I want to run a 1:51 800 as a 40 year old.

Leaky Ball Joint wrote:

Is it possible? Can anyone else do this, or have you done this in the past?

How do I know I'm ready?

I have one year to train.

I'm not looking for naysayers. I'm looking for advice and info.

Definitely doable, I ran 1:50 @ 51

Yes it is possible.

First train to run a 1:45 when you are in your 2os.

Don't take a lot of time off or get out of shape.

At 41 repeat the train you did to run the 1:45 in your 20s.

What’s your P.R.? The record is 1:48. Bernard Lagat is my best guess for someone who could do it currently.

I assume you’d be competing for gold at the masters WC with a 1:51.

General advice....avoiding injury is the name of the game. You’ll probably need a new level of conservatism with your training.

I’m not saying you can’t do it, it’s certainly a lofty goal. This isn’t Lagat I’m talking to I assume.

The 50+ WR is 1:58.6.

Speed kills! wrote:

Leaky Ball Joint wrote:

Is it possible? Can anyone else do this, or have you done this in the past?

How do I know I'm ready?

I have one year to train.

I'm not looking for naysayers. I'm looking for advice and info.

Definitely doable, I ran 1:50 @ 51

Wow! How did you train for this?

Check out the video on here of Rocky training . It’s a very good start . Do you live in Philly ?

Leaky Ball Joint wrote:

Is it possible? Can anyone else do this, or have you done this in the past?

How do I know I'm ready?

I have one year to train.

I'm not looking for naysayers. I'm looking for advice and info.

You want to play in the league of Anthony Whiteman, Johnny Gray, Jim Sorensen or Colm Rothery. Just google their lifetime PR's and their training, also when they entered the M40 category.

Please tell us what you have done if you come close to a 1:51 as a 40 year old within one year. Must be real magic.

Or you are a well known world class 800m runner at age 39 now who still feels the burning desire to hammer the track.

Wow, great advice.

However, I am able to go back 20 years to run a 1:45. I'm more interested in doing it now, in my present self.

I am not well-known. Is there such a thing as a well-known master's runner? (besides the guys who were famous already, or who own masters records)

It's kinda funny that people treat it as a joke, but I figured there were quite a few who have run low 1:50s before. I have not done research. I've just been thinking about it a lot, and my bad for making letsrun the place to start my research. Nevertheless, it seems as if it's possible for me. Not easy, but definitely feels possible.

I see now that the fastest 40+ runner in the world right now is a British guy at 1:55. But still, I think low 1:50s still seems doable....

My bad, now I see a 1:54 guy from Spain.

Leaky Ball Joint wrote:

I am not well-known. Is there such a thing as a well-known master's runner? (besides the guys who were famous already, or who own masters records)

It's kinda funny that people treat it as a joke, but I figured there were quite a few who have run low 1:50s before. I have not done research. I've just been thinking about it a lot, and my bad for making letsrun the place to start my research. Nevertheless, it seems as if it's possible for me. Not easy, but definitely feels possible.

I see now that the fastest 40+ runner in the world right now is a British guy at 1:55. But still, I think low 1:50s still seems doable....

I don't treat it as a joke. Nobody starts at zero with 40 years and ends up with a 1:51. There must be a special talent, and it's only based on good results. If you do not run a few seconds below 2min NOW, your goal is not realistic. Start with a simple test. Run 3 x 400m or better 4 x 400m with 4min rest. If the average of all three or four 400m runs is around 57-58 seconds, you might be able to do it in a year with very hard training. Post your results. No excuses.

Time flies ! Coebra I didn’t know you were 40 already ! ?

Possible for someone age 39 and still capable of a 400m all out at around 50 sec . If you can do that you will reach 1:51 on one stipulation; You hire me as your personal coach :)

Mr. Willis, I think this is possible.

Please say hello to your mum when you go back to New Zeeland for the holidays.

Wow. Looking at the Masters world records for the 800m there is a HUGE drop from age 45-49 to 50-54: 1:49.86 to 1:58.65. So in just 5 years of age it drops 9 seconds. But then it only drops 3 seconds in the next 5 year interval. That must give credence to the notion that for most men there's a big reduction in testosterone somewhere between 45 and 50. Then another big drop sometime around 70 (and interestingly the wr drops 10 seconds again between 70 to 75)

For me, between 49 and 58(my current age) my mile time dropped by almost 30 seconds. I attributed that mostly to less training, but it could be those T levels.

As for the OP do the 4x400m test that another poster recommended and get back to us. Heck do even just one 400m at that pace and I'll be impressed enough to think you aren't trolling at least.

Leaky Ball Joint wrote: it seems as if it's possible for me. Not easy, but definitely feels possible.

1/10

Data that suggests this is "possible" for you? You can currently[/] run a sub 49 400? You ran sub 1:53 within the last year (or maybe we just start with ever)?

That apparent slowing from M45 to 50 is because Tony Whiteman is still a few years from 50. The statistically smoothed equivalent of 1:49 at 45 is 1:53 at 50. That is what we can expect from Tony in a few years. There is no magic stepped dropoff at certain age for the population at large, just a steady declining curve.

The # 10 world time for M45 last year was 2:01; for M50 it was 2:04.

Speed kills! wrote:

Leaky Ball Joint wrote:

Is it possible? Can anyone else do this, or have you done this in the past?

How do I know I'm ready?

I have one year to train.

I'm not looking for naysayers. I'm looking for advice and info.

Definitely doable, I ran 1:50 @ 51

totes magoats. I did a 1:49 when I was 58.

It's possible. I ran a 1:53 indoors at age 40, and feel like I could've run much faster had I actually run outdoors. It's not easy to stay healthy, train consistently, get to meets where they allow you in the appropriate heat, or get off work in order to race, BUT it's fun and worth the effort.

And my pr from when I was in my 20s was 1:50, so you probably don't have to be a former Olympian to do it. You definitely have to work hard though.