Can an ex elite runner make a serious comeback

CJ Albertson and Colin Mickow — neither completely gave up fitness after college but each took time off after college (and neither would have been considered national team level runner in college).

Isn’t Keira D'Amato a good example?

Surely not wiped out. You made me flash back to a story from when John Campbell came back to world class levels at age 42. He described his first run in years and coming back to the house. Wife asked him what was wrong. He had only been gone about 7 or 8 minutes. So he started training and made amazing progress. https://vault.si.com/vault/1991/06/17/a-master-among-masters-from-5ks-to-marathons-john-campbell-has-been-making-a-shambles-of-the-over-40-record-book

Depends, do you want the OP to comeback clean or under a cloud of suspicion?

Jenny Spangler once simultaneously held both the u.s. women's junior AND masters records for the marathon, and won the Oly Trials in between. Several comebacks between those.

Eric Avila is another good example! Dude didn’t run for a few years after quitting college and then made a huge comeback and consistently qualified for trials and other USATF finals and broke 4.

OP didn’t mention how they wanted to get there. Might want to throw in some pork burritos as well.

John Tuttle comes to mind and did great in the 90's.

You're washed up, except it and move on with your life.

Except what?

The solution is to come to Flagstaff and train with me

Yes definitely it's possible. Alot of it is battle of the mind.You will have to fight the many mental demons you will encounter on your way back to fitness .The physical and aerobic fitness will come back quite quickly because talent never really goes away.You just need to push through the first few months with alot of patience,optimism and pragmatism.

I think you have a chance at a decent comeback if you set your target not too high.
You might fail if you compare your old self with your younger very successful self.

Listen to your body and train accordingly. Good luck.

I did.

I don't know I think 4:20.420 is pretty fast for the mile!

It can be done, first year will take a bit, but it comes back fast. Shoe tech and training are better than they have ever been, so you have that on your side.

I had a buddy not run for 7 years just make Olympic trials at the age of 32.

i think you should make a comeback and not give up smoking. that would so cool.

The #1 ingredient - How Bad do you Want it??? If you want it bad, it's yours for the taking.

I think of Marty Liquori, #1 miler in the world 1969 and 1971, according to Track & Field News. Then injuries, mediocre years followed.

But by '75, he was back. A near WR indoor mile, national champ at 5000, AR over 2-miles. Then, in '77 and '78, Liquori was among the best 5000 men in the world. He was ranked #1 in one of those years, I think '77. He traded wins with the great Miruts Yifter.

Marty wanted it bad, and he got it.

Talent doesn’t go away. Give it a shot!