Running your age for mileage on your birthday

I think it's a great idea, why not find a local trail 50k and give that a shot?

I heard that Gary Tuttle did this at age 37 and was injured for life after that.

I've also wondered about people running their age (divided by 10) for the mile (or women running their age for 1500), similar to golfers shooting their age.

I guess the youngest guy who's run his age was Coghlan, who ran sub-4:00 when he was over 40. I wonder who the oldest guy is--maybe some centenarian who clocked a sub-10:00 mile?

present wrote:

I guess the youngest guy who's run his age was Coghlan, who ran sub-4:00 when he was over 40. I wonder who the oldest guy is--maybe some centenarian who clocked a sub-10:00 mile?

I'm pretty sure there have been some 35 year olds who have run 3:50.

Dingler wrote:

present wrote:

I guess the youngest guy who's run his age was Coghlan, who ran sub-4:00 when he was over 40. I wonder who the oldest guy is--maybe some centenarian who clocked a sub-10:00 mile?

I'm pretty sure there have been some 35 year olds who have run 3:50.

Yeah, but a 35-year-old--divided by 10--would have to run 3.5 minutes for the mile. Nobody's done that yet...

Doesn't Ed Whitlock run his age as an average mile for his marathon?

Maybe Not wrote:

I heard that Gary Tuttle did this at age 37 and was injured for life after that.

Gary actually told that story at the Humboldt State Running Camp when I was in high school. I remembered it as 39 years, however. I could be wrong.

Solo Stars wrote:

So i've wanted to run my age in mileage on or around my birthday since high school but never did it. I'm now about 6 months away from turning 30 and I've decided to get out and do it...or at least 30k. Anybody else do this or know anybody who has? I've read stories before, but would love to hear new ideas.

My old college coach did this when he turned 32. He used to run pro and it probably wasnt a huge thing for him since he usually ran 120+ a week. He said he did it on an 8 mile loop so that way he could have bathroom stops and water stops in the same places. And if anything went wrong he knew where he was at all times. He did it pretty quick, I think I remember him telling us that the time had something to do with his age. I think it was in 3 hours and 20 minutes. But anyway good luck and let us know how it goes. I think I might do it this year except I only have to go 22 miles. Maybe I will make it a challege and try to do it in 2 hours and 20 minutes.

what about somebody who is 27? Sure he/she runs 27 miles, but in what time? 2 hours, 70 minutes? Isn't that what you do when you are 31, but for 31 miles? Just bringing up the inconsistency of that plan, but good concept nonetheless...

there needs to be a "but if you are under 18" then you have to run this time because only a complete freak like Alan will break four then

ran 17 on my 17th this year

Terrible idea for your average 70 year old runner.....

I ran 22 miles for my b-day a year ago...and being that the temp. was 98 degrees and i was not in shape at all...well it was a real hard painful last 10 miles! This year I decided to do a hard 23 miles on my road bike, that was a lot funner, albeit not really easier since i pushed the pace the whole time. Next year I'll be in great shape around my b-day (march) and actually do the 24 miles on a sunday run.

funner is not a word. "More fun" is the proper way to say it.

I doubt he still does, but Randy Step up in Michigan used to do this, I think. Scotth?

I did it this past March.

It so happened that the Shamrock Marathon was the day of my 30th birthday, so I ran the marathon and then did another 4 afterwards.

I plan on running 53 minutes on my 53rd birthday next month. No lie!!!!

David McGillivray, the RD for the Boston Marathon, has done that since he was 12 -- now he's approaching 60.

There's a great chapter in his book, "The Last Pick". It's a great read, highly recommended. Check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Pick-Marathon-Directors-Success/dp/B0013VXXYK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212065328&sr=8-1

The book also spends a lot of time talking about when he ran from Medford Oregon to Medford Massachusetts in about 80 days (roughly 50 mile days) -- then went a few more miles over to Fenway Park and ran two "victory" laps inside during the game (he was raising money for the Jimmy Fund) to a standing ovation. And since this was back before internet and cell phones, he says the planning was just as difficult (if not more so) than running the thing.

Yeah, I like this book.

You need to build up pretty gradually for that. Your mileage would need to be fairly high already. I started doing that when I was a freshman in HS, and as my mileage has increased, I have always found myself able to easily handle it. This year will be #21, I'm already getting excited!