Anyone else just completely lacking in talent?

My advice would be to just start out doing whatever you are capable of. Look into Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. The key is to stay healthy and not overreach with your goals. Just have patience. If you get shin splints, try running on an elliptical or walking every other day. Also, sometimes it can be okay to run through it as long as that doesn't make it worse. Try taking days off. Instead of running 1mi everyday, do 2-3 miles a few times a week. Having time off can help your body recover. When I started I ran 3-4 times a week. Only recently have I started to run everyday.

Do you enjoy running? What do you want to achieve, if anything?

Consistency is the key. If you’re pretty average then your gains will be huge in the first couple of years. Follow a program or join a club if you struggle to stay focussed or aren’t sure what you’re doing. Rest, not getting injured and nutrition all play an important part too.

Only ran freshman year as well. I blame some of it on poor training, basically our runs were just going out at 100% effort every single time. Coach was on another planet.

30 years later I was able to match my performances in college.

Justbad, I share my own experience.

I had never practiced much sport, stayed inactive for a long time, had no cardio, was a little overweight (just around 12lbs).

I started running to get a better cardio stimulation, I could run 15 minutes and then was exhausted. My first 5k came in something like 32 minutes. Then 6 months after it was around 27 minutes. Then 26 minutes.

The next year of light running, mainly in the week end, running around 10 miles per week, I was able to run 5k in 25 minutes and 10k in around 54 minutes. Then I started to try to progress, I started to run more, faster, I upped to 15 miles per weeks for 2 months , improved the 5k to 23:40 and 10k to 50:30.... I was time trialing without war up, tried to start intervals without warm up and then I got injured badly during a run, did not stop despite the pain, and 15 minutes after could barley walk, achille tendinitis. 6 weeks out.

After I slowly got back to that previous level and even progressed a little to 23:30 and 50:00, tried to run more cautiously, would get a proper warm up if trying to run fast, make sure to get rest if I felt I could get injured.

And last year I motivated myself to run more, gave myself the goal to try to finish a marathon. With that goal set I had no choice but to train more if I wanted to succeed. Starting from April, I trained around 25-30 miles per weeks and was finally able to run the marathon (was hard toward the end, finished in around 4h20). After that, I tried to get some advice on how to try to improve, and the result, was run more, which I have started to do since November, running around 35-40 miles per week now and adding one speed work out per week. I have no pain while running an my feelings are getting better and better.

Last year, my PR went from:

1k : 4:05 ==> 3:45 (done last week)

5k : 23:30 ==> 22:05 (one month ago)

10k: 50 :00 ==> 47:15 (two month ago)

15k: 1:23:30 ==> 1:13:45 (done last week)

20k: 1h56 ==> 1:45 ( 4 months ago)

I understood, coming here, that the more important is trying to run every day and getting more mileage, even if it's not that fast. Time trialing every week is useless, getting a training routine is more useful.

I am not talented and not trying to run crazy objectives like most guys here, but this year I have set some modest objectives of running :

5k: 21:20

10k: 45:00

Half: 1:40

Marathon: sub 4

I started running the same year as my younger sibling. We trained the same amount all summer, then ran together at cross country practice in the fall. In short, we had nearly identical training. When it came time to race, she was roughly one minute per mile faster than me. I was actually not bad; she was a star. Anyway, talent is obviously huge. With that being said, anyone can get faster. It just takes time and patience. Gradually build up your mileage, race regularly (short distances, like 5K) and PRs will come.

My biggest concern with your post would be the shin splints. You can't get faster if you're injured. I've been lucky enough never to have shin splints, so I can't really advise, but I'd do some research about how to conquer that issue.

Hi a bit late after this thread started, but I've definitely felt your pains before. I'm currently a collegiate (club) runner that really didn't see a lot of improvement until last year, my junior year. I couldn't figure out what it was, whether it was a lack of talent or maybe the wrong training or what. Eventually, what REALLY helped me was staying consistent and healthy by either making my own training plan or using a "cookie-cutter" one from the internet. While I would warn caution with the latter, because they're not individualized for YOU and just general plans, having some sort of structure is very beneficial.

My sophomore year, I had injury after injury, actually slowing down by like 5 seconds in the 1500 from the year before. However, my Junior year when I started actually thinking about training and planning ahead (like 3 months ahead) while still remaining flexible with my plan, I dropped seven seconds in one season in the indoor mile. While a training plan isn't a cure-all, it certainly beats going "I might do some tempo today, we'll see." And seven seconds isn't a lot, but I was very happy with the time and am certain it was at least partially due to building my own training plan. I'm also in charge of designing training plans for everyone else on my club, so I get to have a little bit of practice and hear how others feel from this sort of training. I would recommend a book like Daniels' Running Formula, which really helped me in thinking about what kinds of training are beneficial for different distances. I have some very minor issues with the 2nd edition, but the 3rd edition is really cheap, like $15 on Amazon.

