I'm 5'11' and 152 lbs. I'm not totally swoll, but can hold my own against virtually all the regular xc flyweights. I'm done growing. Injuries aren't an issue. No eating disorder.
Still, compared to most outside of distance running, I'm thin and think I may look better at 160-165. Could this negatively affect my running performance?
I'm not saying I'm wanting to go Full Ryan Hall, but could he have gained less (like ~10 lbs) and still run sub60?
If having more muscle mass in your lower legs allows you to be more robust and run more mileage it may be beneficial. Muscle mass in the chest, shoulders, arms, and upper back is mostly dead weight for distance runners.
it is doubtful that adding more weight to a 5'11, 152 frame is going to be beneficial for distance running.
At my current point in life, I prioritize having a more well rounded physique over running my absolute best times. Are you at that point?
I am 6'0 and my weight hovers around 150 - 155 lbs.
I acknowledge I have body image issues and think I am 'chubby'. I restrict food at times only to eat a full bag of gummy bears later in the evening...
I ran my worst at 143 lbs ( people at work got concerned for my overall health). These days I hover in the 150 lbs-155 lbs and I run better. I might even run the same at 160lbs. But I am not willing to add that extra weight yet...
do what feels good and do not starve yourself. I didn't realized for many years I had a bit of an eating disorder but working on it now, eating more, less restrictions. 30 yo male for context who runs in the high 15min range for 5k.
More runners should consider adding weight. Look at Touhy. It’s not hurting her. It probably wouldn’t hurt you either. Experiment with it.
Whenever you feel happy and healthiest is when it's good. You're not going to be making a living off of distance running, so add weight where you see fit to feel fit.
Focus on how you feel.
Is your stomach growling all the time? ----> you need to eat.
I'm 6' tall and I ran best at 172 lbs as a college distance runner. I tried lighter and did not get any faster. Some people built like this, some people built like that. But with the way I'm built, don't you call me ...