Anyone else just completely lacking in talent?

How has your performance changed in those 7 months, either time trials or races? What do your training paces feel like subjectively now compared with then? Do you know what your training paces are? If so, how do you know? If not, how do you know what you should be doing? How have you educated yourself about training? What has your training been like over this time?

Hello,

How much are you running? What are your current times in (1k,5k,10k or more) ? Did you have a sport background or were you physically inactive? It can play a big role, if you were inactive, the body take more time to get back to a running shape.

Usually, previously inactive people see an initial quick surge in fitness and then plateau because they need more mileage. That point is the key. Start running, better your cardio, strengthen your legs and body, then run more mileage, repeat and repeat again.

For most pains, including split shins, don't forget to warm up before running, especially if your start strong or do intervals trainings. It's important to avoid injuries

I got shin splints really painfully when I first started. I remember having to give up on the run and walk home because it felt like horrendous stabbing pain in my leg the first time I attempted to run 5k in one go. I was pretty convinced that I would always be a 'slow' runner.

Almost 2 years later and I've knocked 30 minutes off my 10k time and can see improvements every time I race. I'm still not quick but I am firmly in the middle/front of the results curve! So my advice would be to rest when you're injured - I kept running on my shin splints and they didn't go away until I took a month off and just cross trained like hell (so much spin!). And my other advice would be to record your progress - even if it's just seeing your parkrun times come down you will get there!

As an older runner I think I have some talent, in college it was embarrassing. When your best 8k time is around 27 minutes that's even mediocre for D3.

Most of us dont have much talent. The pride is with sticking it out and maximizing whatever talent we have.

Many beginners suffer from shin splints which need to be addressed. Figure out which muscles might be weak or if its the shoes or the running surface.

Dont quit (you just might be a slow learner/responder) the journey is worth it

No, it's just you.

Otherwise, letsrun is full of talented runners. (At least in their minds :-)

Mencken1976 wrote:

As an older runner I think I have some talent, in college it was embarrassing. When your best 8k time is around 27 minutes that's even mediocre for D3.

That's mediocre for a college track team, but a 35 min 10k is still very good for the general population. OT is a beginner and his time is probably much higher than that.

And it's fine. He can work slowly toward lowering his time.

I don't have what it takes to be a fast runner.

So, what I lack in speed I make up for in distance. I run ultra marathons including 100 miles every Labor Day weekend in A Race For The Ages ultra. (FYI, the race director of that annual ultra is none other than the infamous Lazarus Lake).

I have done 100 miles in that ultra every Labor Day for the past 4 years.

FYI, I am a 64 year old cancer survivor.

Mencken1976 wrote:

As an older runner I think I have some talent, in college it was embarrassing. When your best 8k time is around 27 minutes that's even mediocre for D3.

I know the feeling. My pr is 27:00 :((.

Only ran my freshman year of college and my senior year. both at low mileage programs.

I feel for beginners who do not respond well to more mileage to really work on speed.

In hs I had a summer coach/training group that hammered hard 400s, mile repeats, and tempos in addition to high mileage. Everyone in our group was pretty quick as a result.

The key more so than anything is structure and consistency to see real results

You've only been running for 7 months, everyone sucks after 7 months. Keep at it and you'll get better. You also probably don't know what you're doing at this point either, take the advice of those on this forum and you'll improve.

If you're not improving then I believe it's you. If you do proper training and push yourself appropriately, you'll get faster. Your starting point may be lower due to a lack of talent, or your rate of improvement may be lower due to a lack of talent, but you should improve if you're doing things right.

If you're not improving wrote:

If you're not improving then I believe it's you. If you do proper training and push yourself appropriately, you'll get faster. Your starting point may be lower due to a lack of talent, or your rate of improvement may be lower due to a lack of talent, but you should improve if you're doing things right.

What is the average amount of years for someone in this position to reach their potential? This is assuming they are relatively injury-free and train pretty consistently throughout the year. Just curious, I'm sure I could use the search feature. In about a month I will have been running for 3 years and just ran 2:58 in Chicago. I suck at 5ks and have only ever gone sub 19 on the second half of a 10k at 18:35 (10k PR of 38:17). My current half PR is 1:23 from March last year. I wish there were more flat races around here but everywhere in Atlanta is basically guaranteed hills when it comes to races.

Try long walking for a while. It will give your shins and heart a break, let the adaptation set in them run again. Before and after the walls you can do strides to keep yourself practicing good running form.

The key is patience. I'm still slow but I am seeing big improvements recently and believe that with another year or two of consistent training I could become a respectable runner. I'll never be truly fast but it's all relative anyway. A 20-min 5k is fast to some people. Unfortunately, it's going to take you a lot longer than 7 months to realize your potential. I think I still qualify as a new runner and I've been running consistently for 2 years without any time off. Some talented people improve quickly. For most it takes years. Here is my improvement in roughly 2.5 years of running.

Marathon: 4:18-3:39*

Half: 2:00-1:40*

*I haven't raced above a 10k in about a year. I'm certain I could run much faster than these times currently.

10k: 50:36-39:51

5k: 23:41-18:27

I didn't run PRs to start since I couldn't stay injury free. I started running .5M -1Mile every night or every other night. I've only just peaked at 6 MPW, but that's because I've either had runner's knee problems or shin splints.

I was very active in school, but now, nearly 30, I haven't been active for several years, aside from the occasional softball game.

I'm a very skinny 6'2" male, so weight isn't an issue.

Current PRs, not all out, are 6:57 mile and 26:32 5K. However, these times are in line with what I was doing at the start.

I guess my main point is that health and durability are part of the talent equation, and seem to be my main concern and limiting factor.

Also, my HR gets very high even during easy runs. 180-192

Can this get the HR up enough to be considered cross training? I don't have access to a pool or bike.

That's life. LeBron didn't become who is because of hard work alone.

I think durability is acquired over a long period of time. Nobody starts running at 50 mi/wk.

Again, here is my personal progression:

2017: Total Mileage: 471* Longest Week: 33

*I started running about halfway through 2017 but I was 20 and a 3 sport HS athlete so I wasn't starting from complete zero

2018: Total Mileage: 727 Longest Week: 34

2019: Total Mileage: 1504 Longest Week: 49

The last few months I have averaged about 45 mi/wk. Don't expect to get to this level overnight. It takes a long time to build up that durability.