It'a never too late if youre male and wish to compete as a female.
It'a never too late if youre male and wish to compete as a female.
Knew a guy wo started running as a 20 year old. 5 years later and he's running 3.40 low and 8.25 steeple. Of course, he is using the double treshold/ingebrigtsen method which you as an American is culturally allergic to and so are unlikely to see these results.
Sour Cream wrote:
The previous LRC posters are all useless and trying to sugar coat. I'm going to give you the real truth. You say you have a competitive swimming background and are 19 years old and have been working out at the gym, meaning you already had several years of intense aerobic training. Yet, despite all that sports background you could only run a 10k in 55min and 5k in 26:30. I'm sorry, but you are firmly a hobby jogger.
You don't have natural elite running talent and never will (short of taking PEDs, which is a possibility). I could casually run a 10k in 45 min off of no running for years just doing other sports and I'm far from having any running talent.
cecevans wrote:
With those times, there is no chance you will ever be elite. However, that doesn't mean you can't be quite good, and you will likely improve a lot in a short period of time.
British Guy wrote:
To be completely honest with you OP, you are already a fit and healthy sportsperson, and yet you only managed a 26:30 5k. If anything this is a below average time for someone like you.
For example, I have a brother who had never done any sport before. He had a little bit of fitness as our parents took him on long walks now and again. He ran a 22:30 5K at age 15 off 0 training. That is far far more impressive than you, and that's still not particularly fast.
To put it bluntly, you just don't have the genetic talent.
Jo72 wrote:
Yes, these times are very slow for a fit 19 yo male, even if it was just jogging. I ran this before any training at 12-13 and after less than a year of moderate training I was at 21-22 5k and 11:30 3k at 13 yo.
Talented teenaged males will run sub 20 min 5k without systematic training
Either running mechanics is very bad or you didn't really try.
All these people are wrong. You might not have running talent, but running 55min 10K on no running training doesn't show that. I ran my first 10Ks in 58, 56, and 54 minutes on no running training (at ages 13, 14, and 15 respectively). I was a pretty decent cyclist for my age with a very good cardio system, but that didn't translate to running until I actually started running and getting the running muscles trained. I didn't reach my potential in running (training I got in the 2 years of high school running wasn't great, and I was on my own winging it afterwards) but was at some point cruising 6-mile tempo runs at 4:50s pace on my own (in trainers/3 decades before supershoes) and had reason to believe my ultimate potential was at least in the 28s for 10,000m.
All these people are wrong. You might not have running talent, but running 55min 10K on no running training doesn't show that. I ran my first 10Ks in 58, 56, and 54 minutes on no running training (at ages 13, 14, and 15 respectively). I was a pretty decent cyclist for my age with a very good cardio system, but that didn't translate to running until I actually started running and getting the running muscles trained. I didn't reach my potential in running (training I got in the 2 years of high school running wasn't great, and I was on my own winging it afterwards) but was at some point cruising 6-mile tempo runs at 4:50s pace on my own (in trainers/3 decades before supershoes) and had reason to believe my ultimate potential was at least in the 28s for 10,000m.
Agree with this. Having the cardio development won't help too much if you've only done swimming. Most of the people who run fast times with no structured running training have been involved in sports that involve running, like soccer. You first need to develop the coordination and strength to run properly.
But very poor running after years of high intensity cardio sport still shows that running might not be the greatest option, doesn't it?
After all, the mechanics of running is far easier than swimming or many other sports, so if one is fit but runs about as poorly as someone who hardly did any sports at all, this seems a clear indicators thar running coordination or mechanics are uncommonly poor. With average running skill and swimming background one would still expect above average results for a 5k.
Nah, I disagree.
The mechanics of running come more naturally than swimming but you still need to develop them over a number of years. Swimming is a non-weight bearing activity so it would provide virtually no strength or coordination benefit. Chances are he will not have the genetics to be elite but I don't think you can tell yet.
Meant to also add that the body shape of most swimmers would be detrimental to running.
Temp Oh wrote:
Meant to also add that the body shape of most swimmers would be detrimental to running.
This doesn't really contradict but rather supports what I wrote, doesn't it?
In any case, I don't think one needs great running form to run 25 min 5k. There are lots of hobby triathletes with poor running form but they are faster than that.
Not that 25 5k by a 19 yo fit male would be any talent indicator. But there is no need to go through this once again. If the OP really has a background as an ambitious swimmer he should know a bit about training and about options in other sports and will figure this out himself.
I know someone who started sprinting at 21 and made the Olympics for his country in a couple years, running 45 or 46. But that’s obviously rare. Just have fun. I started taking running seriously after high school and went from 5:38 in the mile in high school to 4:24
Priscilla Welch: pack a day smoker until age 35. Stopped smoking and started running. Three years later she was 6th in the Olympic marathon.
Alright thanks for all the replies.
It’s been really interesting to read your debates about my physical capabilities and I feel like giving you a short update might add some spice:
I once again did a 5k and a 10k.
5k took me 25:16 and 10k 53:52.
That’s quite a great development with very little training. Though at least in swimming this is quite normal when you start (I guess it’s similar in running?). I think what I did better this time was not to start with a 3:50 average on my first kilometer at the 5k. That literally killed me at 2km.
Honestly I’ve never been a great runner since I used to have flatfoots. But it’s great to see some progress.
Additionally as I already mentioned I’m currently reaaally out of shape (and I’m still a college student so you might figure that I didn’t lead the healthiest live style in 20/21.
Now I want to change things but due to my background I’m a very competitive person. So I guess it was only natural for me to want to know how far I might be able to get.
And talking about genetics:
My father told me that he did a 38 on 10k at the military. He was 23 at that age.
Now I surely have a goal ;)
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