At age 31, I just started running. Do I hold the potential to become a pro?

I'd bet money that you wouldn't get to that level, but you could get pretty good. Your current half on the mileage you've been doing is very good, but not astounding. If you DID get down to a 65 min half, you are still a long ways off of elite - slower than the women's WR.

Can you drop 11-12 mins off your half and 5 mins off your 10k? It gets harder by the second as the time gets faster, as well as diminishing returns from training and what not.

that said, give it a shot, you seem to be fired up, so see how fast you can go.

Hi, sorry to disappoint you but you can't become a pro.

Even if you are quite new to running, 130km per week is already a lot and a guy with potential to be pro would already easily be sub 30'.

Maybe you can reach 65' HM but it will be hard, it is already a very good level. It is easy to improve at the beginning but it becomes harder and harder after. Try sub 1h10 first.

If you have done 33 and 1h13 alone (I guess there was no real race) you are already in sub33 shape and ~1h12

I would agree with Impala31 that you should aim for sub 1h10 first. Focus on the process. Make improvements one step at a time. There is a certain commitment and sacrifice needed to reach each new level of your potential. Nobody knows the future. It is too much to make the sacrifices required to reach pro level when you are still running 1h13.

Also, I think the other posters are wrong to suggest that you probably wont make it just because you only ran 1h13 on 130k. Adaptations take time. I think its great that your body can handle the millage.

Thanks guys for the early feedback.

130 km a week is indeed pretty new to me. My average "mileage" was about 80/90 km per week until June, before I started to increase it to reach 130 in July.

Let's see what the future holds ;) I'll give it a shot anyway!

Somebody like Lomong would run 28:30 on 60k per week. Your potential is about 32 minutes.

flampis wrote:

Thanks guys for the early feedback.

130 km a week is indeed pretty new to me. My average "mileage" was about 80/90 km per week until June, before I started to increase it to reach 130 in July.

Let's see what the future holds ;) I'll give it a shot anyway!

Well.....don`t listen to the no-sayers! :) The fact is no one can tell out from the info you gave .

But what I can say is that it`s absolutely not a question about how many miles you run per week.

If I had been the coach I take it from another direction and emphasize on the 2-3 quality workouts per week you have to do and just back it up with enough easy runs. Do you know how fast you are at 60 -100-200-400m?

- The Magic Pro has spoken -

Okay, here are a few things I can tell from this post:

- OP, you are certainly a talented runner. I definitely think you had the potential to be a pro if you'd started running at a young age.

- However, I'm just not convinced there is anyone on the planet who could take up running at the age of 31 and still make it professionally! It's simply too old! A more realistic goal would be to break age group records in the future. Since many runners burn themsevles out by the time they reach age 40, you'll have a huge advantage over most of your competitors.

- Don't listen to the others. I certainly have never met anyone who could run 73 for the half after just a couple of months, that's definitely something special.

- However, you can certainly get a lot faster! Who knows what sort of times will be achievable in the next 6 or 7 years?

So.....you played pro handboll! Then I guess you are German, Spanish, Swedish, Danish,Polish or Norwegian ....or maybe some eastern Europe country?I mean I haven`t seen an American or UK pro handball player?

Well.....you are of course wrong. There are many exmples of pro runners that took up running late . It`s just a question about if the necessary talent is there and if the runner know how to best reach maximum capacity. Needs a pro coach, and only one of the best! :)

If was you I would be setting my lifetime goals at sub 30:30/sub 2:20/sub 1:08 or something like that. No, I don't think making a meaningful living running is in the cards for you at this point but you could be very good.

Jan Stensson , Coach JS wrote:

Well.....you are of course wrong. There are many exmples of pro runners that took up running late . It`s just a question about if the necessary talent is there and if the runner know how to best reach maximum capacity. Needs a pro coach, and only one of the best! :)

Give me one example of a pro runner who took up running at 31 years of age. And by pro, we're referring to a "self-sustaining" profession, as the OP inquired about. And don't give me someone from the 1960s -- I'm talking about during the modern professional era.

Look, you are a super talented athlete, but the simple answer is no: You will not be able to make it as a pro. But you could have an incredible amateur career, and if you keep it up for another decade, you could probably be a top masters runner. Best of luck and keep us posted on your progression.

