What do you think you could have run

[quote]jeez wrote:

In running, NO ONE CARES what you may have run. The reality is there are many runners with potential and talent that for one reason or another did not run as fast as they could have.

quote]

I take your point, but I actually do care what people think they may have run. It is interesting to see that most people think they still had more improvement to come. It would be even more interesting to find out how people cope with not maximising their potential.

IHSAA 2005 wrote:

I ran a 9:08 3200 my senior year,

I think I could have run faster if I didn't miscount laps and stop one lap early...

yeah, I'm an idiot.

Tim Sirbek?

My lifetime PR's

400 m 56.0

800 m (880 yd.) 2:05

1500 m 4:18 (one mile in 4:41?).

3000 m 9:05

5000 m 15:45

10000 m 32:44

8 km (road) 26:15

9.5 km (road) 30:34

8 miles (road) 42:32?

10 miles (road) 54:16

1/2 marathon *1:14:45

13.5 miles (round a big lake) 1:15:53, *1/2 mar. split would have been faster.

1 hr run on track 11 miles 39 yd.

20 miles 1:54:01 (15 miles split PR in 1:24:03)

Marathon 2:37:47

Always felt I could have been closer to 2 1/2 hours for the marathon or under it. All PR's were of course 25 - 28 yr. ago.

Used to average 55 - 65 mpw run at generally 6 min. - 6:30 min per mile pace. Spurts up to 90 - 95 mpw prior to a maarthon. Probably just not enough consistent 80 - 10 mpw's & certainly not enough 22 milers as my long run.

Used to go into races hanging on to the leaders no matter if they were 31 plus 10 km types, went for broke in Boston 1981 held a 2:29 pace until the Heartbreak Hill, then the wheels 'fell off' just after passing where Bill Rogers old store was ...like 30 min for the last 2 1/2 miles! Was 2:46 for that day.

went for broke in Boston 1981 held a 2:29 pace until the Heartbreak Hill, then the wheels 'fell off' just after passing where Bill Rogers old store was ...like 30 min for the last 2 1/2 miles! Was 2:46 for that day.[/quote]

sounds familiar: I was shooting for sub 2:20 in 1984 Boston. The downhill pounding, pounded my quads into submission. After passing the 1/2 way mark (mostly downhill), in 1:09, I was reduced to walking, shuffling and jogging the last 6 miles or so and finally finished in 2:47; my worst marathon that I finished.

me too... wrote:

went for broke in Boston 1981 held a 2:29 pace until the Heartbreak Hill, then the wheels 'fell off' just after passing where Bill Rogers old store was ...like 30 min for the last 2 1/2 miles! Was 2:46 for that day.

sounds familiar: I was shooting for sub 2:20 in 1984 Boston. The downhill pounding, pounded my quads into submission. After passing the 1/2 way mark (mostly downhill), in 1:09, I was reduced to walking, shuffling and jogging the last 6 miles or so and finally finished in 2:47; my worst marathon that I finished.[/quote]

1st guy in '81 had a nice tail wind and mild temps

2nd guy in '84 had the headwind and cold rain

Most runners have some limits they feel they hit and some they didn't for whatever reason. Whats interesting is whether you (the runner) care in the long term. Example: I ran 3 marathons in my life (last one in '83) and decided no more. Why? All were good runs of about 2:26 off about 70MPW. I think I might have had the talent/potential to run maybe 2:21-2:22 if I had gone nuts with the mileage, but I thought, why bother? Now, if I was a sub 2:15 guy I would have given it a go, but I never liked big miles for the sake of it. I look back with as much satisfaction at 2:26 as I would have with 2:21. Saved myself the effort!

51

1.51

3.38

7.49

13.20

27.30

61-62

2.10

I got injured when I was 19 and didn't run again until I was 37. I did enjoy beating some guys my age when I was 39 who ran sub 31 10k in their prime. My best was a 33:25 in high school. Unfortunately, I had an accident at work and haven't run again for the last 3 years. My hope now is I can get healthy and in shape by the time I hit 50.

Distance: Actual - Might've if I had the do-over)

Mile: 4:09 - 4:03 (I wouldn't have trained for the mile but my improvement in the longer events would've depended on (or resulted in) a faster mile PR.

