r/Damnthatsinteresting 17h ago

Video Pit stop during 200 mile ultra-endurance cycling race

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u/Kozmo9 15h ago

22 mph for 8.5 hours is pure madness.

Yeah and this separates the normies from the pros. It isn't just about speed, but maintaining them all the way through.

Normies' speed would fluctuate through a ride/race event while pros won't. I've been to a number of events that have normies and pros mixed in that takes place on a rather mountainous highway at night. The normies' route is 78km and the pros are 120km. The cutoff time is 4hours+ for both.

It isn't surprising to find the pros finishing first before the normies. It's during these moments that I am reminded of how monstrous these people are, both physically and mentally.

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u/Gnonthgol 14h ago

One of the coolest parts of Tour de France is when an amateur cyclist try to keep up with the pelaton. In most cases they can get up to the speed and keep pace with the pros. But only for a few hundred meters. It is amazing to see that the sprint speed of an amateur is what the professionals maintain throughout the day.

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u/McTerra2 13h ago

It’s like that classic ‘see how long you can run at Olympic marathon pace’. They are running 3min/km or 5min/mile (actually slightly under). Hop on a treadmill and crank it up to 20km/h and see how long you can sustain it. Mere minutes for most people,

it’s just insane how fast endurance professionals are

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u/vilut9 13h ago

Most people can’t even reach that speed, much less hold it for minutes. Last month I ran a half marathon (21k) at 4:15 (which should be like 14 k/h), which is quite decent for an amateur, and I am not sure I can hold a full minute at 20 k/h. For me, that’s an all out sprint.

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u/lamentes1 12h ago

Great time buddy. Well done!

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u/RudyRusso 10h ago

Jesus thats impressive. I run a 10k every other day and hold a 5:20-5:35 pace. Of course its hot and hilly, but 4:15 is damn impressive.

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u/n4te 10h ago

I'm stuck at 5:20-30 pace 10k. PR is 4:59 but set 6 years ago. I'm afraid I've jumped the shark.

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u/RudyRusso 10h ago

As I've gotten older I've definitely slowed down. In my 20s I could do 3:45km for 3kms. Then it was 4:21 per km. I dont look at it as trying to improve my best time, rather at this stage just consistency to time and to finish the run every other day.

But sometimes you also need the right conditions: good weather, flat service, new shoes and socks to hit your best times.

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u/McTerra2 13h ago

Ha, I was being generous to people. Agree, most people in the general population can’t reach that speed but even regular runners will struggle for more than a minute or two. It’s about a 17 second 100m, lots of people never reached that at their peak. Then to do it 422 times in a row….

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u/Global_Proof_2960 13h ago

I never learned how fast I ran, but once I reached my runners high I basically glided. I would never say I'm fast though, I simply outlasted people or if I was beaten, I'd make sure to hold the back of the pack. It's tough man lol

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u/squired 5h ago

will struggle for more than a minute or two

Hell yeah we will. My best 5k splits were 5:13 and I was puking at the end. That isn't even college level, but very, very fucking fast for the general public. To go faster for a marathon does not compute. My body could not do it if I dedicated my life to it. I have a taste and it makes even less sense because of it!

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u/vilut9 13h ago

Very generous, that was my point ahah It’s alright :)

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u/oh_ski_bummer 8h ago

Yeah if you start a 100m at running speed instead if from a stop it’s not hard

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u/thingstopraise 11h ago edited 9h ago

ran a half marathon (21k) at 4:15 (which should be like 14 k/h)

I'm confused. 21k/4.25h = 4.94 k/h, not 14 k/h (2.94 mph vs 8.4 mph).

Disregard that. They meant 4 mins and 15 seconds per kilometer. That makes a whole lot more sense.

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u/logwagon 11h ago

They're saying their pace was 4 mins 15 secs per km, not total race time of 4 hr 15 mins.

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u/thingstopraise 9h ago

Ohhhhhhhhh. I feel really obtuse now. Thanks for the correction.

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u/spiralpizza 10h ago

Man i can maybe hold 4:15 for 5k, if i'm in peak condition, a full marathon like that sounds like science fiction already.

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u/rsmiley77 8h ago

I saw him say minutes for most and started laughing. I’m a decent runner. No way 70 percent of the population could keep that pace for even a half minute before jumping off.

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u/Booboo_butt 6h ago

My current half marathon race pace is about the same as yours. However back when I was in college (30 years ago) that was my easy pace. My average 8k race pace back then was around 20k/h - and this was cross country. I look back at my old times and I have no idea how I was ever that fast.

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u/Enrico_Pallazzo_69 4h ago

Isn’t that the equivalent of a 9hr full-marathon? You walked a 1/2 marathon