I am 57 - any chance of me running sub-15?

Screwball Jackson wrote:

I am pretty fit but know it's a big challenge. I am running a lot of doubles now but tell me how I might improve my training to break 15 minutes. Thanks!

Martin Rees ran 15.55 at age 59. Is sub 15 possible at age 57? I say yes someone will do it one day.

High expectations. I like it, please keep us informed, I'm 57, I have big goals but keeping them to myself, a little superstitious. Currently building my base, I run by time not miles(twice a day at least four days a week), but I do keep track of the miles (but that can be embarrassing). Only take take off if feel over stressed or very tired.

I am only 53, but would you be willing to make me a similar offer?

Or the same when I turn 57?

Screwball Jackson wrote:

Notlikely wrote:

What is your 55+ pb? Fyi that the 55-59 record is 15:42.

My last race was in 1991. To be honest I am shooting for sub16 - not 15.

why do people disrespect the difference of running 60s faster in a 5k? if you really could break 16 at age 57, you are a really, really great masters runner. only a few can do it. but 60s faster is an entirely different beast.

jerrry wrote:

I am only 53, but would you be willing to make me a similar offer?

Or the same when I turn 57?

Absolutely the same offer when 57. We don't lose seconds linearly as we age, we lose them exponentially. Let's talk.....

So we are all talking about a 3200m right?

Only the slightest of chances if the entire course has a steep decline while wearing Hoka One One shoes.

I'm 59 and really suck by LRC standards, didn't break 17:30 this year (although did a 17:39 on the back end of a 10K). But I agree with coahc's schedule. If you want to break 15 you need to do that level of work. But there are some guys running some amazing times.That said, more like only 1% or less open age runners could break 15, and that's with years of training. Not 3-5%.

coahc wrote:

If you can't do this you can't run under 15 minutes. Get the point! I could make it easier but we all know that it isn't what it seems! There is a false believe that running fast is easy. It's not! Ok the Tuesday session is a little hard and yes would probably change the 5x800 at 3k to 5k pace. Might even go with 2 hard sessions and leave out the progressive run on Saturday. The facts are that U15 is not achievable by 95-97% of the population much less a 57 year old who thinks that doubles will help you achieve your goal.

Screwball Jackson wrote:

I am pretty fit but know it's a big challenge. I am running a lot of doubles now but tell me how I might improve my training to break 15 minutes. Thanks!

It is possible. Listen and respond to your body. You'll recover more slowly and be more prone to injury.

But you can do it.

If you go by age grading, a 15:00 5k is about 104% of the current world record. Corresponds to a 12:30, about 7.5 minutes faster than current WR.

However, a 16:00 5k only age grades out to 97.4% -- so would be equivalent to a 13:20.

Still, much easier to troll on LR.

past master wrote:

Martin Rees ran 15.55 at age 59. Is sub 15 possible at age 57? I say yes someone will do it one day.

Sub-16 @ age 59?!? 😨 (that might win a few HS XC meets in some states!).

Some of these times that super fast guys in their late 50s, early 60s are running are alien. Hell, a lot of us other middle-agers can't come within several minutes of their 5k times and would breakdown in a heartbeat trying to duplicate the volume, intensity & speed of thier workout regime (some train like 25 yr old elites which flies in face of the scientific literature on age-related degenerative changes with middle-aged athletes).

I'm a middle-ager who runs consistently thoughout the year, cross trains (biking & weights), eats a very healthy diet, trains as hard as my body will allow, and I backoff training at the first hint of an injury (which is more often than ever now since hitting 50 several years ago). However, I'm Iight years from some of these alien times and would end up broken down & in the trash heap if I attempted to duplicate the volume & intensity of some of their workouts for just one week!

Alien genetics with some of these guys, I guess? 🤔

He just needs the VaporFly 4%.

circulation and tendon flexibility/strength and maybe 15's.

What that means for someone your age is rigorous flexibility/plyos and nutrition (glucosamine) and 10 different vasolidators. Like Aspirin AND caffeine together.

Joggotron 5000 wrote:

circulation and tendon flexibility/strength and maybe 15's.

What that means for someone your age is rigorous flexibility/plyos and nutrition (glucosamine) and 10 different vasolidators. Like Aspirin AND caffeine together.

So...that's the secret with some of these anti-aging runners? Something as simple as a caffeine/aspirin stack...yeah boy!

coahc wrote:

Unfortunately your ability to recover will greatly reduce your chances. Running volume is good but the quality will have to be very good as well. Sample week :

Sunday Long run 75-100 minutes of running

Monday AM OFF

PM Recovery 40-45 minutes

Tuesday AM easy 30-35 minutes

PM wup then 2 mile tempo at 5:10 per mile 3 minutes rest 5x800m at 3k pace with 2 minutes recovery warm down

Wednesday running how you feel 60-70 minutes

Thursday AM easy 30-35 minutes

PM warm up then 8x400m with 200 float 400's in 70-72 with 200m in 40-42 should be 3 miles on track aim for 15 minutes total time. You will find this much harder than it looks

Friday Rest or easy 30-35 minutes

Saturday Hilly progressive run 45-60 minutes surging hills

Good luck but yes it will be very difficult!

There are some aspects of the Aussie Complex training system in here. I like it as a 37-year-old, but I'd be thrilled to be anywhere close to that at 57.

jajajajajajaja wrote:

Screwball Jackson wrote:

I am pretty fit but know it's a big challenge. I am running a lot of doubles now but tell me how I might improve my training to break 15 minutes. Thanks!

It is possible. Listen and respond to your body. You'll recover more slowly and be more prone to injury.

But you can do it.

Not!

If you had the talent to run 13:20 or better in your prime, and hired a full-time physical therapist and masseuse to work exclusively on you, it's possible.

Not bloody likely wrote:

If you had the talent to run 13:20 or better in your prime, and hired a full-time physical therapist and masseuse to work exclusively on you, it's possible.

I don't know about that...how many 13:20 guys are running competitively in their late 50s, or even running at all? 🤔 Take for example these dudes; all sub-13:20 guys in their prime and now in their late 50s/early 60s: Alberto Salazar, Rudy Chapa, Mark Nenow, Doug Padilla...are any of these dudes running competitively, or even running at all?

No. No chance whatsoever.

A lot of hard-training, pretty decent club runners in England couldn't break 15:00 when they were young.

Martin Rees who is a phenomenon, was 15:55 at 59, so you are talking about the best part of 20 seconds per mile faster.

We are looking at 4:50 per mile, and there are very few near 60 year olds who can run one mile at that pace.

Even if the genetics/cardio vascular ability is there, it's doubtful whether a 57+ body will withstand the training.

I've improved from 30 to 60 in age graded terms, and I've still lost at least 3 minutes. It's going to take Bekele, Farah like talent, and then keeping training for another 25 years without getting injured.