3K: 8:06 - 7:50's

5K: 13:54 - 13:29 (if I were in the right race, right time

10K: 29:13 - 28:29 (if I were in the right race,right time)

5K in the 14's. That was one of my lifetime running goals.

I never came close. The reason being that I focused on middle-distance during the warm months and then promptly lost interest and started dicking around as soon as the clouds rolled in. I never hit much more than 50 in a week any point, and most of the year I was doing 30-40 while hitting the track 2-3 times a week and lifting weights.

I had always aspired to be faster at longer distance but I was just too distracted to take my running to that level. It hurts now because I know I could have done it. I know I could have been one of those respectable figures at local road races, and made a cherished hobby out of traveling around my little part of the world running races. But now all I have to say for my running career is that I hit some decent high school times on the track.

During college I had way too many injuries/illnesses...It happens and I learned from them and for the most part they were all freak and not over use.

Actual- I believe

400: 50.2- 49.9 (just because)

800: 1:54.4- 1:52.8 (I was doing 3k training then)

mile: 4:12- 4:04 (My 4:12 was off of strength/3k/5k workouts

3k- 8:33- 8:12

5k- 15:01- 14:18 (I ran 15:01/02 6 times...) I never broke through and never had the opportunities to be in fast races

31:20- 29:45- I never ran a 10k on the track...this was on a typical legit 10k course, certified.

Joined the Air Force, didnt train for two years within 8 months of training ran 1:54 in the 8 ran 3:53 in the 1500 with a first 800 of 1:58. Looking back at my training log I had some ridiciously fast workouts 5x400 sub 55 300j

10x200 sub 27 30 secs rest 3x400 52,53,55 full rest 3x1000 first 600 1:39-1:42 last 400 sub 60.

Wife left me got a divorce started drinking and didnt stop for 9 months.

One of the only distance runners i know that ran 48.3 22.8 but had slow ass longer distance times. Always wondered what couldve been.

Am I the only one who over-achieved?

3K talent = 8:10: actual 8:03

5K talent = 14:05: actual 13:43

10K talent = 29:30: actual 28:30

1/2 mar talent = 1:08 actual 1:05

only underachieving event was marathon, actual 2:18, talent = 2:14

Squid wrote:

Am I the only one who over-achieved?

3K talent = 8:10: actual 8:03

5K talent = 14:05: actual 13:43

10K talent = 29:30: actual 28:30

1/2 mar talent = 1:08 actual 1:05

only underachieving event was marathon, actual 2:18, talent = 2:14

Any chance I could buy your used talent-o-meter off you?

You don't want it, it's analog.

I'll go with just two PRs:

5000 - 14:58. I think with proper training and in the right program with better runners, I could have run 14:30.

Marathon -- 2:55. This is by far my worst PR, and quite honestly if I were able and willing to train hard for a year and a half with no injuries, I could give this a shot now. I'm likely though not willing nor able to train like I would need to to run that time. Anyway, I never really prepared properly for a marathon. Based on my other PRs, I think 2:35 or even 2:30 might have been possible all things being perfect.

5K: 16:49 / 16:30

For some reason in my head I've always thought 16:30 was possible, if I had focused on the distance. Set that PR a week before running my 10K best, so wasn't totally focused on the 5K. Haven't been near that level in a while, and thoughts of running 16:30 have been replace with thoughts of running 17:30.

I ran sub-50 quarters in HS, but didn't run track in college. I've always wondered how I would have done at the 1500 had I tried, because I'm built more for shorter stuff.

On the roads I think I performed as well as I was capable of. Except that while I ran a 2:29:13 in my first marathon at 27, I felt I could get under 2:25, but injuries meant I didn't try the event again for 22 years. I wish I had really put in the work and given it a shot when I was in my early 30s. But from what I've seen it appears that the fact that I didn't do it then make it easier for me to get a good time, even if on an age-graded basis, now. But no way will I get to what ye old master has at 51.

The one that gets me is my 400 pr. I only ran one FAT 400 and it was sub-51. Never trained like a sprinter. The shortest repeats we did were 400's at mile pace, and then I would run the 4x400 in dual meets, but that's it.

I wonder if I could have run 48.xx if I focused on it.

I'm still young enough to work on my longer pr's (5k, 10k) but I don't think I'll ever get down to 50-point again.