I know someone who had no HS or college track experience. Instead of becoming a hobby jogger, he trains for one of the most brutal races in track (the 800) at age 26 or so. Miraculously, he sticks with it for a few years and runs unattached in several low-key college meets. I think his PR was 2:08 or 2:07, and he did all of this without ever having a coach to guide him or teammates to train with.
Anyone know of any other similar cases?
I have got to introduce you to Jamin King. You’re going to flip out when you meet him.
During summer, we had pole vault practice around 6 PM or so in the evenings. People from various schools would come to use our facilities, but the most unique case we had was a dude in his mid 20s who just came off from work and was watching us. He said something like "That looks fun. Could I give it a try?"
Waivers be damned, so we let him practice with us just like any other HS kid. He actually becomes quite good at it and eventually shells out a few hundred bucks to buy his own pole. Practice started earlier and ended earlier during the school year, so the crossbar and extension arms were put away by the time he got to the track. However, we left the pole vault landing pit uncovered.
By the time spring rolls around, he is clearing 10 feet in our early season all comers meets and becomes sort of a minor celebrity due to his circumstances. He improves to 11+ feet the following year and starts competing unattached in college meets. By the time he quits at age 30 or so, he has managed to clear 12'. Not bad for someone with no prior track experience!
I ran a 22 minute 5k once
Podium finish here in a local charity 5k
I'm kind of a big deal
2:11 marathoner Spiney Norman.
My dad started running when he was 24 (he was a soccer player in college) and ended up having modest success at the local level. He ran PRs of 4:23 in the mile, 15:28 in the 5000, 25:08 in the 8K (XC), 31:48 in the 10000, 71 minutes for the half marathon and 2:31:xx for the marathon. He was very successful in the mountain/trail running scene back in the 80s too. However there was much less opportunity to compete in those kinds of races at that time.
Also, Jorge Maravilla comes to mind as someone who took up running after college and has done well. Although he started out exclusively running mountain/ultra stuff in his early 30s, he has had a lot of success over the last couple years on the roads. Off the top of my head I know he was in the top 30 at the Boston marathon in 2016 and ran 2:21:56 at the Gold Coast Marathon the same year.
Josephat Menjo is the type of runner you are looking for:
Jack Foster didn’t start running until his 30s. Ran 2:11 and set a masters record. 2x Olympian (‘72, ‘76). Just ran a bunch of hard miles over hill and dale.
Alan
Vladimir Kuts, 5/10k gold in '56 Olympics, started running at 23.
Died at 39. Who knows what the Russians gave to this dude during his career!
I took up track at 36 , had one year of messing about at 10ks prior to that.
Now 38 and aiming to go sub 2 800 and sub 4.30 Mile this season.
One of the meets I went to had an unattached 4x100 relay team that looked like they were composed of guys in their mid 30s. I don't know whether they had any track background before their early 20s, but they actually had pretty good handoffs and finished mid-pack. I think their time was 44, but I'm not too sure.
Ran cross-country in high school, but not track. Graduated HS (1979), went to college. Gained weight. Joined USAF. Three years later, first son was born while stationed in Germany (1987). Started running to lose weight. After a year or so of running, I joined the base track team. 33:32 10000, 4:24 1500, and 16:11 5000 is what I ran in the USAFE championships (1988).
My squadron would not allow me to compete after that...so, all I participated in were "fun runs" for the next few years, usually winning age group, and/or placing well overall.
If anyone remembers the Asbury Park 10k Classic from the late 80s and early 90s, I participated in the last one they had (1991). Placed in the overall top 10%, even though the time was lousy....blame the humidity and temperatures in August in New Jersey!
We have a great local runner here named Todd Straka. Never ran HS or College. He was a road racer for years (and a pretty good one). Decided to focus on the mile a few years ago. Last year he came pretty close to the M50 WR running a 4:26.
Plus he’s a great dude
One of my former classmates was a 6'2" HS basketball player who didn't do any other sport. After college, he decides to try the high jump and sets up a "practice area" in his backyard consisting of a few pieces of wood, some string, a tape measure, and a pile of old mattresses. A year or so later, he decides he is good enough to jump competitively and jumps 5'11" in an all-comers meet.
My brother never went to college. Played football at high school. Went to the 68 Olympics as a jumper.
He's a great dude and crazy fast!
My coach took up track at 23 and ran 13:48 for 5000. First ever race was 33 for 10k on road after 4 months of training. Some people are just late blooming freaks.
I started running at 25 (without a history in other sports) and ran sub-15:30 for the 5K and a 2:28 marathon around 31-32.
I read quite a few stories of people who had done similar, and one or two who reached OTQ level, so they are out there.
As far as track specific success I'm doubtful. I've never run a race on a track since they're just really uncommon for post-collegiate amateurs in the US. I've always wanted to see what I could run on a track but in my region it's tough to even find a college meet with guys who will run sub-15.