Coach said I need to gain weight??

height?

Noone can comment about your weight without your height. If you were 4 foot you're probably too heavy but if you were 7 foot, you'd be light as f***.

if people are questioning your weight, you're fine. when they're ready to call an intervention, then you're at race weight.

are you male or female? if female, disregard above comment and eat.

Next Alberto Salazar wrote:

So today at practice my coach told me I needed to gain weight, I just run as much as I can handle. I hit 75 miles last week and am going to run 83 this week. Im kinda light cause ive been running a lot but ive been eating a lot, idk what to do. He says im not as strong as I could be, I dont get him. I tought Runners were supposed to be light. I mean look at Ammar Moussa he is extrememly light and he has amazing times. Also im about 118 pounds and am going to be a senior.

Being light weight doesn't mean you are a good runner... being strong, pound for pound, is far more important. Eat right, stay strong, and keep on running.

Im 5'9 and am a male.

Next Alberto Salazar wrote:

Im 5'9 and am a male.

you need to gain weight, i'm pretty sure you're borderline starved at 118.

Next Alberto Salazar wrote:

Im 5'9 and am a male.

You are significantly skinnier than most elite marathoners (only one close being Ritz, who is probably too skinny for his own good as well given how frequently injured he is). You could definitely stand to gain some weight... if you're 5'9, male and a high school long distance runner, a good weight would probably be around 130... 125 might be okay depending on your body type, but 130 is probably more healthy (which will lead to less injuries and better performances).

a comparison of BMI's of elite marathoners (the skinniest of the skinny distance runners) and a few other notables for you...

Mo Farrah: 21.2

Haile Gebrelassie: 20.6

Craig Mottram: 20.1

Bernard Lagat: 19.9

Ronaldo da Costa: 19.7

Sammy Wanjiru: 19.6

Galen Rupp: 19.4

Martin Lel: 18.8

Paul Tergat: 18.7

Ryan Hall: 18.6

-- ("Healthy" is considered 18.5-25.0)

You: 17.4

5'9" and 118pounds? I am 5'9" and 150 pounds was an excellent running weight for me. I think you need to gain some weight as your coach says. Try to get to atleast 130.

When you say you are eating alot, what do you call alot?

If you weight 118, this is how many calories you need to eat running 75 miles a week to maintain 118 (I am assuming you don't have a job that is terribly physical):

1180 + 590 + 880 = 2650. As you get heavier, you burn more calories both in BMR and in calories burned in exercise so you end up with a new setpoint.

This also depends on somatotype and skeletal structure. Seb Coe at 18yo was 5'9" and 119lbs - he gained 10lbs in University (under the guidance of George Gandy)with a solid weight-training regimen to 129lbs. He seems to have run alright.

Are you named Ammar Moussa? If not, I can't see how Ammar Moussa's weight is at all relevant. You're trying to justify your unhealthy behaviour by pointing out a single example of someone who is somewhat successful and does not appear to weigh a lot. I get the impression you have already decided that being extremely underweight is the right decision and you're just looking for affirmation. Look at it this way: You can either gain the weight now or you can gain it when you get injured and can no longer run. Your choice.

I am 5'9" as well. I'm pretty much always around 140-145lbs. I used to get down to 133lbs for racing, but since I've started lifting (just running specific stuff) I haven't really dipped below 140lbs. I can see 129lbs working. I can't see 118lbs being anything but a health risk.

I went to get my physical for cross country today. And I gained 8 pounds since track. I weigh 126 now.

Don't sweat it too much. I'm 6'1 and 125 lbs, 20 years old and male. I eat like a pig and run ~50 MPW. I've always been this way and am perfectly healthy, and I'm sure you are too. People are always gonna give you crap. Just eat till you're full, and nothing will be wrong.

Thanks im guessing I have a fast metabolism.