I am 41 years old and have been running for over 10 years. My PRs for 10k/21.1k/42.2k are 38:37/1:24/3:03.
With training I don't get faster anymore. But I am really heavy and have some belly fat - 1.75m (5'9'') and 80kg (176lbs).
If I lost 10 pounds, would it make me noticeably faster?
Sorry for my English, I'm not a native speaker.
I am the same age and height as you and race at over 30lbs less
The generally accepted rule is 2-3 secs per mile faster for every excesss lb you get rid of.
If you weighed the same as me your marathon time might be more like 2.30!
Unbelievable, does that really matter so much?
I have experienced this. I've noticed a bit of extra body fat on me before, behaved myself with my diet for several weeks and noticed an undeniable difference in my workouts and racing with only 5-6 pounds lost. If you lose ten pounds of unneeded fat you will be significantly faster. This is a positive thing really, you're a better runner than you think!
I'm a bit older, similar in height, and weigh around 30 pounds/13 kg less, at least when I hit the start line of a goal race. Recent PRs of 36/1:20/2:53. If you lost weight, yes, you really would be faster. HS and college students should almost never worry about weight, but at our age, we can't escape it.
Also, the English in your post was flawless, and I get paid to write and edit. Nicely done, and no need to apologize.