5 km vs. 3 miles

jimgerweckMember

I was timing a Thanksgiving 5 km today. After the race the director (who was in her first year and not a runner) asked, "If everything in this country is measured in miles, why do we have 5 km races?"

I couldn't think of a good reason for that. I do know, however, that when I've consulted on new events the organizers universally feel 5 km is a more popular distance than 3 miles (I've also seen more than my share of great 3 mi. courses screwed up to work in the additional 188 yds. to get it up to the "magic" distance, but that's another topic).

Anyone have any thoughts?

11/25/102:34 PM

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jimgilmerCertifier

Might have to do with the 5000 m long distance event in track.

11/26/104:41 AM

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peteriegelRCMBB Founder

Records are kept at the common metric distances, while they aren't at most mile distances.

Also, the rest of the world is metric, and to compare performances worldwide a mile distance is a non-starter.

11/26/105:03 AM

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genenewmanRRTC Chairman

Pete's answer is best.

Some interesting facts. Since 2000 there have been about "8000" 5k's certified as compared to "12" 3 miler's certified.

It would be best if our measure's would show their splits as km's as opposed to miles on a 5km course. I feel the running public, then would be able to compute their pace easier.

11/26/106:05 AM

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AdminMember

It is kind of odd that the 3-mile and 6-mile race distances disappeared fairly quickly and quietly long ago, but the mile split will just not go away.
The only way I see it happening is if high school races start giving km splits. It's tough to teach old dogs new tricks. Convert them when they're young.

11/26/106:42 AM

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jimgilmerCertifier

If "Records are kept at the common metric distances", as Pete says, then why does IAAF Statistics keep records on 5000 meters for both outdoor and indoor track as well as for the mile, but not for 5K road events? I would still maintain that 5K "beat out" 3 miles as the more popular road distance because it was a recognized distance on the track long before the popularity of road racing.

11/26/108:52 AM

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peteriegelRCMBB Founder

Good argument. Probably has weight. We'll never know.

11/26/109:12 AM

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bobthurstonMember

Quick comment about km splits: I've found that for courses mostly run by diehard runners, km splits are appreciated and understood. For great big popular races they are not, at least in my experience. I fault the RD's for pandering to this demand for miles and not being leaders in helping us all think metric. But I'm guilty too. Years ago I would always try to talk the RD's into using kms. Once in a while they would buy my argument but almost always they'd come back the next year or so and ask for miles to make their complainers happy.

11/28/101:35 PM

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duanerussellMeasurer

While we (and one poster in particular, from England

) are trying to convert the American runner to metric, I have found 10-mile races in England.

I happened to be looking at their site which lists certified courses (www.coursemeasurement.org.uk), and came across a few 10-mile courses (10/246 and 10/166, both in Midlands area, for instance). So, while we may feel the rest of the world is metric, some overseas race directors apparently want to use miles for distances. Go figure!

2/26/111:28 PM

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