At which age did you finally admit to yourself that you would never become an Olympian?

Late 30s - still hoping. Genuinely. Highly unlikely, but will have one last effort for 2012.

Aim high. Better than a defeatist realism stopping you from dreaming. Just so long as you enjoy the journey... :)

I was still in my mother's womb

That's not realism, that's just not even f***ing trying.

Decided at age 30 I was going run lots, and consistently for a few years and see what happens. Olympics can't seriously be on my radar, but I have other reasons for making running a big part of my life. Age 31 now and liking whats happening to my body, bit by bit, piece by piece. Sometimes it crosses my mind....

23.

The biggest A-hole in our track club was also the only Olympian. He only ran because he was talented and it fulfilled his ego. The Olympics are awesome, but Olympians are just people, many of them F---ed up.

But to answer the question, it was at 16 when, as HS sophomores, on the same (actually less) training than I did, my best friend debuted in the mile at 4:33...to my 5:00. I had improved by a minute and a half between cross-country and track, but I saw first hand the way the talent cards were dealt in this sport. I wrote the workouts and he killed them. He went on to school records and the Ivy League, and I became a college marathon hack (many injuries and 2:38 PR at 22)

37 years later, he hasn't run in over three decades, his potential unfulfilled due to injuries and alcohol, while I am still out there on the trails and track, still enjoying my moments of elation and pain, grace and resignation.

I started running track when I was 17... I knew right away. I ran 2:08 for an 800 in a dual meet and realized I would have to run that over 6x without stopping to make the Olympics. I ran in college and got to the point where I ran some times I could live with, but never harbored any illusions of even going to the trials.

This question is kind of sad but it's a good one! I remember having that fire, thinking after winning a few races how much I WANTED to be the best in the world and looking at neighbors that jogged around and wondered how on earth they could still be running in their (gasp!!) 30-40s all while knowing that they had no shot of glory.

I guess I figured it out just about the same time Flo-Jo realized she wasn't going to make it in the Olympic marathon. Haha, at that time I think our 5k times were pretty similar. It's been about 20 years since then and I am still running around chasing some kind of glory, lining up atl races, thinking I have a chance to win any of them, even when I actually don't have a chance. ;)

At about 15, inspired by Coe, Ovett and Cram (even though I'm a yank), I wanted to be a miler. I did OK as a frosh, but even then I was smart enough to know that if I couldn't break 2 in the 800 I didn't have "it."

So, inspired by Deek, Pat Porter and Steve Jones I thought I'd try my hand at the longer stuff where hard work might compensate for my lack of wheels.

At about 17. I ran a high mileage summer and in the fall lost in XC to guys who ran half as much over the summer. I knew I would never amount to much as a runner (I didn't know about ultras ;) ). I continued to flog myself and at least paid for college as a crappy workhorse runner.

19

What do you mean "There is no Santa Claus"?

Good question I would say about half way through college the chances of me having a huge break through began to diminsh so maybe 20-21.

For me, it was that I would not be a college or pro football player

But that was around 14 or 15

As soon as I reached the age of reason, about age 8 or 9.

19. Right after a 2-mile indoor track race as a college freshman. There were 16 people in that race. Me and 2 of the runners had gone 1, 2, 3 in the high school district final, and we thought we could do the same in college. We finished 14th, 15th, and 16th. We knew then that everyone was good, and we were no better.

I remember my freshman year of college I think I ran like a 15:18 5k indoors. Gebrselassie ran some sick time indoors. And for the first time I really understood how fast those guys are. I remember thinking "Why am I doing this? They are at a whole different level."

I then came much closer to making the Olympics than I imagined so I'm glad I stuck with it.

? medal winner ? wrote:

i wanted an olympic or outdoor wc medal.

I never wanted to be just an olympian or go to worlds because that's not winning anything.

Rubbish and I'm guessing you did neither

I never thought I would go

28: when I was beaten in a 5 mile road race by a 12 year old girl. But she was a good 12 year old girl (Lindsey Scherf)!

Now that I look at the super-fast times high school girls are running today, I had no right to think I had a chance. But the dream made life fun. Luckily, I was well over this realizaition when I was 30 when 10 year old Brianna Jackewitz beat me in a 5K:-)

Oh Ya? wrote:

That's not realism, that's just not even f***ing trying.

I managed to force my way down the birth canal in record time. Popped right out! I was in and out of there in record time.