What is the longist you've taken off?

Depends on how you define success but I pretty much didn't run a step from the summer of 1985 to spring 2004. I've built up to about 45 miles a week in the last year and a half and I recently ran a 17:52 5K. Just turned 41.

I guess my definition would be how does your 17:52 5k time (for example) compare to your time prior to the hiatus?

I ran low 15s on the on the track 5 years ago, I want to get back there.

It also depends on how you define "longist".

I tended to run in the mid 15's and low 32's for 5K/10K back then.

10 years off from real training between 20 and 30, just did random easy runs , nothing long. got back into it and pr'd all over the place (they say having kids helps with that, don't know if thats an option for you)

longest

took 12 years off. not really sure what my times were in h.s. probably a 17 min. 5k guy but after 9th grade, I was more interested in partying than running.

Started running again around age 30. 6-7 years later I'm a high 15 minute 5K runner and still improving.

yeah, I got injured when my car rolled over on me, (I was drunk as hell). I got a few injuries and havent managed to come back yet. that was 30 some years ago.

I'm taking off 4 weeks now...Just to regroup and win next year.

Only four weeks? You should try 4 years, it makes things slightly more interesting. And by interesting, I mean painful.

I once had a tailwind and used up 10,000 ft.

2 yrs, i hope to come back strong this indoor season

Took off 20 years! Been back 2 years and am 44 years old.

First year back I was off a month / on a month, with dozens of injuries. Extremely frustrating! Past 7 months have been able to consistently train, even though I still have daily aches & pains.

So far I have run 3 sub 16 min 5Ks with the best being 15:46. Also ran a 4:17 1500 meter. (ran a 9:02 2mile in H.S.)

YES....you can come back, but be prepared to battle the injuries. I now appreciate running like never before. I used to take it for granted. Not any more!

I took 2 years off completely after i graduated (was a 17min 5k, 27min 8k runner). I started back up in August this past summer and ran 17:10 about 4 weeks ago. It comes back a lot faster than it took to get it. I'm about 60 mpw now and gettin ready for Kiawah 1/2 where I'll hopefully be around 1:15-16.

My story is pretty similar to old school. Ran 15 high and mid 33's in high school. Didn't run for 18 years. (hurt in college) Within a year and a half back running at 39, I was down to high 16's and low 35's. The first few months, I had a lot of injuries and always had aches and pains. Once my legs got stronger, they went away. Unfortunatley, just as I was ready to make another breakthrough, I had an accident at work 2 days after my 40th birthday and haven't run in almost a year.

The thing to remember is that it might have taken 3 or 4 years to run fast the first time around. It will take a similar time to run your best this time around too.

and that is supposed to be funny...

.prefontaine wrote:

yeah, I got injured when my car rolled over on me, (I was drunk as hell). I got a few injuries and havent managed to come back yet. that was 30 some years ago.

I took 19 years away from racing and training; nothing but 3 or 4 half hour runs a week. Three years ago, at 44, started a comeback. PRs "back then" were 17:27 / 28:00 (5mi) / 35:49 (10K) / 1:20:30 (1/2) / 2:53 (thon). Basically I was running at 75% of AG.

First 10K back was 47:10. Ouch. Two years later I had it down to 41:09, or about 70% of AG. Same w/other "old" PBs.

Injuries were never a problem and now they are: tibial stress fracture, sore (sometimes very sore) hamstrings, piriformis. Much as I'd like to, I simply can't train as hard as I used to and would still like to--i.e., can't hammer the hills and long runs.

Funny thing is, when I'm drifting off to sleep at night, I can still remember what it felt like to run 6:37 pace for 26 miles. I just can't do it for much more than 3 or 4 miles these days.

I still believe that anything is possible with us old guys, though. I'm still figuring the whole old-guy training thing out.