Ideal weight for runner

Actually, I’d argue that you’re just fine where you are. If your coach is telling you to cut down from 135-137 at 5’9, he should probably lose his job.

That bodyweight is perfectly fine. I advise girls to be careful about losing too much weight. Salazar tried to get Mary Cain to cut down to 114 and she ended up not getting her period for 3 years.

If you want, you can cut a little bit and see how you feel. If you feel worse, it's ok to go back up to your current weight.

Just judge by your performance and let your weight end up being whatever it will be. Obviously eat healthy, but make sure you eat enough. If you are training more or less you may lose or gain weight, respectively.

If you end up running faster because you trained more and lost weight, I would bet that the important part was the training and not the weight loss. If you lose weight, but you don't get faster, then the weight loss obviously wasn't helpful. Just run and see what happens.

At your height and weight, you could lose a little weight or gain a little weight and still be a good healthy runner.

It’s not wrestling. Running doesn’t have weight classes.

CArunnerr wrote:

I’m a HS sophomore runner who is currently five-nine and I normally am leveling out weight wise on average around 135-137 pounds. (Finished with my growth spurt) However, my coach has advised I “tighten down” for the track season, and I’m struggling to determine what weight I should shoot for-I also lift a lot so I don’t know if that plays much into how I should cut.

I’m fairly skin and bones for my upper half, but I feel like I have particularly large thighs compared to other distance girls. Is this something to do with my lifting or a diet thing I should watch?

Any advice would help! Thank you!

You keep doing what your doing, and don't listen to that coach, you can't lose weight from your thighs. If your skin and bones on upper body you shouldn't be looking to shed more weight.

Statgeek wrote:

Actually, I’d argue that you’re just fine where you are. If your coach is telling you to cut down from 135-137 at 5’9, he should probably lose his job.

This. Your coach should be fired.

Definitely coach should be fired.

Telling a h.s. soph to lose weight?!

Please tell your parents and tell them to call your school’s athletic director and share the coach’s words.

I wouldn’t listen to your coach in this one.

Great athletes are built through consistent years of training and you will be able to stay a lot healthier if you are eating well and getting enough calories to help your muscles repair and fuel your training.

Train hard and smart and eat good food for the most part and don’t worry about losing weight. Everybody’s body type is different so don’t compare yourself to others in that way, only in the times you run.

my 2c wrote:

Statgeek wrote:

Actually, I’d argue that you’re just fine where you are. If your coach is telling you to cut down from 135-137 at 5’9, he should probably lose his job.

This. Your coach should be fired.

Definitely, this coach has no idea the damage this can do. A coach told me in high school I could make the state meet if I lost 5 pounds. so I did and then became anorexic and ruined my running career through stress fractures. DONT LOSE THE WEIGHT!!! strong is faster than skinnier

For most distance runners a BMI of 18.5 to 19.0 would be ideal. 20.0 would be a little bit heavy for most distance runners but not all. There are many Japanese female distance runners who are under 18.5 BMI and they are really pushing the envelope and possibly endangering their overall health long-term. They are the opposite of sumo wrestlers.

Example 6ft/ 140; Gives a BMI of 19 which is pretty good. A former star like Paul Tergat, at his best was 6 feet tall and around 128 pounds so his BMI was on the underweight side.

Tergat, 6ft/128 = 17.4 BMI.

The irony is that since retiring this runner has increased his weight up to around 221 pounds/100kg, so he is now overweight or even technically obese. It’s happened to many Kenyan former stars.

A more rotund Paul Tergat. post career

Former ectomorph becomes more endomorphic. Paul Tergat, all time great.

Tergat in full flight during his lighter days, late 90s.

https://images.app.goo.gl/gNGc5XgJF4XnrqGD9

Similar physique Alan Culpepper, 6.1/130. Former 10,000/marathon star.

I don't advise cutting weight. I thought that it would help me too but I cut too much and went from being 5'10 155 ish to 140. This drop completely killed my performances and I went from being able to break 17 for a 5k to not being able to break 18. Trust me, everyone is a different build. If you think that your upper body is weak, then try to lift weights and gain some muscle. If you put on some weight it is probably muscle and will help you more.

CArunnerr wrote:

I’m a HS sophomore runner who is currently five-nine and I normally am leveling out weight wise on average around 135-137 pounds. (Finished with my growth spurt) However, my coach has advised I “tighten down” for the track season, and I’m struggling to determine what weight I should shoot for-I also lift a lot so I don’t know if that plays much into how I should cut.

I’m fairly skin and bones for my upper half, but I feel like I have particularly large thighs compared to other distance girls. Is this something to do with my lifting or a diet thing I should watch?

Any advice would help! Thank you!

I wouldn't sweat it really.

In regards to lifting a lot of weights, is it mostly upper body, lower body or both?

Yes, it would probably be better if you were right around 130. I wouldn't go crazy over trying to diet to get there though. A gradual increase of mileage and maybe cutting out desserts might be just enough to do it naturally. If it happens, great. If it doesn't, don't worry about it.

Paul Tergat (June, 1969)

3000 Metres 7:28.70 Monaco (MON) 10 AUG 1996 1247

5000 Metres 12:49.87 Zürich (SUI) 13 AUG 1997 1247

10,000 Metres 26:27.85 Bruxelles (BEL) 22 AUG 1997 NR 1278

8 Kilometres 22:22 Balmoral (GBR) 24 APR 1999 0

10 Kilometres 28:04 Punta del Este (URU) 05 JAN 1998 1135

15 Kilometres 42:12 La Courneuve (FRA) 29 MAY 1994 1179

10 Miles Road 45:50 Zaandam (NED) 17 SEP 1995 1157

20 Kilometres 56:18 Milano (ITA) 04 APR 1998 1212

Half Marathon 59:17 Milano (ITA) 04 APR 1998 1223

Half Marathon 59:06 * Lisboa (POR) 26 MAR 2000 1212

Marathon 2:04:55 Berlin (GER) 28 SEP 2003 1254