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Sub 2:12 marathon - Can I do it?
The Road Runner
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in Training
I'm 20, 8½ stone/119lbs/54kg, height is 5'6"/168cm
I've only been running for a few months at the start of the year, since then I've been out with an injury. I'm about to start my recovery back and will be exclusively base training and using pose. Plan to do base only for several years.
So can I do it? Can I find myself lining up with the elite on the start line? Possibly winning some of the smaller marathons? What do I need to do?
I've only been running for a few months at the start of the year, since then I've been out with an injury. I'm about to start my recovery back and will be exclusively base training and using pose. Plan to do base only for several years.
So can I do it? Can I find myself lining up with the elite on the start line? Possibly winning some of the smaller marathons? What do I need to do?
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Comments
To do it, you need a vast amount of time to train, and a very specific talent. I suspect that only a tiny number of people in the world have that talent, and if you don't, all the training in the world won't get you there.
2:12 might be out of reach, but you can win smaller marathons with 2:30 and even slower. That's far more within reach.
To motivate yourself, you need to set intermediate goals, and accomplish those. Then that will give you a real idea of what you're capable of.
I was kinda hoping that 2:04:55 was genetics, or indeed anything faster than 2:09, but slower could be reached with (a LOT of) Base training.......
hmmm.....
Is this a joke thread? Assuming your serious...
1) Genetics plays a HUGE part, but less than most say - 2:12 is doable for most.
2) We need to hope that you have no major structural imbalance that will cause the injury to reoccur.
3) No more than a year of base to start and no more than 6months in following years - you need to get used to the faster stuff too.
4) After the first year, run a lap @5:00 pace on a regular basis - as part of alactic speed work - do what you can at that pace w/out going anaerobic on a semi-regular basis - 5min/miles will give you 2:11-2:12.
5) Time is on your side (was that the Stones, BR?)
6) Why not!?!
7) You only need to get to 2:25 to win smaller marathons and often not even that...
Wish i could run fast though at 35 may have left it too late!
You'd need a hell of a lot of base training in there, and you got injured doing presumably a lot less mileage than that ?
I'm sure given the right training, and willpower and luck you could improve in leaps and bounds, but this just sounds a bit too much.
I'd be delighted if you could prove me wrong though ! (and help me get to sub 3 on minimal training - ta !)
There is no short cut the Kenyans usually train full time for many years to get to such a level. And any African elite runner does not like to be beaten by a Mazungo
btw, wot on earth is a mazungo???
I'd say go for it you never get anywhere without trying.
<<<pam grabs telephone directory to find phone number for William Hill>>>>
Also read about the Kalenjin tribe to get an appreciation. In my opinion, the Olympic medals in distance running are already booked by the African nations. Just check out the 10k rankings, the first Europeans comes at position 30! Or check who is coming through at junior level, those guys hardly 18 years old are already world class runners (eg, Bekele).
Ask Dr. Gabrielle Rosa, he may sign you up for the Fila Discovery program, there is similar program I believe sponsored by Nike around Oregon. Unfortunately, nothing like that exists in the UK. You only get here the BAA, which is almost bankrupt! All this unfortunately makes it even harder to get to such a level.
Mazungo = white guy
I think you win the prize for the most crap nickname.
At 8.5 stone and 5 ft 6 you are probably well suited for marathon running. If you have no major physical abnormalities and just devoted the next 5 years of your life to running it may be possible for you to run 2.12. I think a lot of people could.
One thing I like about the marathon and other long distance events is that you can do well without a lot of talent and a lot of hard work.
On the other hand with all the training in the world i think only a small percentage of people could sub 4 min mile. For shorter events genetics comes into the equation.
"It is best to read the weather forecast before praying for rain" Mark Twain
Remember, genetically, you are a monkey's uncle.
Are you saying that one can do well in marathon without hard work and talent? I'm sorry to have to disagree with you there! I am no mug to the amount of training that I would have to put in. Running is something that I AM willing to dedicate my life to, thats a major part of the reason I left my Computer Science degree half-way through.
IMHO, it takes a LOT of hard work, and at least SOME natural talent, though not necessarily getting into the realms of genetics so much at this pace which is 7mins slower than WR pace.....
Almost any 20 year old man with the knowledge of how to do it and motivated enough to dedicate the next 7 or 8 years of their life to achieve such a goal could do it.
There is no doubt that it would require complete and ruthless dedication. It's the dedication that most people fall down on.
NO ONE could do 2.12 in the marathon without hard work.
Genetics DOES play a part is how fast you can run a marathon. A 3ft dwarf will never run 2.12 in the marathon will they?
Elite marathon runners are generally all very thin and have small frames. Some people are born to have larger frames.
But at 5ft6 and 8 1/2 stone you are about the same size as Khalid Khannouchi which is one of the reasons I originally thought it may be possible for you to run 2.12. After reading your posts more carefullly I think you are just taking the piss!
Top runners and endurance athletes are also often born with more slow twitch muscle fibres (sprinters with more fast twitch), higher V02 maxes and higher lactate thresholds.
But you are running at 12minute mile pace? That is virtually walking pace. Do you have any idea what it is like running at 5 minute mile pace? And you gave up your degree partly so you could devote your life to running? I am finding your story hard to believe. Are you sure you didn`t just give up your degree because it was shit?
Well, good luck with it all anyway.
DCD
its a good target to aim for, but i'd evaluate your life choices first... you will need to abstain from absolutely everything to be sure to get to that level, and to live just to reach that goal
if you reach it, or if you dont, how will you look back and appraise your life??
i'm not saying its bad, life's rich tapestry and all that, but its a lot to go for, and means years of sacrifice.... and objectively what will you see at the end??
lots of people sacrifice career for hobby, or hobby for career, or family for whatever... you should take a step back and see what is going to be most important in the long term