Why the hell is Pentathlon an Olympic sport?

Mithras said:
Yes, lets talk facts. Power of Ten gives Sam Murray's 1500m pb as 5.09, no 3000m pb but double it, assuming no loss of speed at all over double the distance, and it still doesn't give you your sub 10 minute 3k time. And she won the silver medal last week!

Mhairi Spence, who finished 21st but was expected to place higher than Sam, has a 3000m pb listed of 11.12, though I'm pretty sure she has done sub 11. There is a reason the GB selectors base squad selection on track times - because they are reliable and accurate. Cross country times are irrelevant, as distances can be widely out and are often under-distance. And might I suggest those sub 10 minute 3k runners, if female, that you claim to have witnessed, would have been filling the British athletics squad with those sort of times if they replicated them on the track - 9.30 odds would be the marker of a female athlete at elite level, and they would hardly be bothering with MP if they could run that fast.

When my husband did his one and only marathon in 2.43.33 (he's a triathlete), he was ranked 288th in the UK, according to Power of Ten. Its hardly world beating. I know quite a few elite level runners, ie sub 30 min 10k or sub 2.30 marathoners, who win local races and achieve regional representation, but they're too busy actually getting results to tell people how good they would be if they trained more.

I appreciate that you obviously think MP is an easy event and that people like you should represent the UK, but I think you are underestimating the standard, and over-estimating your own talent. Fair enough if you actually go down to your local track, do the training to get your times down (ie something like 20 x 400m in 65-68s, which is what the local 10k winners are doing) but I don't really want to see athletes of the standard who you can see at any local race in the top thirty or so in the Olympics, much as I don't want to see novice horseriders. Your 3 hour marathon is actually only just under 7 minute mile pace, whereas an 11.28 3000m is around 6 minute miling.

The facts are that there are relatively few fast 3000m runners and rather a lot of 3 hour male marathon runners. Furthermore, HHO does seem to feature rather a lot of people who claim miraculous running feats on little or no training, but I never see them listed in Athletics Weekly as winning races or with a Power of Ten ranking.

There are however plenty of endurance runners aged 21-22, UK domestic endurance running is currently dominated by Steph Twell, Charlotte Purdue, etc..

You are simply not going to come anywhere near winning even the most provincial UK marathon with a time of 3 hours. Hence my mediocre comment. For example, in last year's Luton Marathon, which was won in a disappointing 2.35, which is slower than the Olympic qualifying time for the women by around 7 minutes, you would have placed only 25th, and this is hardly a big marathon.

There is also no reason to say fencing and riding skills develop with age. Some people are more talented than others and learn things more quickly. And a good runner will run a good 3k at any reasonable age - look at Helen Clitheroe winning her first European Championship at 3000m at the age of 39 this year!

I don't really think changing the run to 10k would add to the quality of the event. It would be dull to watch, and I'm not sure how it would fit into the Olympic scheduling.
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I can see your background knowlege of tetrathlon and pentathlon is a bit scanty.At the time when the pony club were running 3k (and I believe ,but am not certain MP was 5k)There were no women in this sport.As I have said ,I did not run marathon distances to compete I ran for fitness. And lets face it ,a sub 3 hour 26 miles is about the same pace as your 12 minute 3k (which incidentaly is why I said that for you it was an endurance distance. ) You would also probably just as easily do 6k in 24 minutes. It is not a derogatory remark simply a fact.Incidentaly I have absolutely no interest in what you believe regarding my own performance over the years .What I have been trying to explain is that cross training ,riding tends to make runners slower and more one paced.Quite how you have managed to twist this in your mind the way you have is a complete mystery to me. And incidentaly ,I do know what is involved in Modern Pentathlon having competed may years ago ,and incidentaly I still coach shooting.
 
Mike007 said:
I can see your background knowlege of tetrathlon and pentathlon is a bit scanty.At the time when the pony club were running 3k (and I believe ,but am not certain MP was 5k)There were no women in this sport.As I have said ,I did not run marathon distances to compete I ran for fitness. And lets face it ,a sub 3 hour 26 miles is about the same pace as your 12 minute 3k (which incidentaly is why I said that for you it was an endurance distance. ) You would also probably just as easily do 6k in 24 minutes. It is not a derogatory remark simply a fact.Incidentaly I have absolutely no interest in what you believe regarding my own performance over the years .What I have been trying to explain is that cross training ,riding tends to make runners slower and more one paced.Quite how you have managed to twist this in your mind the way you have is a complete mystery to me. And incidentaly ,I do know what is involved in Modern Pentathlon having competed may years ago ,and incidentaly I still coach shooting.
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http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mansplain

Actually, I know one of the Olympic pentathletes rather well ;-)
 
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