Wow, you were there long before I was. I'm only 40. Did you run with Rick Wohlhuter then? I think Aragon came after you though, right?
Wow, you were there long before I was. I'm only 40. Did you run with Rick Wohlhuter then? I think Aragon came after you though, right?
Wolhuter had just graduated and it was before Aragon. Great bunch of guys although we were not overly successful
I am enjoying this thread.
I did not start to run more than a few months a year until I was 22 but I feel that I was still lucky to have been brought up when, where and how I was. I was not talented enough as a runner to be competative even a couple of years later. And it was all great fun! I would hope that if I had to do it over again I would have learned what training was best for me. I trained far too hard until I was into my 30s and did not run nearly enough mileage at a slower pace when I began running marathons. One thing I would not change at all from my beginning years was to take one day off every week or two. I also think it was right to wait until my mid 20s and until I had some kind of base and had lowered my PBs in the shorter events before my first marathon. I was able to run to win in my era. I was very fortunate.
My response is a lot like Orville\'s. More easier running, especially the morning run. I was one of those guys who pressed almost every run. If I could have learned earlier the value of being more under control when I ran hard instead of balls out, that would have been valuable and I wouldn\'t have had as many nagging injuries. I would have done more unstructured hard running and less tightly structured intervals on the track.
Having said that, my memories now are that I loved every second of being able to run fast and long. I miss the feeling of the wind in my face.
Unlike other posters, I\'d have chased MORE tail. My beer intake was about right.
This is one of the better recent threads, at least for us geezers. My main regret is to let my HS coach burn me out and take away my love of running. I took roughly twenty years off, and while I enjoyed college, grad school, starting a family and my career, etc., I didn't start running again until age 38. My times are now decent again, but that's not as important as just going out and enjoying running again.
I would give 10 years of my life to do those four over. Live everyday to its fullest. Run harder, study harder and cherish those friendships.
In 1 or 2 races I just wish I would have put it all on the line. Take the first 400 out 2 seconds faster than normal and just keep pushing. I ran the 800.
Switch to lydiardism. Only that will work.
I would have avoided the Nike "air" shoes of the late 70's/early '80's (or any since). They trashed both my knees in my mid-20's, and didn't compete again until late 30's. I have run minimalist since then (early 50's now) and have no knee problems.
The hiatus did allow me to pursue another sport, rock climbing, in which I am more talented and still do semi-professionally.
In training, nothing different. In racing I would have taken most longer races out harder/faster--been less cautious and trusted my conditioning more. I did do that in later years (I've run and raced since 1953) and found I could hang with the pace a lot longer than I'd thought. And yes I'm well aware of the conventional wisdom.
I'm not old by any means, but I messed up a lot as a high school distance runner. What are the things I would have done differently?
-Strength train the upper body less and go out and run more
-Start lifting with my lower body earlier
-Set my goals more reasonably
-Run my recovery/easy runs EASY
-Run higher mileage earlier
-Double more
I'm fortunate to have college in front of me to fix these things...