Mid-distance training is worthless

A few years ago, there was all this hoopla about 34 year old former Olympian Michael Stember (1:46 800m / 3:35 1500m) coming back to try to break 18 in a 5k (http://www.letsrun.com/2011/stember-1117.php). He ran 19:30.

I had similar college times for 1500, was a long ways off of your 800 PR though, but could run a decent (mid 14s) 5000. I also hated high mileage and while most of team mates were running 80+, I never ran more than 60.

20 years later, I decided to lace the spikes back up again and race a series of miles. Just to see what I could do. Really no different than training for a mare or 1/2 mare and my guess is it is less of a time commitment. I also ran some cross, but my focus was the mile. It was a blast

You make time for what you want. I work 55+ hours a week and have 3 kids. Lunch hours, early mornings, late-night runs when the kids are down, running while kid is warming up for soccer game. It can be done. If your concern is avoiding the masses who "hobbyjog" and slap 13.1 stickers on their cars, don't see why you can't do the same. Speed kills. Go back to what you know.

This thread is therapeutic for me. I finished high school doing 144 mpw the summer after, got injured, and ran through the injury, and never recovered. It's good to hear that I'm not alone in not racing anymore. I feel silly and dumb for being sad for so long, when I now see that it happens to many people, and even in every sport. Baseball players in college lose the passion as well, or basketball players, or college football players...etc We're all in the same boat, just got to move on and take our passions/tolerance for pain to live a great life of knowledge.

What's sad is the guys who put all of their effort into running in college (even though they were not national class) and neglected their education. I may not have been the fastest guy in college (although I ran respectable times), but I got high marks in engineering school, and it has served me far better than a career as a want a be in running ever would have. It is statistically much more difficult to make a career as a runner than as a doctor, engineer, etc.. There is no shame in being a hobby jogger, as running really isn't that important in the large scheme of things (it's a game).

formerD1 wrote:

Not a troll bro. Just sucks.

One sad thing I do is search for my ex teammates race results. The Turkey Trots are always particularly depressing, some of these former All americans barely breaking 40 minutes.

Makes you wonder what was all that running for?

I was a 1:51 800m runner in college and had an 8k pr of 25:49. I split a 48 on the distance medley as the 400m runner at the big notre dame indoor trackIn high school I ran 49.7, 1:55, and 16:19 for 5k in XC.Nowadays, I can run a half marathon in the 1:12's, usually run 5k/10k around 15:50's/32:40-33:00 and have run two marathons, my best being 2:39I wouldn't trade any distance success for the feeling of my 48 split and 1:51 800m. The marathon was something where i impressed myself as well.I've always considered myself a mid-distance runner, a bit less nerdy and obsessive about splits, mileage, and training phases. But it does suck to get beaten by little goobers who are aerobic monster that can't break 5:00 in the mile.

formerD1 wrote:

I was a 1:50 800m and 3:47 1500m runner.

I could do 20x400m at 65s with 90 seconds rest followed up with a 4:45 mile.

Yet I never broke 25 minutes for the 8k or 30 minutes for the 10k.

Workouts were good for track season. But there are no opportunities for track racing for a college grad. I suck at 10k road racing.

I hated mileage in college and did my best to ensure I never ran over an hour at a time, believing my strength somehow made me "manlier" than the skinny distance guyd. Basically a career as a mid distance runner guarantees hobby jogger status after college.

Discuss.

D1 hangover wrote:

Nowadays, I can run a half marathon in the 1:12's, usually run 5k/10k around 15:50's/32:40-33:00 and have run two marathons, my best being 2:39

Stud. Nice transition and great range. If I had your leg speed, I would have been deadly. Shoulda, coulda. Cheers.

FormerD1, you can always try varying your speeds 3 times a week while you're jogging like 2 minutes twice a week slightly faster then 4 minutes once a week at medium speed. That's vaguely how I started the current season and I feel stronger (by varying speeds).

dsrunner wrote:

Your mileage is't the issue as the best 800 runner in he world runs ~35mi/week and the best US 1500m runner ever ran his best times on 55mi/week.

Jim Ryun ran many 100 mile weeks at his best.

Wow! this PoSt ReAlLy DeServEs THe FroNt Page!! Grate JOB. :)

I know exactly what you mean.

You know the best advice I can give? Find another hobby.

Run for enjoyment if you love it, I really want to get back into it.

But I don't intend to race anymore. Once you are beyond the point where you can set new PRs, or move up and stay competitive.... there is a lot of joy in finding new hobbies.

If you were any kind of runner you would not call fellow runners "hobby joggers." That's nasty stuff.

I wonder if you are just "playing."

AnotherFormerD1Guy wrote:

But I don't intend to race anymore. Once you are beyond the point where you can set new PRs, or move up and stay competitive.... there is a lot of joy in finding new hobbies.

Speak for yourself. I'm about to turn 50 and there are at least 8 events in track and field where I might reasonably PR.

I'll pass on long jump and triple jump for my joints' sake, and I admit that the high hurdles make me nervous.