Good Ed Whitlock story in NYT today

A few more details about Ed's performances as a youth at the link below (4:31 mile at age 17, 14:54 3-mile at university). He's obviously got some tools.

Thanks.

Gosh darn. Never thought we'd see the day that Orville Atkins was humbly asking questions of an even older Canadian marathoner than himself. We figure this place is pretty cool after all!

It is logical to assume Whitlock has at least 5:10+ mile speed. Most 3 hour Marathoners I have known have had mile speed ranging from 4:50 to 5:20.

If he can run a 6:40 mile pace for 26 miles a sub 5:30 mile should be no problem at all.

Ed, thanks for chatting with us. You're incredible.

Ed, what are your PRs? Recent and all-time.

I think we need trackhead on here to espouse his infinite wisdom, along with Ed and Orville. Wonder how Ed and Orville feel about training in racing flats. Have you been converted by the brilliant young guru yet?

meters wrote:

It is logical to assume Whitlock has at least 5:10+ mile speed. Most 3 hour Marathoners I have known have had mile speed ranging from 4:50 to 5:20.

If he can run a 6:40 mile pace for 26 miles a sub 5:30 mile should be no problem at all.

We'll find out. Ed is running a 1500 indoors this weekend in Toronto.

Not necessarily.....he might not be able to run under 5:30 for a single mile.

As you get older you lose significant speed at the shorter distanes, but you make up for it with staying power at the longer distances.

I would venture, that if Ed. were to go to a track and run a "flat out" mile, he would not break 5:30....and if I am wrong, perhaps we will find out after this weekend.

A question for Ed. When you retired, why did you choose to stay in Milton, Ontario? - when, with your pension, one presumes you could have elected domicile anywhere in the world.

The only answer I can think of to the above, is that Ed. wanted to be close to his family.

Another question: How much of a problem is arthritis in the knees and hips when you train....and how is the pain felt? I know Ed. mentioned he suffered from arthritis in the knees.

Also - which is more problematic for runners - knee or hip arthritis.

Also does Ed. believe in taking supplements to combat arthritis?

Thanks for the feedback.

In response to various posts.

If I had trained the same way when young as I do now I am sure my performances then would have been much better. I don't think the training I did then has any impact on my performance today. I think the overall lifestyle of those days may have had some impact eg no automobile for travel etc.

I think 5:30 for a mile is about right maybe a bit more. I know its conventional wisdom that speed goes faster than endurance with age. Age graded tables give a nod to that, but then at masters track meets you will find higher age grade performances for sprints than for long distance. 90% performances are common for sprints, rare for distance.

I would use racing flats for training if I had a supply of them instead of the supply of training shoes I have won at races. At present I am not particular about the shoes I use for training.

Milton was where I was living when I retired, no ambition to move elsewhere. It has its pros and cons but its not bad overall.

Best performances

1500m 4:02.5 age 44 5:07.9 age 72

10000m 33:16 age 45 37:33 age 73

marathon 2:31:23 age 48 2:54:49 age 73

EWHITLOCK wrote:

Best performances

1500m 4:02.5 age 44 5:07.9 age 72

10000m 33:16 age 45 37:33 age 73

marathon 2:31:23 age 48 2:54:49 age 73

That's sick.

I guess I've got 46 years to get in shape.

Ed, I've ran in that Berwick Diamonds race over the years. You even beat me a few times when I was younger. You are an inspiration to the sport and I am in awe of what you are doing at your age.

Jeff

Hi Ed,

Thanks for your inspiration and helpfulness.

Could you comment on what you drink for fluids, how much, how often, and the same for food.

Do you have any ice or snow on your route in the winter, and how do you deal with this.

Thanks.

What completely blows me away - besides the obvious fact that his times are "off the charts", is that his body is able to withstand the volume that he puts in. He must be a biomechanical freak! This guy does milage that would cause some good runners in their 20s to have to give it up, and he seems to thrive on it!

How many of those guys in their 20s who can't handle the mileage are 5'7", 112 lbs.? Ed's accomplishments, both training and racing, are remarkable for anyone within even 20 years of his age. It would seem that it really does help to be built like an Ethiopian marathoner.

Correct. But, we can learn a lot here. How many of us are getting the most out of what talent we were given?

Like Ed, I feel that if I had done the type of training he now does when I was in my mid twenties and thirties, I would have run better in races on the roads.

You youngsters would do well to research and learn now if you want to develop to the best you can be. Then do the work if you enjoy the sport. It can be fun but remember you do not get a second chance.

That word has gotten out to some of the more talented 40 year olds on this board. I am amazed at how fast some of them are running. They seem to have put running high on their list of priorities and they are having fun doing it.

50 + Canadian Record

1 mile

4:37.2

92.0%

Ed

WHITLOCK

(QU)

18Sep82

Toronto

Ed, were you running interval workouts in your 50's?

Bronte creek Provincial Park in Oakville has a dirt 3.3 mile

loop. I often drive pass Milton to train on the loop.

I agree with Orville. One should try to find the best training and distance for oneself, don't use someone else's advice or training plan without analysing how it is working for you. Neglecting the injury factor the more you put in, the more you get out.

Replying to a previous post, a MRI indicated some arthritis in my knee, but not a lot. It is not giving me pain at the moment and I am taking no supplements for it or anything else. I drink quite a lot of fluids in a day. On food, light on meat, above normal on carbohydrates and dairy products, but I am not particular about my diet.

At the time of the mile in my early 50s I was starting to reduce the intensity of my training in my 40s, my excuse work pressures. I was doing a mixture of rather non structured, non coached interval work and some distance.

As far as Bronte park is concerned it would be more attractive than the cemetery but it would be a 15 minute drive there, that's half an hour total travel time. I don't want to add to the 3 hours spent on this pastime. I think it is better to spend the half hour running than driving and that's not considering its effect on Canada's quixotic Kyoto targets. Running in ice and snow is a bit of a problem, but it is better in the cemetery than on the sidewalks in town. The only thing that makes running impossible is freezing rain. An advantage of running short laps is that footing is is quite predictable