the perfect body

tried to find wrote:

"most elite US distance runners have a BMI between 19 and 21.5 (based on numbers i found on the USATF website). your BMI is 21.5 on the nose. don't sweat it"

Can you show me where on the USATF website you found this info.?

He probably looked up the heights and weights listed on USATF and then plugged those in to a BMI calculator. It's not rocket science.

you people are absurd. My all american boyfriend is the same height and weight at 5'10 and 150 and he is very skinny, with no body fat whatsoever and no extraneous muscle. I'm also quite sure that he's faster than all of you 125 pounders claiming you have the perfect body type. I hope you have no children in high school who you counsel similarly.

You obviously have no idea what a true running should look like. I bet you also think a 1:56 800m is fast in high school, huh?

malmo wrote:

I want a perfect body

I want a perfect soul

I want you to notice

when I'm not around

You're so f***ing special

I wish I was special

So run,

run,

run,

RUUUUUUUNNNNNNN

I opened up this thread expecting to find a photo of me.

You're starting to sounds like a 15 year old anorexic super model.

Runningart2004 wrote:

Weight and BMI mean nothing. Just keep the body fat under 10%. Get it done either by underwater weighing, 7 site skin fold, or dexa. With body fat you're going to reach a point where you really can't get any lower without restricting calories...and a runner SHOULD NEVER restrict calorie intake while training hard. Some people, due to genetics, will naturally settle at a very low body fat (3-6%), while others will naturally settle at somewhat higher (6-10%). You are what you are. Just make the best out of what you're given.

Alan

I agree with this. With overweight/inactive parents, I got the raw end of the deal on genetics. I cant seem to get my body fat percentage below 8-9%, even with running 70-80 mpw. Im 6'2'' and 160 lbs, and will always be, or so it seems. Im alright with that though, its still skinny as hell.

typical wrote:

You obviously have no idea what a true running should look like. I bet you also think a 1:56 800m is fast in high school, huh?

I think sub 4 is fast in high school and I seem to remember a guy who is shorter than the OP and about the same weight pulling that off. This paricular guy went on to set the American record in the mile. Since we're talking about 5k runners, I'll add that he's run 13:46 at this distance. You might know who I'm talking about.

Tim Broe is listed at 5'11" and 154 and (about the same as the OP) and he's run 13:11. Ryan Shay ran 13:35 at 5'10" 155lbs. I could continue listing damn good runners who are right around the OP's size.

There are different body types for 5k runners. Some people who are very light do well, but you don't have to be the size of a 6th grader to accel at distance running.

to be honest, I doubt that any answer I get will change what I do at all. but just out of curiosity, a lot of you say this guy is too fat, I'm 6'2" and nearly 160, hows that rank up in your minds?

good response, harry k.

i am 5'11' and got down to about 142 a couple times for CC. ran like absolute shit. went back to my normal weight of 150-155 for track so i could feel a little stronger. finally ran decent, including a pr of under 14:20. not super fast, but good for my talent level i think.

most of the best distance runners are skinny as shit. that does seem to be ideal for the world-class guys, but they are world-class because they are genetically programmed to have that body type. this doesn't mean everyone can stay strong at 5'10' and 125lbs. you need to maintain a good diet, and listen to your body. don't kill yourself by skimming too many calories.

There is no "perfect body" everyone is different. and, 72.3 % of the people on this site are anorexic fools so dont listen to them.

Why in the hell would you want to lose weight? There is no set weight that a distance runner should be at. You will find great runners that are scrawny and great runners that are strong. Just go run and eat when you feel like it.

I compiled a list of athletes and their BMI's a while ago:

conclusion: most elite distance runners are 18.0 - 21.0, but occasionally up to 22.5 or so. Also, mid-distance guys have a slight tendency to be heavier, and sprinters are heavier still. There is a slight bias for height as well. Taller people have slightly-higher BMI's.

