2:20 Marathon: How Much Talent Required?

Rocky Balboa wrote:

fake runner wrote:

corrections: you have talent and therefore you ran a sub 30/ 10k and a sub 2:18. it´s a question of genetic capabilities.

have a look how many runners can run these times, then look at gaussian distributions. we all know for sure:

only a few are made for a sub 2:18 and all others will never perform it.

I SAID I RAN 2:18, NOT SUB 2:18. I have no talent. None. Zilch. Nada.

So if you ran 2:18 with no talent, then people that run 50mpw for years with a 3:10 marathon to show for it have super uber no talent? Maybe if they boosted their mileage from 50 to 120 they would drop an hour?

Well said. People act as if science doesn't exist and statistics are just lies made up by losers. Pre also claimed he wasn't talented.

chinocochio wrote:

So if you ran 2:18 with no talent, then people that run 50mpw for years with a 3:10 marathon to show for it have super uber no talent? Maybe if they boosted their mileage from 50 to 120 they would drop an hour?

I'm starting to wonder something. Maybe a lot of it is all mental durability. I have a hard time believing that a small tribe in Kenya makes up such a large majority of the world's fastest runners. They live hard lives from childhood, running or not. Those that get into running become part of a culture of high expectation, high sacrifice, and high acceptance of being in pain and making running THE important thing in life. Has anyone ever thought that maybe faster people are, to an extent, those who either just don't feel the pain the same, or just better able to endure it? To walk (or run) in someone else's shoes...

yup>zilch wrote:

I'm starting to wonder something. Maybe a lot of it is all mental durability. I have a hard time believing that a small tribe in Kenya makes up such a large majority of the world's fastest runners. They live hard lives from childhood, running or not. Those that get into running become part of a culture of high expectation, high sacrifice, and high acceptance of being in pain and making running THE important thing in life. Has anyone ever thought that maybe faster people are, to an extent, those who either just don't feel the pain the same, or just better able to endure it? To walk (or run) in someone else's shoes...

its what me and some other other people have said. there are all sorts of talent. when people think of talent they think of the soccer player who ran 4:30 off little training in high school. that guy probably has minimal shot at sub 2:30 let along 2:20. im not that kind of runner. however i do recognize i have a form of talent. not everybody can run 140 mile a week (almost all on concrete fwiw) without getting hurt. my only injuries in the past 4 years were self inflicted or stupidity injuries (ex. playing basketball). my talent is durability which comes in handy for marathon training and racing

So is this just a hypothetical dude, is there actaully a 450 miler considering training for a marathon for 10 years?

If it's the latter I will bookmark this thread and come back in 3 years.

The talent it requires is the ability to train enough miles without getting injured. I know untalented guys who did it because their body allowed them to run 100 or more miles a week. If your body won't let you do that much mileage, then talent is required in its place.

crazy raisin wrote:

see "Running to the Limits"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzyMwrm_oNU

This was a great documentary project. Does anyone know where Part II of this is?!

OnePieceToe wrote:

crazy raisin wrote:

see "Running to the Limits"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzyMwrm_oNU

This was a great documentary project. Does anyone know where Part II of this is?!

Yep, check the Facebook page:

how many guys from college do you know that ran 2:20 or below though?

you argument for it not being hard is knowing people who werent able to do it?

Running a 2:20 Marathon. How hard can that be?

I noticed that people are overestimating what they are able to do. There a limits. Yes we can push some limits but it's not as easy as some people think. Actually a lot of times it's impossible. Just because you put all your energy in it does not mean it will happen.

Just running 120 miles per week does not make you a 2:20 runner. You need the right speed before you even get started with you training. So something like 30:30 for 10k. If you are only a 36 minute runner good luck.

I trained sometimes with 6 guys who I thought all were comparably talented good collegiate runners. They all ran 100+ MPW for a couple of years trying to get an OTQ. They all got their half marathons down around 1:06s. Three of them got to sub-2:20 (none faster than 2:18.xx). Three of them never did better than 2:29s despite multiple marathon efforts. Marathon potential is a tough thing to predict.

Sub2:20 guys need to have significantly faster base pr’s than your jogging life.

Yes it takes indescribably difficult daily effort for three years.

Mile + :30 / mile = 10k pr

10k + :30/ mile = marathon pr

So no you can’t do this.

Not true that you need 14.15-14.30 to run 2.20.

Name：Thierry Charles

Club：A.C. Valbonne and N.U.C.

Bests -5000-14.42, 10,000 -30.30, Half marathon -65.03, marathon -2.18.06

Thierry had no serious speed and could barely run 4.15 and 8.50 for 1500/3000 but had phenomenal strength and mental grit.

Sadly deceased in mid 30s from cancer.

I ran under 2:20 for the marathon (2:19). Personal bests in high school were 4:25 mile, 9:46 two-mile, 2:00 800m. Anyone with initiative and can run descent high school times can do it. Will it be easy? Hell no. Took me 18 years of running to break the barrier and many runners with far better PRs than I haven't done it. Someone on the board mentioned he ran a 9:20 two-mile and couldn't touch it. Perfect example of how difficult it is. Sub-2:20 takes a LOT of endless work, if you want to do it, expect to put in some heavy work but can be done.