Youngest man to beat his age at 400m?

You don't think maybe Allie was running 52's when he was 54 too? It's not as simple as AG records.

There's probably a 51 point from a 52-year-old somewhere.

My goal is to be the oldest man to beat his age in the 400m.

Bad Wigins wrote:

You don't think maybe Allie was running 52's when he was 54 too? It's not as simple as AG records.

There's probably a 51 point from a 52-year-old somewhere.

51:50 must be 51 years and 183 days or younger for your question?

then you'll need this also

http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html

Is the most impressive record the 2.05m for a 90 year old pole vaulter or the .99m for the 95 year old high jumper?

Using that link, the top 5 (with complete data) are below. As predicted, there was a 52 year old who ran a 51-point. They probably wouldn't have included at that link if Robbins ran a 51.7 on his 52nd birthday, but so it goes.

Mark Athlete Nation DOB Venue Date age

51.63 Stephen Robbins USA 1943-01-31 Buffalo 1995-07-22 52.50685

51.75 David Elderfield GBR 1955-11-24 Ljubljana 2008-07-24 52.70137

51.80 Ron Taylor GBR 1933-12-04 Swansea 1986-09-22 52.83562

53.30 Eugene Byrne IRL 1957-12-08 Sacramento 2011-07-06 53.61096

52.96 Alessandro Cipriani ITA 1955-10-26 Firenze 2009-07-11 53.74521

52.84 Thomas Jones USA 1953-11-28 Riccione 2007-09-04 53.80274

52.58 Charles Allie USA 1947-08-20 Baton Rouge 2001-07-26 53.96986

54.20 Walwyn Franklyn GBR 1952-08-17 Riccione 2007-09-04 55.08493

55.08 Colin McCurry AUS 1948-04-27 Carolina 2003-07-12 55.24384

53.81 Geoff Walcott GBR 1952-04-10 London 2007-07-21 55.31507

Fred Sowerby was born in 1948. He ran 51.39 when he was 50.5. I wonder what he ran when he was 52.

Various historic masters rankings, some going as far back as 1978

http://www.mastershistory.org/history/rankings.html

3 years from now, could a 49-year old Michael Johnson run a 48 or 49? With some incentive, I'd guess yes.

I'm surprised no 49-year-old has run sub-50 yet, considering how close the 50-54 AG'ers are. I'm even more surprised no 45, 46, 47 or 48 year old has either.

Fat Boy wrote:

My goal is to be the oldest man to beat his age in the 400m.

You'll probably need to wait a long time. Presently 86 yrs 3 months and will most likely be a greater age by the time you get even that far.

1:20.47 Lucas Nel RSA 20.07.1923 Sydney 11.10.2009

Umm ... I can run my age for a 10K - is that just as cool?

imissrookieoftheyear wrote:

Using that link, the top 5 (with complete data) are below. As predicted, there was a 52 year old who ran a 51-point. They probably wouldn't have included at that link if Robbins ran a 51.7 on his 52nd birthday, but so it goes.

Mark Athlete Nation DOB Venue Date age

51.63 Stephen Robbins USA 1943-01-31 Buffalo 1995-07-22 52.50685

51.75 David Elderfield GBR 1955-11-24 Ljubljana 2008-07-24 52.70137

51.80 Ron Taylor GBR 1933-12-04 Swansea 1986-09-22 52.83562

53.30 Eugene Byrne IRL 1957-12-08 Sacramento 2011-07-06 53.61096

52.96 Alessandro Cipriani ITA 1955-10-26 Firenze 2009-07-11 53.74521

52.84 Thomas Jones USA 1953-11-28 Riccione 2007-09-04 53.80274

52.58 Charles Allie USA 1947-08-20 Baton Rouge 2001-07-26 53.96986

54.20 Walwyn Franklyn GBR 1952-08-17 Riccione 2007-09-04 55.08493

55.08 Colin McCurry AUS 1948-04-27 Carolina 2003-07-12 55.24384

53.81 Geoff Walcott GBR 1952-04-10 London 2007-07-21 55.31507

Holy Smokes! I had no idea! It's funny that this thread appeared now, because I was talking about this very subject with someone recently. It was in the context of running your age for.... and I wondered who the youngest person was to run their age for a 10k. Later, I thought of this very question. I was sure the answer had to be sixty something.

why?

I'm 50 and even if I wasn't inured right now, I'd be surprised if I could break 70. Given the fact that, even at my best, breaking 60 was difficult, maybe that's not an important measure, but, still....

I don't know how many of you reading this thread are 50 or older, but for those who aren't let me tell you that, physically, middle age is like a slow motion reversal of the years between the ages of 10 and 20. Unless the guy is taking testosterone, or is a once in a lifetime freak, having the power to run 51 point after the age off 50 is among those things you should feel guilty for even dreaming you can do.

I mean, breaking 52 is surely equivalent to breaking a 30 minute 10k - maybe even breaking 29:30. Are there 52 year olds that have done that? No. Not even close.

Running your age for a 10k is a good challenge that lots of guys - and many women - can meet. Doing it for a 400 is completely out of reach for any woman and just about every single man.

Hats off to any who have done this remarkable thing.

not everyone ages the same.

Here's Guido Müller at 74 running a 63 indoors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-X6oFRf5Lo

I can't find a full video of his 59 from when he was 70 but he's got the margin down to age - 12 with this year's 75-79 WR. He doesn't look like one of those TRT wonders from the gym, just like an old man running really fast.

Distances like 10k don't really compare because contrary to popular opinion, sprint speed fades slower, not faster. Ed Whitlock's 38:04 is 1.44 times the WR. Bobby Whilden's 12.77 is WRx1.33. Müller's 59.34 is WRx1.37.

STEROIDS...HELLO MCFLY...STEROIDS

How old is Michael Johnson these days?

Bad Wigins wrote:

I'm surprised no 49-year-old has run sub-50 yet, considering how close the 50-54 AG'ers are. I'm even more surprised no 45, 46, 47 or 48 year old has either.

Wasn't Willie Gault throwing down some times near sub 50 a few years ago in his late 40's?

So, we have full video of a 74 year old man running a 63 second 400 but not for any of the World Records that the Chinese women set.