athlete height (cm) mass (kg) distance BMI

alan culpepper 185.4 59.0 42000 17.2

yvonne murray 170.2 50.3 3000 17.4

greta waitz 168.9 49.9 42000 17.5

sebastian coe 175.3 54.0 800 17.6

sileshi sihine 165.0 48.0 10000 17.6

gebremariam 178.0 56.0 10000 17.7

dathan ritzenhein 172.7 53.1 10000 17.8

deena kastor 162.6 47.2 10000 17.9

sara slattery 170.2 52.2 5000 18.0

paula radcliffe 173.0 54.0 42000 18.0

abdi abdirahman 180.3 59.0 10000 18.1

hazel clark 177.2 58.1 800 18.5

wendy sly 166.4 51.3 3000 18.5

lauren fleshman 172.7 55.3 5000 18.6

jen rhines 160.0 47.6 5000 18.6

ryan hall 177.8 59.0 21000 18.7

hicham el guerrouj 179.0 58.0 1500 18.7

paul tergat 182.0 62.0 42000 18.7

anthony famiglietti 175.3 57.6 5000 18.8

kara goucher 170.2 54.4 10000 18.8

shalane flanagan 165.1 51.3 5000 18.8

matt tegenkamp 185.4 65.8 5000 19.1

tatyana kazankina 161.3 49.9 1500 19.2

galen rupp 180.3 62.6 10000 19.2

chris lukezic 172.7 59.0 1500 19.8

adam goucher 177.8 62.6 5000 19.8

treniere clement 160.0 50.8 1500 19.8

meb keflezighi 170.2 57.6 42000 19.9

steve cram 186.7 69.4 1500 19.9

dan lincoln 190.5 72.6 5000 20.0

sally gunnell 167.6 56.2 400 20.0

brian sell 177.8 63.5 42000 20.1

ingrid kristiansen 168.9 58.1 42000 20.4

bernard lagat 172.7 60.8 1500 20.4

haile gebrselassie 164.0 55.0 10000 20.4

craig mottram 188.0 73.0 5000 20.7

herb elliot 179.1 66.7 1500 20.8

khalid khannouchi 165.1 56.7 42000 20.8

leonel manzano 165.1 56.7 1500 20.8

steve slattery 177.8 65.8 5000 20.8

liu xiang 188.0 74.0 100 20.9

wilson wipketer 172.0 62.0 800 21.0

jeremy wariner 182.9 70.3 400 21.0

kenenisa bekele 160.0 54.0 10000 21.1

mbarak hussein 172.7 63.5 42000 21.3

alan webb 175.3 65.8 1500 21.4

dan brown 175.3 65.8 42000 21.4

linford christe 189.2 77.1 100 21.5

kip keino 175.3 66.2 1500 21.6

david krummenacker 188.0 77.1 800 21.8

sam burley 175.3 68.0 800 22.2

steve prefontaine 175.3 68.9 5000 22.4

jorge torres 170.2 65.8 10000 22.7

jonathan johnson 175.3 70.3 800 22.9

shawn crawford 180.3 74.8 200 23.0

emil zatopek 174.0 69.9 10000 23.1

andrew rock 185.4 79.4 400 23.1

lashawn merritt 188.0 82.6 400 23.4

kerron clement 188.0 83.5 400 23.6

nick symmonds 177.8 74.8 800 23.7

brian clay 180.3 83.9 0 25.8

breaux greer 189.2 104.3 0 29.1

christian cantwell 195.6 136.1 0 35.6

akebono 203.2 234.5 0 56.8

perfectrunner wrote:

I am 5'8, weigh 127 pounds and could kick your ass at any distance of running, for I am FAST, STRONG, AND RELENTLESS.

im a street fighter and toughman champion and ill kick your butt period.

jop wrote:

you should be 125, fatty.

Um, i was kidding. If you really believe you are overweight, you need to stop being such a girl.

Kid, your weight is fine. When I was in peak shape (I'm a miler too btw) I weighed between 148-152 and am 5'10.5". I also have a more muscular build than most distance runners. By that I mean I'm not scrawny and skinny, but more slim, fit, and toned. Just train, eat as well as you can, and let the weight go where it may.

As a female runner I am 5'2 and about 99lbs which is my ideal weight.

LoL I think you are fine so long as you feel good at that weight. I am 145 5'9" and have gone sub 30 for 10k, so I wouldnt listen to this ppl saying you have to be 125 lol thats stupid unless thats your body type. Look at Alan Webb & Solinsky. You are finw