Can anyone make the Olympics?

before anyone attacks me- I realize the spelling error and the intended name was "workhorse"!

Maybe you've got more talent, but you're just a late bloomer. I ran one season of high school track, but stopped after my best time was a 5:47 mile. Then 3 years and somewhere well under 50 miles later (total throughout the 3 years), I ran a 4:34; the same thing could happen to you if you're still young.

I say this without intending to be mean, but you pretty much have no chance. Its extremely difficult to go the Olympics even if you ran say 4:05, 8:50 in high school you still have a miniscule shot of going. Now you say you ran average high school times (which is a vague statement, some consider 4:50, 10:20 average, others 4:20, 9:15), but for the sake of argument I'll guess you ran rougly 4:30 and say 9:45.

So you're a pretty decent runner, and you have the potential to contribute to a good d-1 program, but there's no guarantee of that. Now lets say you want more than that, you want to be conference champion. Well theres a few dozen other guys out there with more talent who are thinking the same thing. Then lets say you still want more, you want to be All-American. Well there's a few hundred running studs out there who would kill for an All-American certificate. But you defy the odds and become All-American, so you start your post collegiate career and want to qualify for the trials. Which almost every All-American from the last 10 years is trying to do in one event or another. Anyway, say you make the trials, then you gotta hit the "A" standard and beat the best of the best. Unless you're from some small island country (and even then you still gotta hit the standard), you're odds are INCREDIBLY small.

That being said I suggest you set other goals, however, just because you're friend said you can't do it, and I said you can't do it, and 3000 other chaunces who post on letsrun don't think you can do it, doesn't mean you should listen. If you have what it takes, defy the haters and go for it.

The answer to your question is yes. If you work hard(HARD) and take an intelligent approach and BELIEVE in yourself then your goals can and WILL be realised. "Talent" is only one part of the equation.I myself have run in an Olympic Final and have a pretty good idea about what it takes. My high school coach once told me "it is better to aim for the stars and miss than aim for the gutter and hit" (by the way he was an Olympic medallist). So dont sell yourself short. Keep your goals to yourself- talking about them won't help you accomplish them and methodically work towards them (success doesn't always happen over night). Good Luck.

All so true, but then there's JasonOlympicTrialsQualifier of course. I'd say I fit workhorse's description coming out of high school, and chased the dreams through college out into the world for a bit before finally realizing it wasn't in the cards. But was it a waste of time or effort? I think not, as Dirty Harry once said "a man's GOT to know his limitations..." Anyone who chases a dream to their fullest does. Quite frankly, I feel sorry for anyone who never has at something, ANYTHING, in their life. Go for it WH, and enjoy the adventure for what it is along the way. You won't regret it.

I've said this before, but find yourself a copy of "The Self-Made Olympian."

Someone who had NO talent worked very hard for many years, took third at the Olympic Trials and 22nd in the Olympic Marathon.

Put it this way: you may not run as fast as you want and you may not become an Olympian. But if you work and train like you will, at least you'll know what you're made of, instead of always wondering what could have been.

George Young didn't run in High school and barely did anything at the university of Arizona. He was the first american to run in three olympic games and also won a bronze in '68. It can be done.

sorry-----he ran in four olympic games. 60-64-68-72

Thanks for the input...

Don't get me wrong, I know that its no secret the odds are against me, and any other mid 4:30's miler from high school. Having said that, I guess that makes me a "below average runner" seeing how you put 4:30 as the average mark.

Frank Shorter ran "only" 2 flat and 4:30 in high school from what I gather. Do I need to say anything more?

I agree, it's time to forget whatever people say, and just suck it up and go for my dream. If I don't make it, I may as well die trying. And nothing could be worse than wondering what I could have done.

Nice.

Keep that attitude workhorse, it is all about the journey.

A bit of my road:

http://www.bunnhill.com/BobHodge/Default.htm

Especially for the marathon, predictions in high school seem rather pointless. Or even in college. Few people running for their teams are going to be training for the marathon distance until after college is over. Lots of people don't discover their strength at long distances until then.

And you never know - some folks never beat their high school times, while others don't start improving until college or later.

At the same time, if the only thing that will ultimately make you happy is going to the Olympics, I would suggest reassessing your reasons for running. A race is a race. The "late bloomers" didn't keep at it purely for the Olympics - they enjoyed "blooming."

All of the above is opinion, of course.

Our favorite subject Jeff Galloway was only a 9:48 two-miler in high school. He later set an American Record (since broken) in the 10-mile run and then made an Olympic Team.

Bill Rodgers also was not a high school stud at all, and while he certainly didn't do well in the Olympics, he was on the team and is still of course BILL RODGERS.

Then of course there are all the great high school runners who never made an Olympic team - Jeff Nelson, Eric Hulst, Scott Fry, Tim Danielson. The list goes on and on and on.

High School times (especially for distance runners) are absolutely no indicator of Olympic possibilities.

I'm not one to say that you can do it without talent though. I'm just saying that at this point we don't know if you have talent or not. Train hard, see what happens.

Dear Workhorse, I assume that you are just graduated from highschool, which would make you 18 or 19 years old. Physical development of people is different, and men do develope later than females. Strength comes with age if you ask me... and male runners do not peak until closer to their thirties. You have lot of time to become an Olympian, but it WILL be a sacrifice a risk that may not bring the results that you want... half effort is not enough and you might have to give up on other things you love. Get an education, enjoy collage and then decide is it worth it.

I have represented another country in European Championships past summer... LOT OF HARD WORK! If I want to make it to Olympic games 2004... I have to sacrifice even more. I am about to decide if I can afford to quit working and if I have courage to take the risk. After all I might not make it!

You have many years to decide, just enjoy your running courier in collage and you will find out if you have the talent.(physical and mental)

Runnergirl- good advice. You "might" not make it but you will never know unless you try. Good luck.

(I was in Munich this past Summer and probably saw you run).

Paula Radcliff sucked in high school.

sucked???

world junior cross champion

ahead of wang junkia and tulu i think!