How much should a competitive marathoner weigh?

REAL Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

Really fast runner... Trust me wrote:

The inevitable question surfaces then: what I the line between sub elite and hobby jogger? Also, you anonymous claims of faster times aren't worth the paper they are written on. For all we know, you're a 200lb fattie trying to get a BQ.

Well I'm not. Only a REAL sub elite marathoner would no not to go down the diet trap. Please. A BQ is child's play.

Also your rules apply equally to OP about his mythical 2:32 claim, which I doubt he's done. Because he probably faded to 3 hours in the final 8 miles from his dinners of eating a single pea. Hahahahahaha!

So elites don't pay any attention to diet? get real. Again, where is the line that separates sub elites from the hobby joggers?

Sub Elite Marathoner wrote:

I ran a 2:32 debut...

Doesn't seem like your weight is an issue.

You can try at what weight you race the best time by trial and error. When your weight below certain point, all your workouts suck due to lack of energy and you feel sleepy and depressed all the time. That is where you can stop.

I opened Grindr at school the other day and found a guy 6'0" and 130 lbs. His profile photo looks pretty attractive to me. Just a slender guy, lively and natural, no sign of starvation.

I ran LA Marathon last year in 4:12. I was 5’6 and 155 at the time. I wanted to BQ so I read Fitzgerald’s Racing Weight diet book to figure out how to optimize my weight as all of the BQ guys in my running club seemed to be much leaner than me. I followed the diet in the book (>80% of the time, stilled splurged occasionally) and used a food diary app “MyFItnessPal” to track my food intake and dropped my weight 120-123 lb range. I ran my BQ in May at Mountains 2 Beaches with a 3:09 and just ran Chicago in 2:52. Of course In addition to changing my diet I trained with Hanson’s Marathon Advanced Plan. I think you should check out this book. It’s focus seems to be eating very healthy to reduce %body fat to an optimal level for endurance athletes.

John Utah is correct.

nutritionfacts.org

He bro....pick up 5 pounds and go for a 10 miler before you post,,, how did it go?

Let's be honest.....Lighter is faster.

Unless you do your next marathon effort with 10 pounds extra prove me wrong. I want to see you carrying a gallon of milk.

Would you wear 3-5 pound shoes? Or bring 30 Gu's? Try it please. Or run a pr while wearing a weight vest.

Try it.... please let me know how the extra weight helps.

Everyone's fear about getting to light is them not be honest with themselves.

I saw Galen at Chicago.... he wast chubby. I saw Jordan... she is tiny, Please prove me wrong. Show me one 1 person under 2:10 that weighs more than 135.

Ok I've had a bottle or 2 of good wine ...'sorry faster is lighter' it sucks but is true.

I wish is wasn't. I really do. I have tried but I'm always slower heavier. Again the truth sucks.

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?

Don't forget that both of them are around 5'4-5'5

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?

140-145 for your height

AndyDufresne2 wrote:

Runningart2004 wrote:

It’s mostly genetic. Don’t worry about it. Just train. I was 5’6”, 140-45lbs. Ran 100-120 up to 140 miles a week. 2:32 Marathon. Just train.

Alan

Interesting take if the goal is 2:32 and no faster...

I've 2:28 while running less than you (95 avg, peak 120) @ 5'9" 143.

Trying to get under 2:25 now and dropping a few pounds is part of that. Not starving myself, but I have to make smarter choices about what I eat because my normal diet keeps me around 145 lbs even when I'm running 110 miles every week.

I think there's a lot of people talking past each other in this conversation. It's true that if you eat right and train right you will end up close to your ideal racing weight. It's also true that most marathon runners, even "sub elites" don't eat right. I enjoy pizza and beer quite a lot.

You’re missing the point.

The ability to get down and maintain a feather-like weight takes “genetics” just like the ability to run 100+ miles a week for weeks on end without breaking down.

You don’t just magically drop 10-20lbs while you’re running 100+ miles a week. Whatever weight you arrive at is just going to be your weight while training with that kind of volume. Forcing another 10-20lb weight loss is likely to be more harmful than beneficial. I even tried to lose muscle, only consuming meat every couple of days, while running 100+ miles a week. I still maintained 140-45lbs. My bodyfat was around 8% measured by calipers.

You work with the hand you’re dealt the best you can. Train hard, race hard, and enjoy it.

Alan

Just Amazed wrote:

John Utah wrote:

Limit or stop consuming animal products, sugar and junk food.

Are you a Seventh-day Adventist or something? 🤔. Animal proteins that are free of antibiotics, GHs, vaccines, and that are fed an organic diet are healthy...nothing new there.

FACTS

haha "sacrifices in pursuit of higher goals" this is why people laugh at this form....it's running, it's a hobby....please, please find something else important in life...

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.

Alan - I believe you would have been much faster if you had dropped some weight back in the day.

Please do not discourage others from being the best runner possible because you were too fat yourself.

Only on letsrun is 5'6 and 140 ibs is fat.

What are you talking about wrote:

ur fat wrote:

Alan - I believe you would have been much faster if you had dropped some weight back in the day.

Please do not discourage others from being the best runner possible because you were too fat yourself.

Only on letsrun is 5'6 and 140 ibs is fat.

The poster in this thread was wanting to REACH HIS POTENTIAL as a runner.

There is a difference between training, eating whatever, and being happy with the results, and doing everything in your power to maximize your results.

If the elite runners suddenly decided to start binge eating on unhealthy crap, they wouldn't be elite for very much longer. So, if someone like the OP could lose unnecessary weight, it could be the catalyst to propel them to new heights as a runner.

140 is too heavy to reach your potential when only 5'6.

ur fat wrote:

What are you talking about wrote:

Only on letsrun is 5'6 and 140 ibs is fat.

The poster in this thread was wanting to REACH HIS POTENTIAL as a runner.

There is a difference between training, eating whatever, and being happy with the results, and doing everything in your power to maximize your results.

If the elite runners suddenly decided to start binge eating on unhealthy crap, they wouldn't be elite for very much longer. So, if someone like the OP could lose unnecessary weight, it could be the catalyst to propel them to new heights as a runner.

140 is too heavy to reach your potential when only 5'6.

You do realize there is something called genetics. This will affect how you are built. Not everyone is meant to be a 5'6 and 110 ibs toothpick. Especially if you already have low body fat i.e. running art have less than 10% body fat. Some people run better having more muscle. I know this will be hard for you to accept.

You do realize there is something called overeating? This will affect how you are built. Not everyone is meant to be 140 pounds when only 5'6. I know this will be hard for you to accept.

The OP could have benefited from losing weight but then had guys like you telling him to just leave it be. Stupid advice.