How much should a competitive marathoner weigh?

Believe it or not wrote:

Some people don't place such a high value on narcissistic vanity. Some people are willing to make sacrifices in pursuit of higher goals. This is what separates hobby joggers from actual runners.

That's it?

Not easy. But very doable.

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I'm 139- 5-11'....I think 135-6 is possible easily.... but lower would require more dicpline than I currently have. I'm not elite but run sub 2:30.

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It takes some serious time and more discipline than most people want to commit. Extra cross training helps. You can only run so much.

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It is faster. I'm way quicker at the marathon at 140 than 145.

I can survive a half marathon fine at either weight, but after 16 miles I think it really pays off. You are less abused and dicipate heat better. Personally I feel it's worth it.

I challenge anyone to pick up 5-6 pounds and run marathon pace for 10k. Let me know how it goes. Pick up 10-12 pounds and I doubt many people can run 5k at marathon pace. So no doubt 10 pounds lost has to be the biggest factor in marathon improvement. I often think I could train less if I weighed less.

Thanks, I know it won't be easy but with how much I am already putting into running, I should be optimizing other aspects like diet and weight. Lugging around 20-30 extra pounds over 26.2 miles can't be doing any favors for my time.

GoatZenHeimer wrote:

Believe it or not wrote:

Some people don't place such a high value on narcissistic vanity. Some people are willing to make sacrifices in pursuit of higher goals. This is what separates hobby joggers from actual runners.

That's it?

That and the elusive "runners high" you hobby joggers talk about so much.

Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

Right now I weigh about 165 (5'11"), would I see significant improvement if I were more like 130? If so, how do you drop 35 pounds in a healthy manner?

140 would be low enough for world class.

For the average runner, just run at the weight you feel best.

Without sacrificing too much, just trim up a bit so you're trim all over, and that should be about right.

Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

GoatZenHeimer wrote:

That's it?

That and the elusive "runners high" you hobby joggers talk about so much.

You’re a hobby jogger, fool. Get back to us when you are sponsored and get paid to run. With your times, you should seriously consider taking your hobby jogger a$$ into ultra’s. Lose some weight, hobby jogger.

Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

So how do I lose unnecessary weight in a healthy manner? Just eat less crap and let the 100 mile weeks work their magic?

yes.

at my lowest i was 134. mid 140s now. watch what you eat and 100 mpw and the weight will drip off, quickly...

Loser spotted wrote:

Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

That and the elusive "runners high" you hobby joggers talk about so much.

You’re a hobby jogger, fool. Get back to us when you are sponsored and get paid to run. With your times, you should seriously consider taking your hobby jogger a$$ into ultra’s. Lose some weight, hobby jogger.

Elite = sponsored/paid to run, I said sub-elite, rere. I get comped entry in most races other that WMMs. And in a year or two, I'll be in those as an elite too. Bet I could dust your turkey trotting a$$. Enjoy your age award, scrub.

I think every person has an ideal training weight and an ideal racing weight. If you try to get below that weight you are likely to get sick or not recover very well or train poorly. To get that low you would have to restrict your energy intake severely so that you are got going to be able to train well.

Also, what do you mean by "competitive"?

This poster might have the genetics to be that thin and be healthy, but that is not the case for everyone. Just because one person does well at 5-11/135 does not mean another person will.

luv2run wrote:

I think every person has an ideal training weight and an ideal racing weight. If you try to get below that weight you are likely to get sick or not recover very well or train poorly. To get that low you would have to restrict your energy intake severely so that you are got going to be able to train well.

Also, what do you mean by "competitive"?

By competitive, I mean OTQ. It makes sense that loosing too much weight would be detrimental to health and performance. So I guess the core of my question is: how do I know what my ideal weight is, and what is the healthy way to get there?

Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

Elite = sponsored/paid to run, I said sub-elite, rere. I get comped entry in most races other that WMMs. And in a year or two, I'll be in those as an elite too. Bet I could dust your turkey trotting a$$. Enjoy your age award, scrub.

This is sad. You are sad. The worst kind of hobby jogger is the hobby jogger who tries to differentiate and put himself above other hobby joggers with self defined nuances of hobby joggerdom. Ask your mom for an extra hug when she brings down your lunch today, hopefully that will make you feel better and even more special.

