Is 5 foot 10 and 140 considered skinny for a distance runner?

You will probably hit the 6ft mark as you are only 15 and most likely not done growing. I say you will probably top out at 6ft or 6'1". The weight you are right now is fine. Do the training and results will come.

All I can say about your weight is that it's in the healthy range. At your age I was an inch shorter and at least 10 lbs heavier but you could count my ribs from a mile away.

The previous poster may well be correct about growing taller (assuming that you're male) but don't count on it. I had reached my full height by the age of 15.

Eat the best quality food that you can and let your weight look after itself.

sophomore sausages wrote:

Im 15 and I run 5k, mile, 2 mile.

Because I see a lot of distance runners who seem skinnier than this so I was wondering if that would make me better. I gained about 10 pounds without growing taller so I was just wondering if I'm good.

You're fine. You shouldn't worry about weight until many years from now. "You're a growing boy," literally. I did the same exact thing once I reached my tallest height. Went from 5'10 ~130 to about 142. Got faster in every event during that time period from 400m-5 mile.

At your very young age you shouldn't be worrying about your weight if you're 140 at 5'10". That comes later, when you're done growing and you can't stuff yourself all day and still gain 0 pounds like you can do now.

If you were a grown man, yes. But given your age, you shouldn't be worried. You'll inevitably gain weight as you get older. If you're still 5'10 or taller and still 140 at age 25, then you should start being concerned. As of now, you still have growing to do!

And just for reference, I'm 5'8'', 118 pounds and 28 years old. I'm considered skinny by medical definition, but have gained a lot of muscle mass since aging and don't look particularly "skinny," albeit thin but athletic. You'll be fine.

No need for concern wrote:

If you were a grown man, yes. But given your age, you shouldn't be worried. You'll inevitably gain weight as you get older. If you're still 5'10 or taller and still 140 at age 25, then you should start being concerned. As of now, you still have growing to do!

I wouldn't say that he should be concerned if that happens. Galen Rupp is 5'11" and weighs under 140. Cam Levins is 5'10" and weighs about 143. Eric Jenkins is 5'9" and weighs somewhere in the 130s. It really just depends on how lean you are and your body type. But yes, if you're 25, 5'10", and weigh 140, it would be a good idea to just be super lean, not a twig with no muscle.

cbenson4 wrote:

No need for concern wrote:

If you were a grown man, yes. But given your age, you shouldn't be worried. You'll inevitably gain weight as you get older. If you're still 5'10 or taller and still 140 at age 25, then you should start being concerned. As of now, you still have growing to do!

I wouldn't say that he should be concerned if that happens. Galen Rupp is 5'11" and weighs under 140. Cam Levins is 5'10" and weighs about 143. Eric Jenkins is 5'9" and weighs somewhere in the 130s. It really just depends on how lean you are and your body type. But yes, if you're 25, 5'10", and weigh 140, it would be a good idea to just be super lean, not a twig with no muscle.

I don't disagree, but every guy you listed runs incredible mileage and trains at a very high level. I'm assuming the poster doesn't. Training at a "normal" level, you should be able to put on more weight.

Male or female?

sophomore sausages wrote:

Im 15 and I run 5k, mile, 2 mile.

Because I see a lot of distance runners who seem skinnier than this so I was wondering if that would make me better. I gained about 10 pounds without growing taller so I was just wondering if I'm good.

I was about 5'4 at your age, I was 5'10, by the time I was a senior. I have scoliosis and I'm 182 cm. When I was a frosh I was about 140, but very buff because I was working out around this time; I was the only freshman who could bench 160. Now I am around 6'0 and weigh 160-170 and am 20, going on 21 in less than a month. You sound like a big build for a distance guy, but hey, you'll have a higher VO2 max than the rest of your competitors.

5'10" 140 at 15 is definitely not skinny for a distance runner. 5'10" 120 would be skinny.

Fastest kid on our team is 5'11" 124 and he's 17.

johnny meyers wrote:

Fastest kid on our team is 5'11" 124

No he's not wrote:

johnny meyers wrote:

Fastest kid on our team is 5'11" 124

it's possible, my friend is 6ft 128

Blah Blah Blah Blah wrote:

Male or female?

Ha! You really think 15 year old girls post here?

I think only 15 year old girls post here.

johnny meyers wrote:

5'10" 140 at 15 is definitely not skinny for a distance runner. 5'10" 120 would be skinny.

Fastest kid on our team is 5'11" 124 and he's 17.

It really depends on build. When I was a soph in HS, I was 5'10" and 138 lbs. My coach - now a D1 coach - sent me to a doctor due to how skinny I looked. I can't really describe it. I had muscle on my body and fairly hearty bone structure, but absolutely no fat. I looked like a concentration camp victim who lifted weights. Now I am still 5'10" but weigh 155-160 and most people still think I am too skinny when I am not wearing a shirt. On paper, I am heavy for a distance runner, but I don't look it.

Ran fast times and was all-conference numerous times in college (ACC school). Never did anything super impressive, but I was a decent runner...

No he's not wrote:

johnny meyers wrote:

Fastest kid on our team is 5'11" 124

A lot of kids couldn't be as thin as 5'11" 124 and be healthy, but this kid is built like a whippet.

Point is, 5'10" 140 isn't considered skinny at all for a distance runner.

I think El G was about 5'9" 128 in his prime or thereabouts. Tergat is generally listed as 5'11.5" 136. Those are grown men, not 15 year old boys in HS.

your good

At 15, you're likely done growing, at least vertically. You may fill out a bit more, that's about it. At 15 I reached my max of 5 - 9 1/2, maybe 120 lbs. That was ~40 years ago, I'm 135 now.