Benchmark Times

[OregonERG]

Every sport and most athletes have certain benchmark times that are meaningful (though obviously arbitrary). The "four minute mile" is the most famous, of course. There are others, the two hour marathon (for Eliud Kipchoge) or the three hour marathon (for me after I turned forty)... there always seems to be a barrier that we are trying to get under.

What is your personal barrier? What is the time that would define a serious benchmark for you? For me, I think it would be going under 7 again in the 2km or perhaps finally breaking 16,000m in one hour. Those would have to be the most clear barriers that are also semi-realistic for me at this point. What about you?

[winniewinser]

Every sport and most athletes have certain benchmark times that are meaningful (though obviously arbitrary). The "four minute mile" is the most famous, of course. There are others, the two hour marathon (for Eliud Kipchoge) or the three hour marathon (for me after I turned forty)... there always seems to be a barrier that we are trying to get under.

What is your personal barrier? What is the time that would define a serious benchmark for you? For me, I think it would be going under 7 again in the 2km or perhaps finally breaking 16,000m in one hour. Those would have to be the most clear barriers that are also semi-realistic for me at this point. What about you?

Sub 7' 2km - Completed
Sub 18' 5km - Completed
8k 30' - Completed
16k 60' - Not even close

Staying healthy is now priority #1

Skierg I am looking for sub 8' 2km and sub 20' 5km

[Dangerscouse]

1km - 3:05
2km- sub 6:30
5km- sub 17
10km- 35:20
30 mins- 8,600m
60 mins- 16,700
HM- 1:16:20
FM- sub 2:40
100k- sub 7

[ampire]

Not only do I want a 7:00 2K, I want a 6:45. I think that might be the limit doable for me, in the more distant future, if I keep to the grind.

[OregonERG]

1km - 3:05
2km- sub 6:30
5km- sub 17
10km- 35:20
30 mins- 8,600m
60 mins- 16,700
HM- 1:16:20
FM- sub 2:40
100k- sub 7

To my slow self, this looks like a list of "fantasy" times. "Sub-17 for 5km" doesn't even sound like a real thing*. Why not just run a 1 minute mile while we're at it... Yet I have no doubt you can do it! Respect!

*A few years ago I remember watching a marathon where they ran something like 23:20 for the first split but intuitively, I had no idea for what distance. It was far to slow to be a 5km time and too fast to be a 10km split... And it still didn't make sense when I realized it was for the first 5 miles. That is what a 16:5x 5km on the erg reminds me of.

[Tandstad]

If I had to pick one realistic goal amongst all my goals, the 17k hour is - the one- to do

[Dutch]

A sub 1min 30sec 500m. I have been chasing it for 19 yrs lol. I got down to 1.31.9 about 19 yrs ago and did a 1.32.1 about 18 mnths ago.

[OregonERG]

A sub 1min 30sec 500m. I have been chasing it for 19 yrs lol. I got down to 1.31.9 about 19 yrs ago and did a 1.32.1 about 18 mnths ago.

That is awesome! You have been in the 1:31-1:32 range for a span of 17 years. That is, in and of itself, quite amazing. I think it would be akin to running a 2:00 800m run at age 17 and again at age 34, or something like that. So impressive!

[KeithT]

For me when I started I chased the sub 7:00 2K but hit it fairly quickly. Then when I realized the 1K was my best distance I chased perhaps my best achievement with a sub 3:00. From there I chased sub 6:40 and sub 6:30 in the 2K and got them and then it was a sub 36:00 10K.....always changing really. But I think great benchmarks are the sub 7:00 2K, 8K in 30 minutes, 16K is 60 minutes, sub 1:30 500....the 1K is a little wired as there really isn't a good round number to chase unless you want to try for sub 3:00 but that's a tough goal.

[OregonERG]

For me when I started I chased the sub 7:00 2K but hit it fairly quickly. Then when I realized the 1K was my best distance I chased perhaps my best achievement with a sub 3:00. From there I chased sub 6:40 and sub 6:30 in the 2K and got them and then it was a sub 36:00 10K.....always changing really. But I think great benchmarks are the sub 7:00 2K, 8K in 30 minutes, 16K is 60 minutes, sub 1:30 500....the 1K is a little wired as there really isn't a good round number to chase unless you want to try for sub 3:00 but that's a tough goal.

The hilarious thing is that your personal goal times are basically "otherworldly" from my perspective and yet your suggested goal times for rowing are precisely where I have landed as an athlete...

[Tobias Stoehr]

For ergometer the 4min mile equivalent would definitely be the sub 6min 2km.

Then there is the 9km+ 30min at rate 20.

[Tony Cook]

…

Then there is the 9km+ 30min at rate 20.

Is that possible for anyone other than a trained elite athlete? 1:40 pace at 20RPM for 30 mins

[btlifter]

For ergometer the 4min mile equivalent would definitely be the sub 6min 2km.

Then there is the 9km+ 30min at rate 20.

I really wish I agreed with you! Sadly, I i.agine the equivalent of a 4 min mile being closer to 5:50 than 6 minutes.

[OregonERG]

For ergometer the 4min mile equivalent would definitely be the sub 6min 2km.

Then there is the 9km+ 30min at rate 20.

9km at R20 in 30 minutes? Nope. Again, why not just do the 1 minute mile? Oh, because that is impossible.

As you guys know about me, I can't even do R20, so that makes it even more unimaginable.

[OregonERG]

For ergometer the 4min mile equivalent would definitely be the sub 6min 2km.

Then there is the 9km+ 30min at rate 20.

I really wish I agreed with you! Sadly, I i.agine the equivalent of a 4 min mile being closer to 5:50 than 6 minutes.

Among runners the 4 minute mile is good enough to earn a solid scholarship to most universities (if you are 18) but not good enough to make an Olympic team anymore. What is the goal of an elite 18 year old rower? 5:50? 6:00? Those both sound impossible to me.