Is it possible to still be a great runner without showing any signs of inherent ability at a young age?

Jim Ryun went from 5:30 to 3:5X.

croocked cops wrote:

Like a 14 year old who doesn't show much potential. Is it possible they could someday be respected national class runners? People say Pre only ran 5:01 his frosh year but he ran 10:08 for two miles, so he showed tons of talent. Are there any actual examples of kids not showing much potential but still end up great runners? Seems some of the kids here with lofty goals don't show lots of potential but work ethic. So just wondering if it has happened before.

Didn't kimetto start running when he was like 30?

Brian Sell

4:28 / 10:06 in high school

Ran a 2:10 marathon in Chicago

Ran a 2:11 at Olympic Trials behind Ritz and Hall

Ran 2:16 in Beijing for 22nd place

Bill Rodgers didn't break 10:00 in highschool, or was it Frank Shorter? IDK.

penciltucky wrote:

Brian Sell

4:28 / 10:06 in high school

Ran a 2:10 marathon in Chicago

Ran a 2:11 at Olympic Trials behind Ritz and Hall

Ran 2:16 in Beijing for 22nd place

i dont think he ran that fast in the mile. maybe in college. not sure but i thought it was 4:35-4:40 hs

penciltucky wrote:

Brian Sell

4:28 / 10:06 in high school

Ran a 2:10 marathon in Chicago

Ran a 2:11 at Olympic Trials behind Ritz and Hall

Ran 2:16 in Beijing for 22nd place

Sell ran around 4:40ish if I recall correctly.

TLW wrote:

penciltucky wrote:

Brian Sell

4:28 / 10:06 in high school

Ran a 2:10 marathon in Chicago

Ran a 2:11 at Olympic Trials behind Ritz and Hall

Ran 2:16 in Beijing for 22nd place

Sell ran around 4:40ish if I recall correctly.

Brian Sell is a terrible example. The guy ran 10-15 mpw in HS. His times from that mileage shows a lot of inherent ability...

All of the above are terrible examples. Even the slowest of them puts them in the higher percentile of ability.

hipstwr dufus wrote:

penciltucky wrote:

Brian Sell

4:28 / 10:06 in high school

Ran a 2:10 marathon in Chicago

Ran a 2:11 at Olympic Trials behind Ritz and Hall

Ran 2:16 in Beijing for 22nd place

i dont think he ran that fast in the mile. maybe in college. not sure but i thought it was 4:35-4:40 hs

Those are 1600 and 3200 times per standard PA racing distances. Times are from wikipedia and

Op is asking if a kid can go from mediocre at 14 to national class as an adult. I say absolutely, but it would be unusual.

Some boys at 14 have a massive amount of physical development less to do. Being very late to develop physically combined with being a high responder could make a 14 year old boy new to running seem to have very little talent, but then develop into a national class runner later in life.

This would be rare though, a bit of a combination of specific circumstances.