|
I just started running about 6 months or so ago. I'm fairly athletic by nature, but never did much distance running. My first 5k clocked in at a pretty terrible 24:18, but my second, a few months later was a little better, 22:00(yes, exactly). I only run about 10 miles a week or so most weeks, but would like to up it to at least 20. My problem is time, for the most part. I didn't realize how time consuming running was. Last Sunday I ran 7 miles, my longest distance, ever, and it took me almost an hour.....and that's just 7 miles. So my questions to all you running TL'ers.
How fast do you think I can get in a 5k at a 10-20 mpw pace? My goal is 20 minutes for now, is that even attainable at my current running rate? How much difference does really good shoes make? I went to a running store, and apparently name-brand running shoes cost well over $100.......OUCH. I'm currently running on some ~$50 Adidas, and I really haven't had a problem with them at all, but they are getting worn down and need replacing. I don't mind paying for good equipment, but I don't want to pay for $150 shoes that might shave a whole 5 seconds max off my 5k time. Eating. I'm really skinny, at 6'3", ~160lbs. Is running too much actually bad for me unless i really chow down hard? Obviously I'm not running to lose weight, I don't want to lose ANY weight. Currently my diet goes something like - Early morning - apple/banana Breakfast - cereal/oatmeal, two boiled eggs, bagel with cream cheese, sometimes a loaded omelet. Lunch - anything from a chicken salad to a cheeseburger and fries. I really don't like lunch. Dinner - Some kind of meat, rice & gravy, and a salad. I'm guessing I should probably eat more?
|
Hi TL,
At first some general infos about me: -20yrs -186cm -69kg (optimum weight, during training phases its maybe 1-2kgs higher) -All my infos given in kilograms, metres, and kilometres since im not used to american measurements
I started running in June this year (about 13 weeks ago) and did a little "test" to look what my current level is. At this point i already did 1 year of casual cycling (just some rides on my own) so i didnt expect the worst. Anyway, i ran 5k and stopped time. 26minutes. Little bit depressed cause its not that good at all. Not even close to the time of some former school mates who did 5k in their final sports exam and ran like 20-21minutes.
So i bought myself some running shoes, googled for some basic training shedules, trained 2-3 days a week and slowly advanced. After 6-8 weeks (cant remember prolly) i did another 5k test and this time i only needed 22:24minutes. Guess i caught on fire at this point. I felt like "ok, thats nice, now lets push it to the limit. So i started a harder training shedule with approximately 5-6 days of training and about 60km of pensum per week. Last week i did my first competition where i ran 19:44.
My next step would be joining a local running club to find some mates to run with. I also bought myself some spikes for track training and track competitions. Ultimate goal: 17:xx minutes next year and 15 minutes at some point.
My advice to everyone: Listen to World Champion Mo Farah. "Everybody can run, dont tell yourself you cant, cause you can."
|
Hey all. I am currently doing interval training for weight loss since Im kinda overweight, but Ive started to feel really sore recently(after two weeks?). for a pretty non-athletic guy, would it be better to do longer sessions every other day or shorter sessions daily? Im assuming longer every other day but idk. maybe I could just do some longer distance relaxed jogging on the days off to build endurance?
It kinda sucks because ever since Ive committed to a lighter diet and got real running shoes for the first time in my life, Ive been really psyched to run, but I am having much more trouble with leg pain than actually running out of breath when running. so I want to try running more, but dont want to hurt myself.
maybe i am running wrong? or on bad terrain(just around my neighbourhood. the sidewalks arent the best kept)? or maybe Im just too fat >_<
|
I like to run once in a while, followed this program around a year ago to run 45 minutes straight. Then it dwindled down, but am picking it up again at the moment. Now I'm on a program to run 60 minutes in 2 months, need to be more consistent with my training though I'm not a big fan of running in particular but I enjoy being outdoors alone with just my music and working on my health.
