18 min 5ks aren't anywhere close to being impressive around here for guys, but do you guys think high school guys who are able to run that sort of time with little running background (sedentary most of the time, plays video games all weekend and barely goes out, etc)are very talented?
Because the only such runners I hear about have been physically active for a long time, even if they never did running specific workout regimes.
18 for a first 5k is definitely impressive but I wouldn't call it very talented compared to some people out there. I've seen numerous people run faster or equivalent+ times at other distances off no formal running training. If Salazar hadn't found Rupp until he was a HS senior and Rupp stayed healthy/stuck with soccer, Salazar still could've thrown him on the track and Rupp would be running mid-14s for 5k in a matter of months. Look at all te no name Kenyans like Dennis Kimetto who step on a course and run world class times superior to those ran by Americans who have been training since the 8th grade.
Also, "no training" is a very subjective term. I think it's retarded when people on this board try to define no training as having never competed in a sport, but personally I see it as simply having no experience officially training or competing in track/XC.
By "no training" in context of my question, I mean that the person is sedentary most of the time and does not even participate in recreational sports.... he spends(wastes) away most of the time on his sofa / couch, eating chips, etc.
i ran 18 with 2.5 months of training
mostly inactive before that but ran about 2 miles, twice a week, in roughly 18 minutes, for a few months before i really started training.
and i'd say that i'm a bit talented but nothing special. started running 3 years ago now and i haven't broken 4 for 1500m or 15 for 5k yet.
It is totally normal for people to be born with an engine and wheels that are already tuned to a higher level.
There seems to be a lot of thought on here that everyone has to start from a level that is barely able to move around without assistance. That is true in the sense of us all being babies at some point but once we learn the basics of walking and running the different inherent abilities become very apparent.
On the one hand yes, I don't know of anyone who could run an 18-minute 5k based on what you described and many of those people went on to be very fast runners. Even Galen Rupp ran something like 16:40 for his first race off of lots of soccer and some running. On the other hand, much of talent is how well you respond to training, not just where you start. Many times those runners who are very good on little training don't improve much.
Synthesis wrote:
18 min 5ks aren't anywhere close to being impressive around here for guys, but do you guys think high school guys who are able to run that sort of time with little running background (sedentary most of the time, plays video games all weekend and barely goes out, etc)are very talented?
Because the only such runners I hear about have been physically active for a long time, even if they never did running specific workout regimes.
Statistically, 18 min is pretty fast...when looking at all people who run 5k as fast as they can. Probably, less than 5% of runners can run a 18 min 5k.