Masters Runners: What Running Mistakes Did You Make In Your Teens/20s/30s?

I don't think there is enough space here, but I'll try. Generally speaking, I skipped morning runs because I had stayed up too late the night before, and I didn't really train hard. A guy I used to train with--a low 28 guy, mind you--once said I was the hardest worker he'd ever known. I appreciated the compliment, but I don't think he knew enough people.

When I was 24-25, I think I had a real chance to develop. I was physiologically about 3-4 years behind my chronological age, so this was a time of significant speed development. Yet at one point I was only running Monday through Thursday. I wasted 1/3 of my week for about four months, yet still ran big PRs in the spring. What could I have done?

In my early 30s, I just should have run more volume on my workouts and more consistent longer runs. I actually did a mid-week a.m. 12-miler one year then cut it out in subsequent years; bad idea.

If you're going to really find out what you can do, and you're healthy enough to do it, then you need to look over the edge, not just see the edge from a distance. There will always be another party or another bottle of beer. The chance to run at your physical best, however, is a small window.

I kept waiting to race a serious Marathon....and waiting....and waiting....and I never raced it, even though I think I was ready to do a good (by my standards) one.

I usually did 3 "workouts" a week, and I should have done 2 per week instead, with more tempo stuff on other days.

My 5000m lags my 1500, 3000m, and 10000m. I did something wrong when it came to 5000m....going thru 3000m at pace, then shitting the bed.

I coulda been somebady. I coulda been a contenda.

Age 16 joined a new school. Started doing cross country and track with a couple of easy runs a week. Got to a good English County Standard in cross country, 800m and 1500m with no coaching at all.

Age 17 stopped running. Started smoking cigarettes.

Age 30 started running again when gave up smoking.

Age 39, on an average of 30 miles a week, ran 58.xx for 10 mile and 1.18.xx for half marathon.

Age 45 Contacted my old school to see if they had any of the times I ran in the 1500m. Answer "we don't keep records that far back". hmmm...

Age 50 plus - no regrets that I stopped running in my teens. I just wonder what I could have run if I'd continued and had some coaching.

I second that. Ran in HS and did fairly well. When I came back in my mid thirties and regained my form, I used to hammer my Sunday 12 and 14 milers. Didn't realize it until a I reached 38 or 39 but that was the reason that I never felt that strong during the week. Once I learned my lesson, I PR'd in the marathon at 40.

1/ Tuesdays and Thursdays work outs without any flexibility. Regardless of how tired I felt, I had a fixation on doing work outs on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

2/ Focused on hitting a certain amount of mileage instead of focusing on getting good, overall training.

3/ no down weeks

4/ Did not raced as much as I should have

5/ focused too much on time instead of just racing hard and competing well.

6/ No tempos

7/ a Long run of 12 miles or more every week even when I felt completely exhausted.

Not enough miles. (2500 a year) Moved from perfect training environment in Milton, Massachusetts to Vermont with longer winters, fewer races, and less speedwork. New job stress didn't help either.

I wish I figured out I was gluten intolerant earlier. Who would have guessed bread, pasta and the rest were bad for this runner? Doctors take 11 years on avg to diagnose it right - if/when they get it right. About 1% have it.

So if you seem to break down sooner than everyone else or are just a flaky runner despite the interest and enjoyment being there, maybe experiment with your diet. If you gain weight when you start running (due to eating more or supplementing with carb/protein drinks) or simply lose weight when you stop that's a good clue too.

Paula Radcliffe has gone gluten free though she doesn't say why. It may just be good for running for anyone.

I joined the Army - That was my biggest Mistake!

1) In High School and college I had way too many different coaches. I think I counted like 15 coaches. I would have learned and followed a philosphy or something. Instead, I was young and just followed what the coach of the month wanted me to do.

2) Not been so uptight and obsessed with running. At races I was a bit of a head case, either really good or I sucked. I got so nervous.

3) Take better care of myself. Run on trails not roads. Follow a stretching program better. Wear sun screen on my now wrinkled face on my long runs. Rotate shoes better, take better care of my now effed up feet.

4) Not quit when I was 22. I would have continued for a couple of more years. I had dreamed of making the trials and I wish I would have chased the dream. Instead I got a demanding job then tried to start up again. The job was just too overwhelming and the years I lost before starting back up didnt help.

I am in my twenties....not too many mistakes so far. Does anybody like the song "Heart-Shaped Box"? Kurt Cobain was a legend, n'est pas?

rooj wrote:

Kurt Cobain was a legend, n'est pas?

nope

Chuck G wrote:

Not enough miles. (2500 a year) Moved from perfect training environment in Milton, Massachusetts to Vermont with longer winters, fewer races, and less speedwork. New job stress didn't help either.

Really, what factors led you to say that Milton was a perfect training environment? I grew up there too (now in college in PA), and I thought it was decent but not what I would consider perfect. That's pretty funny that you ended up in Vermont - my family just moved to Maine. It did suck pretty badly running there during winter break. But summer is great!

I convinced myself that I couldn't run more than X miles in a week without breaking down. Much later I discovered that with core work and running more offroad I could run as many miles as the next man.

Running marathons...