|
If you just wanna lose weight do long and easy jogs. Best speed is if you can still talk while running. If you do high intesity training like intervals and stuff you'll get sore. Even the best athletes in the world dont do intervals every day cause you go up to 90-95% of your max heartfrequence and its very hard for the whole body.
tl;dr: If you just wanna lose weight do long and easy jogs, if you wanna continue doing intervals do one day hard one day easy and so on
|
On September 21 2011 22:56 Occultus wrote: If you just wanna lose weight do long and easy jogs. Best speed is if you can still talk while running. If you do high intesity training like intervals and stuff you'll get sore. Even the best athletes in the world dont do intervals every day cause you go up to 90-95% of your max heartfrequence and its very hard for the whole body.
tl;dr: If you just wanna lose weight do long and easy jogs, if you wanna continue doing intervals do one day hard one day easy and so on
the issue with this is I am not very fit, so if i go on a "long" run, Ill have to stop after lik 1.5 miles and I dont feel like I get the most out of my workout. in addition I am pretty busy so its hard to get in longer runs some days.
|
By "long" i mean about 30-60 minutes regarding your fitness level. So if you need 30 minutes for 1,5 miles its fully ok. If you do intervals you risk A LOT of your health. Its very likely you will get injuries, especially if you consider your general fitness. If i do intervals, i do 2km warm up and stretching before and 2km very slow jog afterwards to minimize the risks for an injury.
If youre not a "lightweight" the stress for your bones, muscles and sinews is even higher.
Just do your 30 minute walk every 2 days or just multiple times per week. After some weeks you will recognize that its becomes much easier to run your 30 minutes and you can go on and maybe do 40 minutes instead. Getting fit is not a matter of weeks. Its a slow process but totally worth it. Just enjoy being out and dont focus on how slow you are cause its a very relative value. There are still ppl who dont even do 30 minutes.
|
On September 21 2011 23:15 Occultus wrote: By "long" i mean about 30-60 minutes regarding your fitness level. So if you need 30 minutes for 1,5 miles its fully ok. If you do intervals you risk A LOT of your health. Its very likely you will get injuries, especially if you consider your general fitness. If i do intervals, i do 2km warm up and stretching before and 2km very slow jog afterwards to minimize the risks for an injury.
If youre not a "lightweight" the stress for your bones, muscles and sinews is even higher.
Just do your 30 minute walk every 2 days or just multiple times per week. After some weeks you will recognize that its becomes much easier to run your 30 minutes and you can go on and maybe do 40 minutes instead. Getting fit is not a matter of weeks. Its a slow process but totally worth it. Just enjoy being out and dont focus on how slow you are cause its a very relative value. There are still ppl who dont even do 30 minutes. This. Don't worry about times, miles per week, or set schedules, if you just want the exercise. Just do what you can do comfortably, as regularly as you can. Pushing yourself to the limit is for training, not exercise.
|
On September 21 2011 23:15 Occultus wrote: By "long" i mean about 30-60 minutes regarding your fitness level. So if you need 30 minutes for 1,5 miles its fully ok. If you do intervals you risk A LOT of your health. Its very likely you will get injuries, especially if you consider your general fitness. If i do intervals, i do 2km warm up and stretching before and 2km very slow jog afterwards to minimize the risks for an injury.
If youre not a "lightweight" the stress for your bones, muscles and sinews is even higher.
Just do your 30 minute walk every 2 days or just multiple times per week. After some weeks you will recognize that its becomes much easier to run your 30 minutes and you can go on and maybe do 40 minutes instead. Getting fit is not a matter of weeks. Its a slow process but totally worth it. Just enjoy being out and dont focus on how slow you are cause its a very relative value. There are still ppl who dont even do 30 minutes. Thirded. Unfortunately to say, not everyone can do intervals safely. If your body isn't ready for it you're going to get seriously hurt and then your entire running schedule is messed up.
