Why you did not become an elite runner?

There are people of both genders that run sub-3 on 30-35 mpw, and then people who can't break 3:30 on 80 mpw. Talent is a cruel, unfair mistress but that's just the way it is.

At one point I ran okay times but I am not sure I liked to hurt. Sure, I felt slight pain but I don't think I could go to the extreme like Ritz. Those guys had high tolerance and stronger mindsets.

I think I was okay just training and was both driven and dedicated. But I didn't actually want it bad enough.

Unlike some who cite being not fast enough to be elite, I think I actually had the speed to pull it off. Could never hold the pace long enough to put together any elite finishing times though.

Having a woman in my bed beside me on Sunday mornings was preferable to spending that time listening to a bunch of insecure boys complain and fart their way through a 20 mile effort.

I was always one of the fastest kids up through middle school in the 100 up to the mile or more. "Everybody" said you need to run xc to succeed in track. From the first workout (typical workout were intervals ranging from half to mile repeat, usually six miles worth). I didn't like it but if I was going to be good... As a soph in track I was about a 2 flat half, the following fall in the early part of the xc season, I had an epiphany during a workout, "I HATE this". After that I slowly started to sandbag workouts and races in both xc and track. My head was not into it save for a race or two. To this day I think instead of doing a ton of repeats, I should of been doing easy/medium 4-6 mile runs with the occasional repeat, not 6 mile works though. Who knows how well I may of done if I had trained differently in HS, I likely wouldn't of burned out early and came closer to my potential.

If you didn't notice the Adams apple then I guess you are fine with the rest of her.

Is it the crab in the barrel thing?

The CORRECT answer for the vast majority of us (including me) is that we aren't talented enough.

By definition, "elite" is only for a very few.

You could have done your 20 on Sunday afternoons or evenings.

The OP included why did you not even become very good, or something like that. It doesn't require elite talent to be, very good. I'm not sure what the standard is though. College level runner for sure I would think.

I knew an elite runner has to do lots of doping, and I didn't want to.

What about elite masters? Or is that an oxymoron (maybe doxymoran for Letsrun lingo).

Ran sub elite times as a younger runner, but excelled later with some elite age group times and titles. As a younger runner did not train well, had poor coaching early on, and then worked FT from age 23 on, family, and running was something I did but third-fourth on the priority list. Family grew up, had more time/career stability and flexibility and got relatively better.

I didn't run enough miles. I ran 80-90 mpw but I'm pretty sure if I bumped it up to 200-250 I would have been elite.

Me and two buddies were all planning on being world class when we were in junior high.

Then in high school, the thought of national class creeped in.

Then by the end of high school I was the only one left running well, and the next few years showed I was nowhere near fast enough - the goal then for me was low-rent Euro track meets a few years hence.

Never got there.

Only with doping.

Bottom line is to be an elite you must join the dark side

I hear you on chasing ghosts, as someone who did run in my prime. Running in my 30s and early 40s was comparatively unfulfilling for just that reason, until I got over the mental block and accepted I wouldn’t be running lifetime bests anymore. I’ve taken to “resetting” my PRs in my mind every five years or so and just trying to beat my recent-age times, and the sport became fulfilling again.

Many of us missed out because we ran nothing but "workouts." That's all our coaches knew.

Baloney

Suprised no one has mentioned injuries.

I have an achilles heel, that has kept me injured for the last 10 years. Can't bump mileage up, can't do speedwork, can't wear low drop shoes. I can run fast, but then I won't be able to run again for the next week, so can't string together a consistent schedule. Sucks that at one point I was on track to be a stud, but after I first got injured, I could never match my times.