the 3:25 marathon. If he hasn't really put much effort and training into a 21:50 5k, 6 months of effort and training may be worth 2:00.

I personally favor shorter runs (and training reflects that) but FWIW the same time I was training for about 3:45 I could knock out a sub 20 5k with no real problem.

I am 46 years old. These are my PRs.

5K: 20:08. (April 2015)
Half Marathon: 1:27:59 (October, 2014)
Marathon: 3:10:36 (May 2015) (my first, and only stand alone marathon outside of Ironman races). I qualified for Boston with this race.

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Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it. John D. Rockefeller Sr.

That's pretty awesome. I did the Peachtree in 39:46 this year and my 5k time was 18:44...and I still don't think I can do a 3:11 right now and I'm 39.

If you can do an 18:44 5K, with some diligent training you should be able to go well under 3:11.

I've never broken 19:00 for a 5K but I did a 3:02 at the marathon this year at age 44. Of course, as the race gets longer, your results become much more dependent on your ability to embrace the suck for the last few miles (versus embracing the suck of running 6:00 miles right from the start.....) And yes, I recognize that I should be able to break 19:00 for the 5K. Looks like I had better sign up for one and lower that PR while I'm still young :)

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Jason
None of the secrets of success will work unless you do.

They just upped the ante - Update on 7/17/2015: We will pay him $100,000 if he runs 3:11:45 on a legitimate records-eligible course in the next 12 months where we have advanced notice of his participation ($10,000 per year for 10 years). A media outlet interviewed us today and asked about how the 3:25 challenge came about and we said, “We tried to come up with a time that was at least theoretically possible to preemptively rule out his excuse of, ‘I can’t be expected to have the race of my life once again.'”

http://www.letsrun.com/...ting-line-in-boston/

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Tony
http://www.triathleteguru.com

Yes. But where did you cut the course? :)

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I think my biggest problem is the fact that I was preparing for triathlon season at the same time as I was trying to prepare for a marathon. I'm going to shoot for a BQ hopefully by the end of the year.

Wow

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Wow, talking about putting their money where their mouth is.

I'll never understand these people who cheat and then vehemently deny it despite mounting evidence against them, whether famous (Lance, Clemens etc) or the age-groupers who have been featured here over the years (FinMan, T3 girl, this guy). I remember waiting in the corral at the start of the Disney Marathon a few years back and two guys next to me were talking about cutting a small out-and-back portion around mile 20 of the race; not sure if they actually did it since they weren't near me when I went through that spot, but I did laugh to myself when I saw that they had timing mats in place on that section.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

+1. This confirms cheating if he doesn't accept that challenge. Go to St. George, train 12 months, easy squeezy if he actually did it already.

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“Bloom wherever you are planted"

I know what Mike Rossi is asking himself right now......

"OK, what fast runner do I know that looks sort of like me and will be a dead ringer for me with some
plastic surgery? And do I know a plastic surgeon who will take installment payments over the next 10 years?"

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

But the 3:11:45 is his once in a lifetime run. Why not get to 3:25 to see if he can actually run that fast? Can he actually qualify for real?

They're offering him $10k if he can break 3:25. $100k if he can repeat his time.

have they heard back from him?

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

You think they would pay out if I change my name to Mike Rossi and run the time? I can run the time (with a bit more training) and for that much money, well, it could be worth it. :-)

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http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

I was on my way to a PR at the peachtree this year and right when i get to the top of cardiac hill what do i see....

The damn Sweetwater beer truck - PR gone, but i added a few pints and it was glorious.

Great time for you btw

IIRC there is another Mike Rossi, working in radio, geographically close to this guy (same town? or one over), runner, same AG (or 10 years older?) and faster than this guy. HE should be the body double. :)

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

With 100k on the line, if I were him, I'd be tempted to take an extended leave of absence, hire a coach, and train semi-professionally.

I love it. The only thing I wish they'd do differently is offer the money to a charity of his choosing. They'll give a cheat 100k, but only $1k to charity if he admits to cheating. I'd rather see it the other way around and if he wants to repair his image, maybe coming clean to benefit a cause for $100k would be the best thing at this point.

Ohh..sorry about that.

Well, if he runs sub 20 when he shows up for his $10k I sincerely hope Lets Run says "Ha, good luck collecting. Now YOU know how it feels to be cheated."