On September 21 2011 22:42 Orpheos wrote: maybe i am running wrong? or on bad terrain(just around my neighbourhood. the sidewalks arent the best kept)? or maybe Im just too fat >_< Shoot for 35+ minutes of running everyday. Avoid running on sidewalks like the plague. Running on concrete is the worst thing you can do for your legs. If there's a grass field or high school track somewhere, get there and run there. Don't concern yourself about your weight or if you're struggling to cover distance. A year ago I could only run 1 mile, now I run 7 almost daily. As long as you push yourself (without getting hurt) you'll see progression. :D
Also when you do finally feel ready for interval training limit yourself to once per week. Eventually you can bump that up to 2 or maybe 3 sessions a week, but let your body decide.
|
On September 21 2011 21:28 Sm3agol wrote: How fast do you think I can get in a 5k at a 10-20 mpw pace? My goal is 20 minutes for now, is that even attainable at my current running rate?
How much difference does really good shoes make? I went to a running store, and apparently name-brand running shoes cost well over $100.......OUCH. I'm currently running on some ~$50 Adidas, and I really haven't had a problem with them at all, but they are getting worn down and need replacing. I don't mind paying for good equipment, but I don't want to pay for $150 shoes that might shave a whole 5 seconds max off my 5k time.
Eating. I'm really skinny, at 6'3", ~160lbs. Is running too much actually bad for me unless i really chow down hard? Obviously I'm not running to lose weight, I don't want to lose ANY weight. Currently my diet goes something like - Early morning - apple/banana Breakfast - cereal/oatmeal, two boiled eggs, bagel with cream cheese, sometimes a loaded omelet. Lunch - anything from a chicken salad to a cheeseburger and fries. I really don't like lunch. Dinner - Some kind of meat, rice & gravy, and a salad. I'm guessing I should probably eat more?
Talent plays a big role in how fast your going to get, and in how fast your going to get there. Some individuals can run 15/16 min 5K's doing next to no mileage, but that's the exception. I'd imagine you could get to 19/20 minute range of next to no mileage, but probably not a whole lot faster unless you have significantly above average talent.
Shoes are more for an anti-injury thing and getting something that works well with your gait. If your getting no injuries I'd say your in pretty good shape. A pair of the lightweight racing flats might be good for 10 seconds or something off a 5K, not that significant unless your really competing at a high level.
Running too much isn't bad for you. If you don't want to lose weight just make sure you eat enough. If you eat a little below feeling full every meal you'd be good to go. With the very low mileages your interested in running though I don't think you will need to worry too much about dropping tons of weight.
Hey all. I am currently doing interval training for weight loss since Im kinda overweight, but Ive started to feel really sore recently(after two weeks?). for a pretty non-athletic guy, would it be better to do longer sessions every other day or shorter sessions daily? Im assuming longer every other day but idk. maybe I could just do some longer distance relaxed jogging on the days off to build endurance?
It kinda sucks because ever since Ive committed to a lighter diet and got real running shoes for the first time in my life, Ive been really psyched to run, but I am having much more trouble with leg pain than actually running out of breath when running. so I want to try running more, but dont want to hurt myself.
maybe i am running wrong? or on bad terrain(just around my neighbourhood. the sidewalks arent the best kept)? or maybe Im just too fat >_<
First off, I wouldn't really recommend the interval training for a beginning runner, and especially not now that you might be dealing with injuries.
Interval training, due to the intensity, is much harder on the body and if you don't have that base of easy running to have strengthen your legs, muscles, bones, and connective tissues it can become very easy to become injured. That and you can stagnate (from an improvement standpoint) pretty quick from intervals.
Ideally you want to get your frequency up. 6 or 7 days a week of running is much, much better than 3 or 4 days even if the mileage is the same. That said, intervals 6 or 7 days a week would be a terrible idea, the body needs time to adapt to those levels of stress and you will get over trained and/or injured. I;d recommend starting with maybe 3-4 days a week of 3-4 miles on each day, and add a day per week till your running 6/7 days per week. Repeat a week if the previous one felt very difficult. After that you can up your mileage as desired. Consider adding intervals after several months of general easy running (basebuilding).
