What 5k / half / marathon times can a former lifter/bodybuilder achieve?

I've seen guys run sub 3 marathon and lift a 3x bw deadlift. ..granted they were insanely shreddedededed at the time.

I would say sub 3, sub 18, and sub 5 are good goals.

What's your ht?

Alan

I'm a 230 lb, 34 year old powerlifter who just started running a few years ago. I have a permanently detached hamstring and recently had a dislocated hip, a broken pelvis, and a fractured ankle. I run three times per week.

I run a 4:15 mile and a 16:07 5k.

I was really into weights in my late teens/early twenties when I played collegiate baseball. At 6'1", I got up to 210lbs at about 6% BF. My first 5K I ran in just under 25 minutes during my final season of baseball. It took me a couple years to get over the mentality of trying to keep my strength and muscle mass while trying to lower my running times at the same time. At 30, weighing 182lbs at about 4% BF, I was able to run a sub 5:00 mile, 17:40 5K, and 1:23 Half. I always struggled at the marathon distance though. My larger frame was never able to handle the higher mileage to do well at that distance.

not that swole wrote:

Reached a point (210lbs bulk / 190lbs cut) where I can't really get a lot bigger naturally and got turned off by bodybuilding as I realized it's literally 100% steroids to get bigger/better than where I am.

Excuses, excuses.

How pathetic are 190 lbs. Maybe you should train harder instead of complaining about others using steroids.

Guess what, the 230 lbs guys (on a cut) are not wasting their time running and complaining on message boards. They're in the weight room, lifting heavy weights.

Thanks for the response. One thing - people outside competitive bodybuilding tend to grossly underestimate body fat percentages. Guys step on stage (after running tren, clen and ephedra for a month) at 4%. Without steroids it would be shocking to be under 8-10% as a healthy man.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-koEUmGC-j7M/UVsKx8LJTcI/AAAAAAAAAIc/VQLnf7cEZgs/s320/body+fat.jpg

not that swole wrote:...as you'd expect I'm super slow. 22-23 minute 5k, longest run so far is 12 miles (started running about 3 months ago).

Don't be so hard on yourself. 22 and change is quite respectable for anyone after just three months into the sport, and especially so for a bodybuilding-type big guy. You aren't far from sub-20, and once you get there it's a pretty competitive area to be in local road races. You'd win some AG hardware here and there and p!ss off a lot of 'runner types' by beating them.

Once you start looking at marathons and above the training required will create a greater risk of losing some upper body mass, but I'm thinking with the body type you have you will probably lose some weight but get quite cut and look good, just in a different way. You'll still be a lot bigger than the average runner. I bet you'd end up being okay with it.

Maybe it's best to stick to 5k/10k stuff. Marathon training takes a bit of a toll, particularly heavier runners that are new to the sport. You'd probably really like the systemic approach of interval training and all that stuff, too.

Perhaps you should focus on the 5k and forget about the HM for now.

Great times bigger runner but just be careful about throwing those BF% around. They are simply unhealthy numbers to be telling people when you were most likely in the 8-15% range. As one already mentioned you would have striations in your glutes (the ultimate for bodybuilders) if you were that shredded.

This is a good post. I am 39 and started running five years ago after just lifting. I am.5,7' and between 155 to 165 lbs depending on season. I am extremely slow by this boards standards (20 min 5k; 3;24 marathon pr). However, I can bench north of 300 lbs.

You're going to lose muscle running. If your interested in maintainig some muscle I would concentrate on racing 5 and 10k's for awhile. See how you like running and how your body changes before attempting marathon training/running lots of miles.

I think you may like the way you look with more running. In hindsight, I was way too big when I lifted exclusively. You're never going to be a great runnner (particularly longer distances) with a lot of muscle mass. But who cares? You can put up some decent times in comparison to most stiffs at races and still look good.

I've had insanely jacked big guys (certainly over 200 lbs) finish within seconds of me while running a ten mile race in 58:30 and a marathon in 2:58. I'm sure they had been running seriously for many years.

not that swole wrote:

Thanks for the response. One thing - people outside competitive bodybuilding tend to grossly underestimate body fat percentages. Guys step on stage (after running tren, clen and ephedra for a month) at 4%. Without steroids it would be shocking to be under 8-10% as a healthy man.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-koEUmGC-j7M/UVsKx8LJTcI/AAAAAAAAAIc/VQLnf7cEZgs/s320/body+fat.jpg

Not true. I got down to 5% (7 site skinfold) years back for a bb show. I had butt striations. I've seen many guys get down to 5-6% naturally. Pros get up there at 3-4%.

Alan