is it socially acceptable to use a 1500m conversion the mile the people ask?

“I recently ran a 1500m in 4:15, this is equivalent to about a 4:30 mile, but people rarely race the true mile distance any more”

For non-runners I always convert and say "About 4:05", instead of explaining the difference between 1500m and mile. Only time I wouldnt is if it was near some big barrier. I wouldn't tell people I was a 3:59 miler if I ran a 3:41 1500.

Just tell them the conversion. If they don't care enough about track to know the difference between 1500m, 1600m and 1,609.34m (mile) then they don't care enough to hear your explanation. They're also not going to look up your times. In fact, they'll probably forget the time you tell them 20 minutes later and ask, "Since you ran a 2 minute mile, do you think you could finish a '5K marathon'?"

The average nonrunner is just making polite conversation and has no clue what a decent mile time is. And in 5 minutes, they won't remember your time anyway. Just round it up and prepare for the followup question... Are you running in the [local] marathon?

When I tell people I race the 800 meters, the most common response I get is "how far is that... two miles?" or something similar.

Just use the 1500 time. ;-)

Tell them it’s 3’45” and leave it at that continuing to munch casually on the hors d’ouvres unless they look like in some combination of shock and disbelief, and if so, tell them you were just kidding and tell them your converted time from 1500.

It’s tough for me because my converted mile time is 3:59.9 (3:42.1 X 1.08)

I don’t say I ran 3:59.
I have said I ran 4 flat mile equivalent.

It is not socially acceptable.

I know a dude who is still locked up in a Kentucky prison for asking a cop:

Yo what’s your 1500?

I've ran 3:36, but never sub 4. Can I say I'm a sub 4 miler, as 3:36 isn't really "near" some big barrier

Just a heads up, it's either:

1) I have run

or

2) I ran

There's no "I have ran".

"Have" signifies past tense, so there's no need to use another past tense verb such as "ran".

I bet you're a lot of fun at parties and other social gatherings.

You could tell most people you ran a 3 minute mile and they wouldn’t contest it.

Does that mean someone who’s mile is faster then there 1500 can also convert down? Didn’t run the 1500 a lot since I was an 800 guy so my pr is 3:54, but my mile pr is 4:10. 4:10 is a 3:52. Am I a 3:52 1500 guy?

I use my 400M Conversion; 62 x 4

Who needs to run the extra three laps...

Unless said runner is truly world class or maybe in the sub 4 ball park it just does not matter.

I have seen 3:41-3:42 runners say the were a 4 minute miler. Only on a forum like letsrun, where everyone is pedantic and holier-than-thou does anyone care.

4:04.9, 4:26 laughably slow for this thread

This is way too true about non-runners. I had someone look at me with disappointment when they asked if I broke the 3 minute mile barrier yet and I said no, still working on going under 4.

It's easy on me, ran a 4:01 flat 1500, and a 4:20.9 mile back when dinosaurs roamed. So I tell them the mile.

If I ever tell people the 1500, their takeaway is often that I ran a 4:01 mile. Ha, I didn't, so I stick to the mile.

Yes, I just give them my 1500 meter time when they ask for my mile. No point in converting. Gets you laid so much easier when I say 4:12 rather than 4:29.

I noticed that in reading these posts that there is a failure to take in account a fatigue adjustment in conversions so a 4:10 might be the speed of running 4:28 mile average but in reality it is like a 4:30 mile because everyone will marginally slow down but running that extra distance--not like 1600m/mile conversion that you can just sweep under the rug.