I notice you use soreness at the beginning and leg pain at the end. There IS a difference between the two. Some soreness is expected as you up your running, and I'd certainly expect you to be sore if you jumped right into intervals. Pain is different, and often indicates an injury. Best thing you can do is go somewhere reputable that does a gait analysis and get fitted for proper shoes/orthotic for your stride. Additionally as a general rule of thumb sidewalks/hard surfaces are tougher on the body, if you have any in the area running on gravel/trails/grass is generally better.
the issue with this is I am not very fit, so if i go on a "long" run, Ill have to stop after lik 1.5 miles and I dont feel like I get the most out of my workout. in addition I am pretty busy so its hard to get in longer runs some days.
Your doing it wrong. If you have to stop your running too hard, probably way too hard. Slow down, alot if needed. Running should feel very easy and conversation. It should feel easy to spit out 2 or 3 sentences no problem and not be gasping for air when you finish. For general fitness I'd say anywhere from than 25 minutes on up is plenty to get in decent shape.
|
hmm interesting. i guess ill take it abit easier. idk i was kinda in a rush to work out heavier because the first week I started(running+eating well) I like immediately shed 10pounds so I got like more enthusiastic. plus Im meeting my dad in two weeks for a trip and Id really like to have atleast a slightly visual difference because hes always hounding me to get healthier >_<.
Im not sure how to describe the pain. Its like if you do a full set of pushups til failure, right afterwards your muscles are burning really hard. its like that more in my shins towards the front of my legs.
|
On September 22 2011 01:25 L_Master wrote:Show nested quote +On September 21 2011 21:28 Sm3agol wrote: How fast do you think I can get in a 5k at a 10-20 mpw pace? My goal is 20 minutes for now, is that even attainable at my current running rate?
How much difference does really good shoes make? I went to a running store, and apparently name-brand running shoes cost well over $100.......OUCH. I'm currently running on some ~$50 Adidas, and I really haven't had a problem with them at all, but they are getting worn down and need replacing. I don't mind paying for good equipment, but I don't want to pay for $150 shoes that might shave a whole 5 seconds max off my 5k time.
Eating. I'm really skinny, at 6'3", ~160lbs. Is running too much actually bad for me unless i really chow down hard? Obviously I'm not running to lose weight, I don't want to lose ANY weight. Currently my diet goes something like - Early morning - apple/banana Breakfast - cereal/oatmeal, two boiled eggs, bagel with cream cheese, sometimes a loaded omelet. Lunch - anything from a chicken salad to a cheeseburger and fries. I really don't like lunch. Dinner - Some kind of meat, rice & gravy, and a salad. I'm guessing I should probably eat more? Talent plays a big role in how fast your going to get, and in how fast your going to get there. Some individuals can run 15/16 min 5K's doing next to no mileage, but that's the exception. I'd imagine you could get to 19/20 minute range of next to no mileage, but probably not a whole lot faster unless you have significantly above average talent. Shoes are more for an anti-injury thing and getting something that works well with your gait. If your getting no injuries I'd say your in pretty good shape. A pair of the lightweight racing flats might be good for 10 seconds or something off a 5K, not that significant unless your really competing at a high level. Running too much isn't bad for you. If you don't want to lose weight just make sure you eat enough. If you eat a little below feeling full every meal you'd be good to go. With the very low mileages your interested in running though I don't think you will need to worry too much about dropping tons of weight.
Thanks for the reply. I think I am probably fairly "gifted" at running endurance, as multiple people on both sides of my family tree are very good endurance runners even late in life. My ~50 year old uncle can still do a sub 20 minute 5k, without even training very hard. I'll probably get another pair of decent running/athletic shoes, but not going to go overboard. The ones I have are super comfortable, and I never have any significant pain in my feet or legs after running, so I'll just stick with what works.
|
On September 21 2011 07:21 travis wrote: So I was going to sign up to run a marathon but it costs 60 dollars which is total bullshit. So I am just going to make my own track and run my own marathon by myself, wish me luck.
