What weight range should a distance oriented 1500 runner fall in if he wants to be in peak shape? BMI? I know this is a hard question to answer as everyone is different, but I'm just curious.
There're guys like Alex Kipchirchir, Daniel K. Komen, and El G who all are quite skinny, but then there are guys like Rashid Ramzi, Alan Webb, Nick Symmonds, etc. It seems like the skinnier guys typically do better than the muscular guys, but Ramzi was a double World Champion in 05.
Opinions?
One hundred and fifty-six pounds
The top guys are going to range from the high 130's to low 150's. You want around 3% body fat. Ramzi is not nearly as muscular as Webb or Symmonds. A distance oriented 1500 guy would want to be somewhere around 145 at 5'11". However the key is not body weight, it's training. With the right training and diet, your body weight will take care of itself.
3% is too low, at least for most of the year. Your internal organs need at least 2-4% for cushioning. Essential fat also plays a role in a healthy immune system. Go too low when training hard and you risk getting sick more often due to a compromised immune system. Most top endurance athletes are in the 5-8% range.
Get your body fat measured at school or a gym. It won't be exact but it will give you an idea where you are.
Well if you were elite, you'd already know, wouldn't you?
150 lbs
You pretty much answered your own question by citing the examples of people with fairly different body types. Webb couldn't get Kipchirchir's body type if he tried, and he'd get way slower if he did. The same would be true if Kipchirchir packed on 20 pounds, even if it was pure muscle.
It all depends on body type -- and there's a lot more range in 1500 guys (even distance-oriented ones) than there is in, say 10,000-meter runners. Generally, those guys are pretty skinny.
If you're worried about yourself, don't be. At least, don't think in terms of losing weight -- think in terms of eating healthily. If you're eating a good mix of fruits, vegetable, grains, proteins and so on, then eat as much as you want, and train hard.