Good runners that started slow

Jim Ryun comes to mind, 5:38 mile fall of his sophomore year to 3:59 spring of Junior year.

I couldn't run more than 2 min when I started in 2012. I was also last place in a "Cooper test" in an IT school in 2007 (did 2050m in 12 min).

Then, after 8 mpw was injured with chronic shin splints which lasted 5 years. I did a 5k during a triathlon in 2012 in 26:40 (mostly out of cycling shape).

2018, at 30 years old I was finally able to start run training and went from 10 mpw to 40 mpw and broke sub 17 in a year (4 min improvement, was able to do 21 min 5k in Dec 2017 out of cycling/swimming training).

Aiming for 16 flat this year and 15:30 next one. Tinman training helped a lot.

Brogan Austin went from 10:44 3200 freshman PR (2007), to 9:14 3200 senior (2010), to USATF Marathon champ (2018).

jesus_short wrote:

Jim Ryun comes to mind, 5:38 mile fall of his sophomore year to 3:59 spring of Junior year.

Ryun wasn't quite that slow as he ran 10:36 for two miles in XC during his Sophomore year. After not running during the winter he ran 4:32 in his first race and ended up at 4:07. I don't believe he is a good comp for any aspiring young runner.

I always liked Brian Sell's story who is a fan favorite on these boards. I'm pretty sure he could not break 10 for 2 miles in high school but went on to run the marathon distance at that pace and represented the US in the 2008 Olympic Games.

I played pretty high-level squash and field hockey when I was in my teens so was fit, but my only track race to date was a DFL 6:06 in the 1500 when I was 15 (I surprised myself with how bad that one was). Started running when 25 and now in my thirties I'm 2:28 for a marathon. Get the impression this is down to trying hard rather than natural talent.

every elite runner went from a baby who couldnt even stand up to the runner they are today. Pretty crazy.

I had a teammate who started at 75 seconds for a 440 yard run as a freshman in track. By the end of the

season he was at 57. Then during cross country as a sophomore he ran 15:40 for 3 miles. He then got

into pot smoking for the rest of that year and then moved his junior year. I never found out how he did

later.

NnNnNnNnNn wrote:

I had a teammate who started at 75 seconds for a 440 yard run as a freshman in track. By the end of the

season he was at 57. Then during cross country as a sophomore he ran 15:40 for 3 miles. He then got

into pot smoking for the rest of that year and then moved his junior year. I never found out how he did

later.

His name was Michael Phelps?

chris derrick ran like 18:30 his freshman year of high school. sophomore year dropped to 15:00, junior year ran 14:20, and then senior year ran 13:52

Ian Lamere ran 11 minutes for 3200 as a sophomore. His PRs in college were 13:54 and 28:38.

LEDI wrote:

NnNnNnNnNn wrote:

I had a teammate who started at 75 seconds for a 440 yard run as a freshman in track. By the end of the

season he was at 57. Then during cross country as a sophomore he ran 15:40 for 3 miles. He then got

into pot smoking for the rest of that year and then moved his junior year. I never found out how he did

later.

His name was Michael Phelps?

No, why did you think that?