Dear... god.... I don't know if your joking, but I'll bite.
It doesn't look like there's many experienced marathoners here (if any) so I'll fill in with my 2 cents on the subject... I'm not of Kenyan background (lol), but I run numerous ones every year, with decent times as well, usually finishing in top 5 - 10% of an open public pack.
-> 60 dollars is dirt cheap for a marathon running event; even for a half marathon that's not a bad price. Marathons now are usually in the 90 to 110 range, with halves topping at 75 I've seen.
-> A race day marathon in itself is an enlightening experience. From lining up meters behind professional Kenyan/Ethiopian runners, to the gun or cannon blasting off, to the many hundreds of fans that line behind the barriers holding optimistic signs and give encouragement. Don't choose a mouse wheel track man, do the real thing. If you have the option, run it in a city that has a big enough population. Your first will be unforgettable, so make it count.
-> From personal experience over the years, I've roughly estimated that the difficulty of a race day run will increase 3-fold for twice the distance. A marathon is said to be 90% mental toughness, and the final 10% is all in your head.
-> Too many times have I seen newcomers wanting to try one do just that: "try one." And fail. You don't just decide to run a marathon one day and enjoy it. I'm always ahead when it happens, but generally the 15km to 20km curbs are often lined with spots of puke. Just inexperienced runners going too fast, too soon, and paying the price now from that first 1km of hype after the start. You may eventually cross that line, but you'll kiss the ground and beg for a stretcher. Good for you, you still got owned. When people under-appreciate the 42.2km distance, I don't feel sorry for them one bit. Reach the 30km marker at a good pace and your legs are mush, with or without training. Your mind is weary and your determination is shot. See above on mental toughness. The crowd keeps a lot of people going at this stage. And the final 12k is when people start to ramp up the pace even more!
-> Dress for the weather. So important.
-> I recommended to every able-bodied person to complete one in their life time. Not every training run has to be intense, but it will force a big time commitment. There's tons of excellent training techniques to use, but in simplistic terms, it just comes down to getting the body used to being out there and running 2-3 hours continuously. But experience plays a big factor too.
And to the poster wondering if the Nike+ is accurate. Calibrate it around a 400m track every 3 weeks and it's surprising very accurate over a large distance sample size. I have tons more tips I've gained over time, but those are the basics. Now I can say good luck =)
Edit: Oh ya, doing this without some sort of power-gel or diluted gatorade in the later stages (read NOT just water) I would say is actually quite dangerous.
|
I`m running a year ago pretty intensively, I used to run in the past too, and used to love longer distances. ~4km (or 6-8-10), 2-3 times a day, on rough terrain around 20 mins. My best was 18.30 on ~4km. Now I moved to another city, so I have to find some good places for running, I`ll discovered a hill, it was a really different taste. And on a sidenote I`m a chain smoker. Pretty controversial for a lot of people.
|
Do we have a real running gosu here with tons of experience? I ve read a book (from a former 27min runner at 10k) and nearly whole german runnersworld forums and they talk about "talent" everywhere. Does it really need talent to be good and what is the final barrier you can reach with no "talent". Many professional cyclists say that talent isnt that big of a factor. They rather say that there are the genes which determine if your a muscular or skinny type of guy. Another factor and maybe the biggest is the vulnerability to injuries. If youre injuried half the time you wont come far, thats a logical fact. And there are of course thing like VO²max and what type of muscles you have.
But really, do you think that only some "gifted" people are able to run great times like sub15 or sub30? I dont like the idea to limit one because of factors like "talent". I think that it comes into weight if youre on top and fighting for national championship but is there really a barrier beyond this level?
So please, if you know better on this and if you know a lot of athletes who train hard but cant get over a certain point please tell me.
