Fast PRs or Longevity? Pick One.

I will tell you what I think, but I know others disagree. I believe that running fast, with passion, is meant to happen when you are young. So that is what I chose. When I see middle aged guys racing as hard as they can, that is great, but to me do it when you are young. That is the time your body was meant to do it. Now jogging is fine when you are older, as it offers many benefits, but racing as if it meant everything should be done while young.

I would rather be able to train mostly injury free well past 50. It doesn’t look like that’s gonna happen for me, unfortunately. Even if I could have a nice 3:59 mile PR, I’m sure I’d get used to it and sort of adjust my standards watching 70+ college kids run sub-4 in 2-3 months. It wouldn’t give me continued motivation, satisfaction, or help me sleep at night like lifelong running can.

I disagree but obviously everyone is entitled to opinions. Staying competitive and passionate about a sport is completely fine into an older age. Otherwise, what? You'll just become a boring old guy who likes to travel, golf birdwatch and do a general doctor advised fitness routines. That's fine, if that's for you but you shouldn't look down on someone still out there giving it their all.

I agree that it's fine, but there is always the tradeoff of putting eggs into the racing basket at the expense of other life opportunities. Not going all-in on racing doesn’t have to mean you’re living the life of a boring birdwatcher. I know plenty of older guys who do stuff like climb mountains in South America, make Atlantic crossings, and search for lost shipwrecks. It’s kind of tough to get in double thresholds while you’re doing these things. As long as you're living life and having fun, all is good.

if you played at the age and level where people took it super serious you are often a nice cluster of orthopedic fun by mature adulthood. the path is then open for the folks from the HS and college stands (who didn't put on too much weight) to step in and be the ok masters athletes. they have the legs left. they won't be as good as we were but they can put adult funding and dedication behind their efforts.

the OP emphasizes like a willpower or lifestyle choice. nah, i am too beat to heck to do long runs. those of us who did it as kids have the wear and tear and orthopedic visit list to show for it. the noobs are just getting started on that.

personally i advise former college athletes to either switch events or switch sports when they are done as little one does in the same manner as before can match what they have already experienced. it's a xerox of a xerox. if you think about what you're doing you can pick sports that are easier on the body parts you have messed up.

Longevity the need for speed goes away and you will realize there are other enjoyments in life.

I ran really fast in college, looking back I wish I would have risked it even MORE during my last year or two especially on the track side. We always had a good team and the thought was don’t risk injury and let the squad down.

Once you are at that level there are not a lot of ways to improve post college especially if you aren’t going pro (I needed money so started full time work right away).

So I say be realistic in college, realize that you probably aren’t going to make a living running and really go for it and risk burn out for a few more seconds.

As they said in Friday night lights, it’s just memories and babies afterwards

i respect the notion of lifelong soccer or runner but only so many athletes come through the washing machine of serious sports in the right physical condition to just keep rolling forever. to me it's usually a particular body type who if they played a contact sport were not the ones who got "stuck in." often enough you've picked up an ankle that gets tendonitis if you pound too much, or worse, where you have to manage workload. or you may just flat hurt every time you try. and to me having to be attentive to biofeedback that way is a distraction from this pure affection you're talking about.

I was never fast, but have really toned down the mileage the past year to focus on lifting / middle distance racing more. I run maybe half as much as I did, but I'm enjoying the process much more.

Hoping it lets me keep lacing up as an old man for years to come.

Is it possible to do both? I ran really fast in college and, especially, right after. But I was never going to be a sub-13:30, sub-28:00, sub-2:09 marathon guy.

I got the most out of my body, went through one Olympic trials cycle, and that was it. Throttled down, pursued other interests like lifting, climbing, cycling, etc. Traveling and career.

Came back to running but not nearly the volume or intensity I did as a youngster. There are many, formerly really good college runners who can still take scalps at local road races at age 50 off 30-40 mpw. That’s good enough for me.