I agree that you should focus on body composition more than weight. Weight is only one form of measurement, and all of our bodies are so different that when you try to use only form of measurement as a guideline, it just isn't workable.

I am 5' 8" and 145. I have raced 3 marathons, all in the 142-145 range. All solid performances, but on such different courses (NYC, Chicago and Boston) on such different weather days, that it is impossible to compare times at different weights in any event, but my Chicago time, when I weighed 145, was probably the fastest even adjusting for weather and courses.

Compared to most other 5' 8" or even 5' 10" distance runners that I know, I am actually relatively heavy, despite thin arms and legs. I just have a relatively broad torso (33 inch waist size), and I carry more weight as a result, despite probably being in the single digits in body fat percentage.

If I tried to get down to 130, I honestly think it would be counterproductive to my running performance. I would only be cutting muscle, and it would mostly be necessary muscle. Even in my college days I was in the 130-140 range, and ran my 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m and 3000m SC PRs at 140.

So focus on making healthy food choices, focus on eating when hungry rather than out of boredom, focus on being lean, maybe avoid lifting upper body while focusing on those other things, and then let the weight number end up wherever it ends up.

The worst kind wrote:

Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

Elite = sponsored/paid to run, I said sub-elite, rere. I get comped entry in most races other that WMMs. And in a year or two, I'll be in those as an elite too. Bet I could dust your turkey trotting a$$. Enjoy your age award, scrub.

This is sad. You are sad. The worst kind of hobby jogger is the hobby jogger who tries to differentiate and put himself above other hobby joggers with self defined nuances of hobby joggerdom. Ask your mom for an extra hug when she brings down your lunch today, hopefully that will make you feel better and even more special.

Right, so a 100+ mpw runner who is competitive in races with tens of thousands of people, running low 2:20s (but is unpaid) is no different than the weekend warriors who run 3-4 days per week and boast a PR of 3.5 hr marathon. It's a spectrum.

Capt. Obvious wrote:

Right, so a 100+ mpw runner who is competitive in races with tens of thousands of people, running low 2:20s (but is unpaid) is no different than the weekend warriors who run 3-4 days per week and boast a PR of 3.5 hr marathon. It's a spectrum.

Why does a person care or need to feel more special than someone else? That's the issue. This is the root of intolerance and hatred. Name calling and belittling others, and why? Some people love running and want as many people to get out and run and enjoy running too. Other people need running as a way to define themselves and need to see it as a way that makes them somehow a more worthy person than others.

I know my times and my limits. I know where I am on the spectrum. I just don't care. I think everyone in the whole world, where possible, should run and enjoy the feeling of running the best they are able and to the extent they are able. I love running. I loved winning races when it happened, however, some of my favourite races were battles that I didn't win. But, being faster than someone never made me a better person than anybody else. Heads up - it never made anybody a better person.

It's probably also good to take a step back and realise that marathon running appeals to a very small group of people. Belittling the majority of the very small group of people who may actually be impressed by your running time, well, that is just tragic and funny.

I didn't name call or belittle anybody. I have friends and family who are "weekend warriors", but to imply we are the same is categorically false. Why do races give some runners preferential treatment and a spot on the start line? Because they are categorically different from the vast majority of the other runners.

It's not about "feeling special", it's just about being paired and categorized to your level.

Believe it or not wrote:

Some people don't place such a high value on narcissistic vanity. Some people are willing to make sacrifices in pursuit of higher goals. This is what separates hobby joggers from actual runners.

0/10 👎 The proverbial hobby joggers vs "actual runners" (whatever the hell that means).There's other endurance sports where you don’t have look all emaciated and have your biceps smaller than your wrists. There are some big, muscular triathletes that pack a punch in the endurance field. Some of these cats dwarf these dimuinitive flyweights and still run pretty fast. I'd rather look like guy like Blummenfelt than some dimuinitive female body-type male elites any day of the week.

Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

Right now I weigh about 165 (5'11"), would I see significant improvement if I were more like 130? If so, how do you drop 35 pounds in a healthy manner?

Its not what you weigh, its how fast you run.

Have a look at DeCastella

Oh, about three or four pounds.