Disclaimer: im not talking about africans who ran for generations. This is another case since they run since the age of 5 or 6 and theyre whole body(feet, muscles etc) is optimized for that one purpose. And still, there are people like Rubb, Solinsky or Baumann who can run at world class level.
|
On September 22 2011 03:14 Occultus wrote: Do we have a real running gosu here with tons of experience? I ve read a book (from a former 27min runner at 10k) and nearly whole german runnersworld forums and they talk about "talent" everywhere. Does it really need talent to be good and what is the final barrier you can reach with no "talent". Many professional cyclists say that talent isnt that big of a factor. They rather say that there are the genes which determine if your a muscular or skinny type of guy. Another factor and maybe the biggest is the vulnerability to injuries. If youre injuried half the time you wont come far, thats a logical fact. And there are of course thing like VO²max and what type of muscles you have.
But really, do you think that only some "gifted" people are able to run great times like sub15 or sub30? I dont like the idea to limit one because of factors like "talent". I think that it comes into weight if youre on top and fighting for national championship but is there really a barrier beyond this level?
So please, if you know better on this and if you know a lot of athletes who train hard but cant get over a certain point please tell me.
Disclaimer: im not talking about africans who ran for generations. This is another case since they run since the age of 5 or 6 and theyre whole body(feet, muscles etc) is optimized for that one purpose. And still, there are people like Rubb, Solinsky or Baumann who can run at world class level.
I absolutely believe talent and genetics are top determiners of how far you can take your running. The things you mentioned come into play in an important way and are mostly set my your family tree. The thing is not all talent is being able to be fast with no training. You don't always know where the talent is until you start challenging yourself.
There are many runners I know who train hard but do not get faster. If this is a result in talent you can't always say. Maybe they are not recoverying, maybe they are mentally putting up barriers, maybe they are training the wrong way for their body. There are so many factors that it's difficult to know if they are able to improve or not. I think that the vast majority of people will never come close to their talent potential so it's not as big of a deal. You just have to think if you had all the tools available to you as elite olympic runners what you could accomplish.
I also want to note that explaining peoples' great ability by saying they are talented often dimishes the great amount of work they put in. Yes, Ryan Hall is a talented marathoner, but he busts his ass more so than 99.9% of runners to be.
|
I agree. Genetics are often seen as the separator of high level competition. There's lot to say on the matter and Airblade summed up most of it quite nicely.
This image is taken from a widely regarded powerlifting book but I still it feel applies to elite level running. Ignore the timeline, but the graph is roughly accurate imo. The solid thicker line is your progress.
+ Show Spoiler +
|
On September 22 2011 03:34 AirbladeOrange wrote:Show nested quote +On September 22 2011 03:14 Occultus wrote: Do we have a real running gosu here with tons of experience? I ve read a book (from a former 27min runner at 10k) and nearly whole german runnersworld forums and they talk about "talent" everywhere. Does it really need talent to be good and what is the final barrier you can reach with no "talent". Many professional cyclists say that talent isnt that big of a factor. They rather say that there are the genes which determine if your a muscular or skinny type of guy. Another factor and maybe the biggest is the vulnerability to injuries. If youre injuried half the time you wont come far, thats a logical fact. And there are of course thing like VO²max and what type of muscles you have.
But really, do you think that only some "gifted" people are able to run great times like sub15 or sub30? I dont like the idea to limit one because of factors like "talent". I think that it comes into weight if youre on top and fighting for national championship but is there really a barrier beyond this level?
So please, if you know better on this and if you know a lot of athletes who train hard but cant get over a certain point please tell me.
Disclaimer: im not talking about africans who ran for generations. This is another case since they run since the age of 5 or 6 and theyre whole body(feet, muscles etc) is optimized for that one purpose. And still, there are people like Rubb, Solinsky or Baumann who can run at world class level. I absolutely believe talent and genetics are top determiners of how far you can take your running. The things you mentioned come into play in an important way and are mostly set my your family tree. The thing is not all talent is being able to be fast with no training. You don't always know where the talent is until you start challenging yourself. There are many runners I know who train hard but do not get faster. If this is a result in talent you can't always say. Maybe they are not recoverying, maybe they are mentally putting up barriers, maybe they are training the wrong way for their body. There are so many factors that it's difficult to know if they are able to improve or not. I think that the vast majority of people will never come close to their talent potential so it's not as big of a deal. You just have to think if you had all the tools available to you as elite olympic runners what you could accomplish. I also want to note that explaining peoples' great ability by saying they are talented often dimishes the great amount of work they put in. Yes, Ryan Hall is a talented marathoner, but he busts his ass more so than 99.9% of runners to be.
