Running Longevity - Impressive Performances

Wasn't he 41?

Yeah I think I mentioned JW earlier in the thread.....year after year I'd pick up the papers (no internet then) and be amazed that he was STILL running fast.

Don't forget Fernanda Ribeiro. 1st Int Champ in 1986 and still competitive. European Champion 1994, World Champion 1995, Olympic Champion 1996.

3000 m

EC 1986: 13h1 9:32.87

OG 1988: 13h1 9:05.92

EC 1990: 9h1 9:11.39

OG 1992: 9h2 9:07.69

ECCC-A 2005: 6 9:22.77

5000 m

WC 1995: 2 14:48.54 3h3 15:22.04

WC 1997: 3 14:58.85

IbAmC 2000: 1 15:29.47

IbAmC 2004: 1 15:27.53

10000 m

EC 1990: DNF

WC 1993: 10 31:40.51

EC 1994: 1 31:08.75

WCp 1994: 2 31:04.25

WC 1995: 1 31:04.99

OG 1996: 1 31:01.63 3h2 31:36.32

WC 1997: 2 31:39.15 2h2 32:05.65

EC 1998: 2 31:32.42

WC 1999: - DNF

OG 2000: 3 30:22.88 3h1 32:06.43

EC 2002: DNF

WC 2003: DNF

OG 2004: DNF

ECp 2005: 2 32:03.22

ECp 2008: DNF

ECp 2009: 6 32:20.08

Cross Country 4.2 km

WC 2000: 10 13:17

Cross Country 4.5 km

EC 1994: 6 14:47

Cross Country 6.0 km

ECCC 2006: 12 20:10

Cross Country 6.2 km

WC 1994: 10 21:05

Cross Country 6.5 km

EC 2005: 22 20:38

Cross Country 5.6 km

EC 1998: 4 18:19

Cross Country 6.4 km

WC 1996: 6 20:23

Cross Country 8.2 km

EC 2007: 19 27:56

Indoor

1500 m

EC 1994: DNS

3000 m

EC 1994: 1 8:50.47

EC 1996: 1 8:39.49 1h2 8:58.08

WC 1997: 3 8:49.79

EC 1998: 2 8:51.42

Ribeiro's 10 000m:

1993 31:40.51 10 WC Stuttgart 21 Aug

1994 31:04.25 2 WCp London 10 Sep

1995 31:04.99 1 WC Göteborg 9 Aug

1996 31:01.63 1 OG Atlanta GA 2 Aug

1997 31:39.15 2 WC Athína 5 Aug

1998 30:48.06 1 Euro Chall Lisboa 4 Apr

2000 30:22.88 NR 3 OG Sydney 30 Sep

2002 31:40.80 2rA Euro Chall Camaiore 6 Apr

2003 31:13.42 1 Euro Chall Athína 12 Apr

2004 31:32.28 2 Norw Union Gateshead 27 Jun

2005 32:03.22 2 ECp Barakaldo 2 Apr

2008 32:07.54 1 NC Lisboa 28 Jun

2009 32:20.08 6 ECp Ribeira Brava 6 Jun

Forgot to mention: © Tilastopaja

Stick wrote:

John Walker was known as the world's most durable athlete. He was a world class miler from 1974 until 1990.

According to Track and Field News, the last year that Walker was world ranked in the top 10 in the 1,500 was 1984. His years of being world ranked in the top 10 span from 1974 to 1984, but with a few off years.

Liquori was world ranked in the top 10 (in the 1,500 or 5,000) from 1967 to 1978, but with a few off years.

Allow me to correct myself. John Walker was ranked number 10 in the world in 1986. So he beats Liquori. (Nice job, Stick!)

Skuj wrote:

How about old Johnny Walker? World class in 74, still world class in 89-90? 16-17yrs of sub4 miling?

I'm sure you must know that teetotaler Walker despises being called 'Johnny' because of the obvious alcoholic reference. Why the hate?

I agree with Admirer. Bill Rodgers ran respectable times into his 50's. I saw him run a 34:40 10K in Naples, Florida back in 2000 on a warm day. He was 52 at the time. Most people 20 yrs. younger would be happy with a 10K that fast.

aaaaaaaaaaaaplusplus wrote:

Doug Kurtis from Detroit an amazing streak of 76 sub 2:20 marathons. Not to mention 194 sub 3 hr marathons in his spare time!!

Here is the link to Doug's life list.

http://www.crowrunning.com/sub3/DougKurtis_LifetimeMarathons09.pdf

This guy had a super impressive (if not extremely questionable) marathon resume. In 1989, he ran 13 marathons, and all but one was sub 2:20 (that one was 2:20:15). The reason I say his marathoning is questionable- he made a havit of running 6-13 marathons EVERY YEAR for almost 20 years. With a lifetime best of 2:13, why would he run so damn many races? Far be it from me to judge a guy who ran faster in his third decade of marathoning than I ever have, but why not easy off the racing and try to pop a big one? He was running 2:16-2:18 every month or so for YEARS.

South Ga wrote:

I agree with Admirer. Bill Rodgers ran respectable times into his 50's. I saw him run a 34:40 10K in Naples, Florida back in 2000 on a warm day. He was 52 at the time. Most people 20 yrs. younger would be happy with a 10K that fast.

Then we're agreed. BR is the best example of high-end running longevity.

Hey Bruce, I loved reading about your training principles in Tim Noakes's book "The Lore of Running." The one that sticks in my head is that you do only a limited number of long runs. No more than one a week, as I recall, which some might view as being a bit on the light side for an ultramarathoner. You seem to be vigilant about overtraining.

You do realize that it's not really him. Don't you?

Guy named Dan Gray that coaches Notre Dame HS in Peoria IL has run sub 5:00 for the mile for 30 years (best was 4:15 indoors as a collegian.) Not a top dog, but very consistent. Did OK with a 2:24 marathon in 1998, too!

Steve Spence also has a sub 5 mile streak going since he was a teenager and now he is 47 and still at it. Here is a video of his latest mile run.

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/200076

Scott Weeks (Central NY'er) has nailed out a sub-2:00 800 every year for the past 20+ since he was 17 years old. Letsrun actually put out an article on him a year or two ago I believe. Also of note is that he has never run 2:00 or slower since he began breaking it all those years ago. For a non-elite regional level guy that is pretty impressive.

Kevin would have to run another 10 to 15 years at an "elite level" (i.e. and this is up for debate ... but I am thinking sub 13:30 5000m level and sub 4min mile) ... running again in world xc ...

There are many athletes who have achieved gold for decades ... let's be reasonable.