For anyone wondering, my (rather mediocre) track times are:

Mile: 4:49

1500: 4:27

800: 2:04(high)

3km (that I ran once): 9:40

And these times were much worse before last year. I hope this helps.

BuyTheDip wrote:

Do you enjoy running? What do you want to achieve, if anything?

Consistency is the key. If you’re pretty average then your gains will be huge in the first couple of years. Follow a program or join a club if you struggle to stay focussed or aren’t sure what you’re doing. Rest, not getting injured and nutrition all play an important part too.

Very much so! My current goal is a 25 min 5K at the end of Feb, then moving on from there.

I track every run on a spreadsheet and feel motivated enough to achieve certain goals, I just need my legs to adjust to the stress.

Justbad wrote:

BuyTheDip wrote:

Do you enjoy running? What do you want to achieve, if anything?

Consistency is the key. If you’re pretty average then your gains will be huge in the first couple of years. Follow a program or join a club if you struggle to stay focussed or aren’t sure what you’re doing. Rest, not getting injured and nutrition all play an important part too.

Very much so! My current goal is a 25 min 5K at the end of Feb, then moving on from there.

I track every run on a spreadsheet and feel motivated enough to achieve certain goals, I just need my legs to adjust to the stress.

Learn how to do a tempo run and do it once per week (start with like 5-10 min tempo and work up to like 25-30 min). Run strides in the middle of your easy runs 1-2 days per week (start with like 4-5 strides and work up to 10-12). Run everything else easy. Run by time instead of distance and build your time up slowly until you’re running 5-6 days per week for 45-60 mins per day (I’m not sure where you are after 7 months but take a slow ramp to get there-like don’t add more than 20-30 minutes per week). This should be enough to get you dropping time. In the meantime research everything you can about “proper” training principles. When you get to ~21-22min 5k you’ll have to start incorporating some other stuff to keep getting better.

Alright man, let me give you the quick and easy:

Shin splits are caused by a few things, mainly shoes and weak muscles.

Start doing a core and strength routine, there's tons on the internet, include cross training if you can, such as long walks or hikes to develop your legs and feet. Examine what shoes you're wearing, try to experiment with cushion and drop. Unfortunately, the only way to know is to experiment. Many running shoe stores have treadmills, however, so they may let you try there.

In regards to actual training, either look at a run/walk program, or break-up your runs. As a previous poster said, run 3-4mi a few times a week (as slow as you need to run comfortably) with days off inbetween.

As you advance from there, you'll be able to find tons of intermediate and advanced plans.

You're definitely young enough at 30 to still be able to get into it and have a good time, don't count yourself out yet. Just keep working, and remember to have fun.

I wouldn't stress about tempos or intervals yet. Get to the point where you can run for an hour comfortably before you start incorporating harder things.

I ran 4:15 in high school on 20mpw and 4:02 in college on 30mpw. I was very lazy. I never completed workouts. I always created an injury. I cut the easy runs short once we were out of site of the coach. 95% of running is talent. Most people will never break 5 minutes for a mile regardless of how much they train.

Justbad...Am I reading that right that you are running about 6 miles per week? That is very low for any sort of quality running performance. I would say 20mpw in the off season and trying to get to 35 during you "heavy" training would get you in the top half at local 5ks.

Here are some excercises for shin splints

https://www.verywellhealth.com/shin-splints-medial-tibial-stress-syndrome-exercises-1337677

Try to point your toes up when you run, keep your ass tucked tight under your hips, and find some soft surfaces.

What does a typical easy run look like for you OP?

Yea, me.

Never truly athletic or good at other sports. Had a passion for running though and started with it since school. PRs of 16:50/34:30/56:50/1:18/2:56.

Everyone’s dealt a different hand.

I’m surprised there are not more replies of the variety “I run a 14 minute 5K but have no talent, I just train super hard”

On my instagram , i hash tag my workout photos as #roadtoTokyo . This year Im pretending to be a triple jumper . My fav day to post is Sunday where my tags are #noDaysOff

A lack of talent can somewhat be mitigated by very high mileage. I find a lot of guys who claim they aren't talented haven't been at it long or think that high mileage starts at a much lower amount than it actually does. In your case though, its likely the shin splints that are holding you back. Shin splints are abnormal and you should take steps to alleviate them. This should be done before any other method of improving your running.

I'm worse than you man.

I remember my first mile in 7th grade being a 10:30, and that was with at least 5 years playing basketball previously and weighing only 130 pounds. Yes, I paced it poorly, but there were kids pushing 200 logging 8 minute miles.

The biggest thing for me was just logging tons of super slow easy miles. I always had plenty of speed and power, could grab the rim in basketball, etc. Just get out there and go at just barely faster than your walking pace

Don’t worry, those that can’t do coach. And if you’re talentless at coaching just hire a good assistant and take credit for all of their hard work and dedication.