Was there in '07 wrote:
I remodeled my house by myself, and earned more money than most "professional" runners while I was a college xc coach, 2 years after I quit racing. I'm away from college xc/ track now and work a real job. At some point, one has to grow up.
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For the record, I have 2 friends that left the MLB early for similar reasons around 2008. They made more money in 1 year than a "pro" runner will make in a career. One is now a Sheriff, and the other owns a local business. They're happily married with 3+ kids and are thankful that they changed their goals.
As mentioned multiple times in this thread, it's possible to have a full-time job and still have the time to maximize your running potential (high mileage + intervals + good nutrition + enough sleep). It's not easy, but it's doable.
Dump the GF, don't completely neglect your career, and chase the dream. Even if you don't achieve your goals, at least you'll know what you were capable of.
I was nowhere near an elite (my 800 PR was 1:55), but for a good portion of my 20s, my life only consisted of work and running. I'm now in my mid 30s, and while I'm still single, I have a house, a job that pays $90K/year, enough time to do my non-running hobbies, and I still jog 10-15 MPW to stay in shape.
I have no regrets.