I was going to answer his question but I think you did a really good job.
It's worth saying again, though, that almost no one hits their "talent" level. What I mean is, you will probably forever be able to go faster, until, you know, you're just way too old. It's something I have to constantly remind myself of because it seems I only ever run with people that are way more "talented" than I am. They just don't take as long to get good as I do, and I know I'm trying at least as hard as they are. Why? Because I try hard. Very hard.
I know how much it sucks to think that someone starts with an extra drone than you do, but you can't only factor that in. You have to factor in the fact that you're even out there, and that alone puts you way ahead of most other people who don't have the motivation to do it. Is that motivation genetic? Partly. And, in which case, you have the advantage over them. What I'm saying is, if you want to start talking about "talent," there are just too many variables to account for. In the end, you get nothing for it.
So, just keep working, you'll get much faster.
|
I'm about 6'4, 210lbs and out of the blue, a bunch of friends and I decided to do the Spartan Race (check it out, it's awesome!)
Because I'm a lazy S.O.B., my main motivation for it was to give me a reason to try to get in shape. Anyway, I went out maybe once a week to jog as preparation and wound up improving my time to about 27 minutes on a 5k run... Not particularly fast but I was consistently doing it without taking any walking breaks.
Had a blast at the actual race and tried to keep jogging just for the health benefits afterwards. Then I sprained an ankle at basketball and I haven't been out jogging in over a month and a half. It sucks.
|
On September 22 2011 03:14 Occultus wrote: Do we have a real running gosu here with tons of experience? I ve read a book (from a former 27min runner at 10k) and nearly whole german runnersworld forums and they talk about "talent" everywhere. Does it really need talent to be good and what is the final barrier you can reach with no "talent". Many professional cyclists say that talent isnt that big of a factor. They rather say that there are the genes which determine if your a muscular or skinny type of guy. Another factor and maybe the biggest is the vulnerability to injuries. If youre injuried half the time you wont come far, thats a logical fact. And there are of course thing like VO²max and what type of muscles you have.
But really, do you think that only some "gifted" people are able to run great times like sub15 or sub30? I dont like the idea to limit one because of factors like "talent". I think that it comes into weight if youre on top and fighting for national championship but is there really a barrier beyond this level?
So please, if you know better on this and if you know a lot of athletes who train hard but cant get over a certain point please tell me.
Disclaimer: im not talking about africans who ran for generations. This is another case since they run since the age of 5 or 6 and theyre whole body(feet, muscles etc) is optimized for that one purpose. And still, there are people like Rubb, Solinsky or Baumann who can run at world class level.
Talent and genetics are important in everything, however running is an activity that you can reach a very high level at regardless of your genetic makeup. You may never see a sub 15 5k, but in my opinion nearly anyone can achieve a sub 17 minute 5k with enough training. As an anecdote, I had a teammate in middle school who ran a 20+ minute 1.5 mile (that's roughly a brisk walk for a person in great shape). By his senior year of high school, he ran sub 17, a 4:50ish mile, and now runs for a D1 college (not as a member of the top 7, but is on the roster).
It takes a ton of work to come anywhere close to your physical limitations in running, until you've spent a couple years running consistently and with the intent of improving, you shouldn't need to worry about a talent cap. If you're talking in competitive terms, yes there will be people who can hit those times easier than you, but if your goal is simply to run a solid 15-17 minute 5k for your own sense of achievement, then talent will not be a factor that prevents you from reaching it. Sub 15? In my opinion you will need some talent to go with your work ethic to reach that, but anything before is fair game.
|
|
|
|