Life is too short to be running 110-120 mpw during all of youth, unless running is literally your job. I think it far wiser to pursue one Olympic cycle and then move on with life, be it age 23 or 25. Again, one can still be competitive later in life off 30-40 mpw, as long as there’s still “tread on the tires.”

But, yeah, if the plan is to be elite in college then to only never run again and turn into a slovenly middle-aged dude, I’d take the latter scenario all day long w the longevity and enjoyment.

That’s like saying a long, successful career of playing softball, is better than having played MLB for a few years.

I don’t quite get this thread as doing both competitive running during school,and continuing afterwards, is an option for most people.

I agree with Milethon. Vecec, how old are you?

I'm 64. When I was 25 I never thought I'd still be racing (MUCH slower) at this point in my life.

I race and train with a little less passion but I still love them both.

As far as the OP- I would pick a longer career.

The "43 break 4 at BU" thread has me leaning towards the longevity option lol. I never even got within 10 seconds of breaking 4 in the goddamn 1500 much less the full 1609. Nobody cares about my times. Nobody cares about where I went to college either. All I have is my personal affection for the sport, which I do still enjoy both as exercise and the familiar feeling of running hard. It is one of the few connections I can feel to a less complicated time in my life.

I've noticed that there are people at my local races winning age group awards who never won anything like that in their youth. The late starters or the ones who kind of ran in high school and now can snag an ag place as a 40+

I'm ok with running slow, sometimes I get competitive but I find that I enjoy the hanging out after the race more.

It's like going out in reverse- it's the morning and we're paying for a t-shirt and race instead of alcohol and we hang out and talk.

I agree with this. If I had my way, I’d have both the fast PRs and the longevity like Lagat, Bekele, Geb, and Kipchoge.

If I could only choose one for whatever reason, then I think my answer depends on how fast we’re talking about. If it’s fast enough to win Olympic gold and break a world record, then I would take that option and then pursue other fitness activities that would offer comparable benefits to running such as hiking and cycling.

Heck, even if it was just fast enough to go to the Olympics but not medal, I would take that option because competing in the Olympics would be so memorable. But if we’re only talking about being fast enough to be a college conference placer, give me the longevity.

Longevity requires staying active, eating right, and keeping your weight under control. If you can exercise nearly daily and do those other things for the sake of it, that is great. But there is nothing like the prospect of a time goal in an April Boston marathon (or qualifier) to kept you going in cold winter regardless of baririers. And envisioning a personal best in a long off race is even better in that regard.

But in the final minutes of a race, probably better to take your foot a bit off the gas and sacrifice some time rather than push heart beyond normal limits and increase risk of a cholesterol plaque rupture. Speaking from experience. But I don't know I'd trade the 14s BQ for the stents...

I was in a very similar boat. I am happy for and appreciative of all the people that enjoy the sport for the purity and hobby aspect, but it is very difficult for me to approach the sport differently than I once did. Going from 13:25, sub 4, NCAA nationals, etc. to trying to disengage from that mindset and just enjoy running or training for some road race is near impossible.

I think that is to say, I will take the PRs and those days in college over the longevity, by choice in my case. I still do plenty of endurance activities and run with my partner on occasion when she asks for company, but returning to any serious training will never be in the cards for me by choice. The sheer time and allocation of resources required to be competitive at a high level aren't worth it to me with any life balance and generic road racing I find annoying and unfulfilling. Probably will rub people the wrong way, but I'd describe it as being behind the curtain of what high level running/training is and then trying to go back to what you view as hobby jogging.

I'm all for pursuing the very best PRs you can, and then eventually shift to a longevity, easier on the body mindset and training schedule.

But to answer the question; longevity is great. A handful of years in high school and then college fly by. Life after that is long.

I'm 51 years old. Take it from me, being able to pull on the shoes and go run 13 miles any day, on a whim, is terrifically empowering.

I would think nobody has a choice really. If you are really good and can handle high mileage you will go for that. Slower runners who can't handle high mileage, like me can keep running.

I liked my long running career but at least for me it was not a choice, it just happened that way.