Whats my potential as a runner?

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14 years ago 08/26/2009 10:20am EDT

Ok Im 23, started running last year. In March I started taking things a bit more serious and after a summer of structured training (still pretty low mileage though...my max was 40 mpw for 6 weeks) my PB's are as follows:

400m-60 secs

800-2:19

1500-4:52

5k-19:16

Im focusing on longer distances over the winter and hope to bump my mileage up. Im taking running very seriously now.

I would someday like to break 2 minutes in the 800 and run a marathon in 2:30. These are very long term goals and I am aware they would take years and years of hard work, but do people think they would be possible for me?

14 years ago 08/26/2009 10:25am EDT

re: Jinga

No. I see you as potentially a 2:40 marathoner at best. But more likely a 2:50 guy. I don't see you breaking 2 for the 800.

14 years ago 08/26/2009 10:30am EDT

re: shonuff.

Anyone who says they can gauge your potential off a few race times with no idea of your background can do so with any level of intelligence. What you are asking is impossible, really.

You want to know what your potential is? Go progress from 3000 to about 4000 miles per year over 4-6 years and you'll get a good idea what your potential is.

People always want to know their potential before they train to it, but the problem is you'll never know before you get there. All you can do is decide you are dedicated to finding out your potential, train as much as you can, and see what the result is.

I was mid-17 5K in HS and 16:13/34:18 in college. At that point, having run for 10 years, most people would extrapolate that as being near potental but that's faulty reasoning as I had not maxed out training. I continued to progress from under 3000 to 4000+ miles run per year and ended up sub-31 10K with a second half split of 15:18.

14 years ago 08/26/2009 9:47pm EDT

re: spaniel

What are you asking us for?

You can probably accomplish pretty much anything you're willing to work for

Stop asking ppl who don't you and try believing in yourself a little, bro

You'll be fine

14 years ago 08/26/2009 10:23pm EDT

re: Jinga

Extrapolating potential from your current PB's is impossible. However…

60s for the 400m is slow. Does not bode well for your potential.

It's not the end of the world, however. I wouldn't expect that you can run 1:59.xx in the 800m, or a marathon in 2:30, but neither is out of the realm of absolute possibility.

14 years ago 08/26/2009 11:49pm EDT

re: kinda but really not smart

no offense but

never.

7 years ago 10/26/2016 2:50pm EDT

re: Jinga

At age 30 I would imagine you are a little under 2:10 in the 800 and just under the 18:00 mark in the 5k. The marathon is tougher to extrapolate, but you are probably in the 2:48 range, unless you are a true grinder / mileage guy. That would put you closer to 2:36 on your best day.

7 years ago 10/26/2016 3:48pm EDT

re: Jinga

Get your 400m down. Many people on this forum take the shorter distances as immediate max speed indicators without further review. It sounds like you don't really train for speed. Do that. I say this as somebody who at various times ran sub 50 400, sub 2 800, and sub 11 100; then didn't run for a while. My first 400 after not running for a long time was...not good. It took a while, but I regained form. As a 23 year-old with as yet unexplored potential, you should focus on doing a couple of raw speed sessions per week. The rest can be distance-type, if you please. This is if you truly care about the 800m goal (which is more impressive).

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