When did you start running? And how young is too young?

I started running in 7th grade. we really did not train hard at all, i think our cross country practice was around 2 miles everyday and in track we just played around with field events. I think it has helped me out a lot going on to the higher levels.

You are looking for excuses. You probably just weren't that talented.

Did you enjoy your early experiences with running?

Guys tend to get a lot better when they mature. You obviously matured late. Had you continued to race and train while you were maturing you might be pretty fast by now. Starting running at such a young age would only be an advantage.

To answer the original question, I started at age 13, at the beginning of freshman year of high school. I wish I had started earlier.

At age 13 - 3 miles per day. 100 mile weeks at 15. Moved to middle distance and averaged 70 miles per week through high school. Now I'm 51. I have arthritis in both knees.

Contrarian wrote:

You are looking for excuses. You probably just weren't that talented.

Did you enjoy your early experiences with running?

I guess I am looking for excuses. It just bugged me that I did the exact same running everyday as some 4:15 milers when they only started in highschool. I always though it couldnt have been my natural talent. It must have been because I started early. Maybe I should man up and go run again.

I enjoyed running from an early age (probably 6 or 7) and would occasionally go out for a few miles just to pass the time. I didn't start running every day until I was 12. Most of my running then was probably 50-55 MPW by myself, with track workouts in the spring. I seriously doubt that I would have been any better or worse no matter what age I started.

Don't worry about maturing late. There was a fifth year senior at my college who ran 28:5x and didn't shave. I was probably 25 before I started shaving every day. My training partner, who runs about the exact same times as I do, started shaving when he was in seventh grade. People mature physically at different rates.

Started running too early wrote: Maybe I should man up and go run again.

I think the guy above that said you might be more physically mature and capable of faster times may be on to something. It certainly isn't too late to give it another go and set some PRs if you have unfinished business running.

Started running too early wrote:

I guess I am looking for excuses. It just bugged me that I did the exact same running everyday as some 4:15 milers when they only started in highschool. I always though it couldnt have been my natural talent. It must have been because I started early. Maybe I should man up and go run again.

You do realize that not everyone benefits from the same workouts. I do a lot better taking all my runs a little easier. When in high school we had 6 other guys that were at the same level as me and we raced every run. That training only helped 2 of them and even then they probably didn't do as well as they could have. I feel like people like to just do cookie cutter workouts rather than figuring out what works for them.

Well I started running for my schools xc team as a sophomore...I was 16, mainly for fun and whatnot. I ended up liking running and ran a 18:20 for my first year. By my senior year I took my training up a notch and started running on the weekends and running 70+ miles a week. I ended up going sub 16 several times and ran a 4:18 1600.

I don't know if there is any correlation with starting running at a younger/older age and having success. But I think that maybe running too young will just burn you out...but who knows. Me personally I wish I would've done it in Middle school. Good luck with your training!