So many negative feedbacks . This is the underlying problem . A big attitude problem . Such negativity will never let a person attain world class level in any sport .

OP you have the talent . 1 year is early to show potential. Maybe 2-3 years of serious training will give you a glimpse on your real potential.

Not just running mileage but Pay a lot of attention to form , knee drive, arm swing and everything else that you can think of to make yourself a faster efficient runner . Good Luck

Jan Stensson , Coach JS wrote:

Well.....you are of course wrong. There are many exmples of pro runners that took up running late . It`s just a question about if the necessary talent is there and if the runner know how to best reach maximum capacity. Needs a pro coach, and only one of the best! :)

So, you'r out of the question!

Jan Stensson , Coach JS wrote:

So.....you played pro handboll! Then I guess you are German, Spanish, Swedish, Danish,Polish or Norwegian ....or maybe some eastern Europe country?I mean I haven`t seen an American or UK pro handball player?

I'm actually French ;)

Raysism wrote:

Give me one example of a pro runner who took up running at 31 years of age. And by pro, we're referring to a "self-sustaining" profession, as the OP inquired about. And don't give me someone from the 1960s -- I'm talking about during the modern professional era.

Sinéad Diver

Jan Stensson , Coach JS wrote:

Well.....don`t listen to the no-sayers! :) The fact is no one can tell out from the info you gave .

But what I can say is that it`s absolutely not a question about how many miles you run per week.

If I had been the coach I take it from another direction and emphasize on the 2-3 quality workouts per week you have to do and just back it up with enough easy runs. Do you know how fast you are at 60 -100-200-400m?

- The Magic Pro has spoken -

Thanks, man!

I currently do:

- one HIIT session: 4*3km at 3:20 to 3:10 min/km (5:20 to 5:05 m/m)

- one tempo: usually on the treadmill, at 3:25 min/km for 25 to 30 mins. (5:30 m/m)

- one long run: did my first 25km at 4 min/km pace last WE (6:25 m/m), but were used to doing 20km at the same pace until then.

The rest is made of easy runs, with the fastest pace at 5:00 min/km (8:00 m/m)

flampis wrote:

Hi guys,

Here is a bit of background.

Although, I never was a runner, I played handball at professional level for 2 years, 12 years ago. I only occasionally spent time at the gym after that, mainly lifting weight and trying to stay fit.

I ran my first HM 9 months ago without any cardio training. I ran in 1:29:30.

This led me enjoy running. I therefore started to train more regularly to get to a volume of 130km a week in July this year.

A month ago, I ran a 10k in 33:20.

Yesterday, I ran a second HM in 1:13:55.

Would like to have your opinion on whether or not, if I dedicate the right time/nutrition to it, I could get to 65mins HM level, say within the next 2 years, and whether or not, this could eventually lead me to a pro level? Like self-supporting level.

Cheers!

Your 10K and half-marathon times are equivalent performances which indicates you have already achieved a high level of fitness. It also indicates you don't have good top-end speed. What are your PRs for shorter distances such as 400, 800 and mile? To run 1:05, you need to be at least sub-4:20 for the mile.

SDSU Aztec wrote:

Your 10K and half-marathon times are equivalent performances which indicates you have already achieved a high level of fitness. It also indicates you don't have good top-end speed. What are your PRs for shorter distances such as 400, 800 and mile? To run 1:05, you need to be at least sub-4:20 for the mile.

Never tried any of these distances, I couldn't tell at the moment, but I'll definitely try!

Internetsherlock wrote:

So many negative feedbacks . This is the underlying problem . A big attitude problem . Such negativity will never let a person attain world class level in any sport .

OP you have the talent . 1 year is early to show potential. Maybe 2-3 years of serious training will give you a glimpse on your real potential.

Not just running mileage but Pay a lot of attention to form , knee drive, arm swing and everything else that you can think of to make yourself a faster efficient runner . Good Luck

Thanks, man, appreciate the good spirit!

If this can help assess my case, I also hold a power meter with a Critical Power at 5.2 Watt/kg.

I'm currently 78kg (for 184cm), and although my BF is already pretty, I could probably shave off 4kg of muscle mass from the upper body.