sub-2:19 marathoners with full-time jobs?

There are too many to name offhand.

I ran a lot better when I was working than when I had it "easier" (grad school, betw. jobs, full time training, etc.)

Sagarin wrote:

Avogadro, who are you man? I think I know you.

Largely because of my professional life, I really prefer to be anonymous on letsrun.com. I consider myself to be less than a footnote in the world of running.

Loads of Brits ran far quicker than 2.19 going back a year or 2 - it just makes it a bit harder. Read Ron Hill's books - he ran 2.09 30+ years ago while working.

bojingo wrote:

I can't believe that someone with sub-30 10K ability is not able to crack 2:20 in the marathon, let alone 'get stuck' at 2:24-2:27. Sounds like a failed training program and a lot of wasted effort doing the wrong things.

Anyone with the ability to run 29:30 for 10K can crack 2:19 with the proper training.

How long have these sub-30 guys been running 120 miles per week? If they're getting stuck at mid-2:20s, I would guess not long. I would HOPE not long, otherwise that's a long time to spend doing the wrong training.

Step forward Norman bros and many, many other current UK runners

Fred Norris. 2:19 running back and forth from his job in a coal mine.

Kevin52 wrote:

I seem to remember a guy named Doug Kurtis who did the same thing.

What a coincidence!

You got me. I could not remember what looked wrong about that name. Thanks for giving the credit to the correct person.

Joe McVeigh

HRE wrote:

Fred Norris. 2:19 running back and forth from his job in a coal mine.

Geez, I think the most amazing thing about this is the guy's lungs were probably black from the mine.

You might want to differentiate between the more sedentary jobs that only require that you be awake and those which may amount to cross training for 10 hours straight.

Big difference between a computer programmer and a guy unloading cases of frozen goods at a warehouse or a roofing laborer.

Even the guys like Rodgers and Jones quit their jobs at some point.

Toby Lambert ran 2.18 at London this year and works full time 6 days a week. He owns the old family business ( a sporting goods store) and is on the shop floor 6 days a week. It can be done.

t.shea wrote:

flattered, but it was 2:23 high in NYC. best still 2:21 so a few minutes off the 2.19 mark for the OP's query.

Whoops! I just took a look at the results. That was one of the Moulton brothers that ran 2:18 at the trials. Great time though! Especially for someone who works full time. :)

Correcting a couple of things. Canadian things.

Dylan Wykes, who does work full time, ran 2:15:16 (debut, Rotterdam), not 2:14.

Matt McInnes, who ran a PB a bit under 2:17 last weekend, IS a radiologist, but he works halftime, not full time. Dude has a couple of ankle biters at home, though, so half time is LIKE full time.

Just setting the record straight, since Letsrun readers will believe anything.

Although it's not full time (I'm guessing), Geb has something like 100+ employees working for him, a building he owns, and several business interests. All of that on top of his running in Ethiopia. Pretty good for the World Record holder in the Marathon.

But we will not give him credit for that here because he is not working in the civilized world of the US.

Red Hed From Needham wrote:

t.shea wrote:

flattered, but it was 2:23 high in NYC. best still 2:21 so a few minutes off the 2.19 mark for the OP's query.

Whoops! I just took a look at the results. That was one of the Moulton brothers that ran 2:18 at the trials. Great time though! Especially for someone who works full time. :)

Pat Moulton runs for Hansons. Certainly not a full time job.

Pat Moulton runs for Hansons. Certainly not a full time job.

Is he still with Hansons? I had heard a rumour that he was not going to stay with the group out there.

Anyway I got who ran the 2:18 mixed up. Not who works full time. Sorry about that.

I don't know if he is planning on staying or not but he is listed on their web site and he definitly was running with them at the time of the trials. He may of left already but the Hansons sill have him up.

A better question would be say 2:14 or so. In the UK in the early/mid '80's hundreds of guys broke 2:19 I knew a regular guy who ran 2:15.xx in the London one year and was like 55th. The large majority of sub-19ers held full time jobs - I knew lots.

Chris Raabe works full time and ran 2:17 for 16th at the trails.

Also, this post has already been done:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=2310845&thread=2310827

Dan Sutton was a full-time med student (in residency, I believe) when he ran a 2:17. That's a lot more than a full-time job.