sub-2:19 marathoners with full-time jobs?

ok thanks guys, this is good to know. I guess the set of marathoners I know just isn't a representative sample, for some reason. I agree that 2:15-2:19 should be possible even if you work full time.

Question for the guys who have done this: how much time do you devote to supplemental training? I can see how it's possible to get out the door for 12-14 miles every morning, and then for another 5-8 every evening, even if you are working in between. But it seems like core, plyos, weights, and stretching would be harder to fit in. Whereas the "full-time" professionals can just mosey to the gym for an hour during the time between their two runs.

Avocados Number wrote:

When I had an out-of-town race, I usually flew out the evening before the race, and flew back the next afternoon.

I pray that you never accepted a comp'd entry or anything from the race. This is how many elite runners handled themselves in the late 80's and 90's and it destroyed the sport for a decade. NO visiting schools. NO smoozing the sponsors. NO talking with local running clubs. NO making yourself available at the EXPO. NO availability for the day after the race media. Elite runners in the 90's felt like they were brought into a race for the purpose of running and that is dead wrong.

Is there a list of all sub 2:20 or so times?

Matt Pelletier works full time. Up until about 2 months before the trials he worked 2 jobs. It can definitely be done if you keep focused.

Another Canadian, Dylan Wykes......2:14er

all timer wrote:

Is there a list of all sub 2:20 or so times?

That would be more of a book than a list.

Kjell-Erik Ståhl. 2,10 PR and 4th at the 1983 World Champs.

Worked up to 60 hours/week as a telecommunications engineer.

Pretty sure Terry Shea works full time

He ran 2:18 at the trials

Yes he does but no he didn't.

Red Hed From Needham wrote:

Pretty sure Terry Shea works full time

He ran 2:18 at the trials

Red Hed From Needham wrote:

Pretty sure Terry Shea works full time

He ran 2:18 at the trials

flattered, but it was 2:23 high in NYC. best still 2:21 so a few minutes off the 2.19 mark for the OP's query.

I seem to remember Doug Curtis may have run a couple while working full time at Ford.

battlestar galactica wrote:

Question for the guys who have done this: how much time do you devote to supplemental training? I can see how it's possible to get out the door for 12-14 miles every morning, and then for another 5-8 every evening, even if you are working in between. But it seems like core, plyos, weights, and stretching would be harder to fit in. Whereas the "full-time" professionals can just mosey to the gym for an hour during the time between their two runs.

You have to make choices. My choice, almost invariably, would be to use my exercise time for running rather than that other stuff. I also think that sleep is more important than that other stuff, and since I rarely got anywhere near enough sleep, it would have made little sense to choose "core, plyos, weights, and stretching" over sleep.

When you have a "full-time" job outside of running, you obviously aren't in an ideal situation to compete against full-time runners. You have to make choices.

tilastopaja.net has a list of marathon times 2:15.30 and better there are just a little over 3000 people who have bettered that time. it is in the deep all time list section, but it is a paid service, i highly reccomend getting it though.

Keith Stone wrote:

I seem to remember Doug Curtis may have run a couple while working full time at Ford.

I seem to remember a guy named Doug Kurtis who did the same thing.

What a coincidence!

Does Jason Lehmkuhle work full-time?

About 50 British guys in the 80's. Steve Jones, Mike Gratton, Charlie Spedding, 3 other guys just from gratton's club alone all 2.15 or better Wigley, Bramel, Knapp. Treadwall's training was running to and from work.

I'm 99% sure he DOESN'T. He may do part-time hours at a local running store, but no way he's at the office 9-5.

***

Buddy Edelen of 60s fame worked full-time (or thereabouts) as a teacher in the UK during his racing prime.

NY Ameritus wrote:

I pray that you never accepted a comp'd entry or anything from the race. This is how many elite runners handled themselves in the late 80's and 90's and it destroyed the sport for a decade. NO visiting schools. NO smoozing the sponsors. NO talking with local running clubs. NO making yourself available at the EXPO. NO availability for the day after the race media. Elite runners in the 90's felt like they were brought into a race for the purpose of running and that is dead wrong.

What a silly and insulting thing to say. For the record, I NEVER asked for a comp entry or anything else beyond a race number that would permit me to start the race within the appropriate competitive category. I also NEVER turned down any requests to visit schools, "smooze" sponsors, talk with local running clubs, or make myself available for an exposition or a media interview. The fact that I accepted unsolicited comp entries when they were offered to me hardly makes me responsible for "destroy[ing] the sport for a decade."

If there were -- as you suggest -- "many elite runners" who failed to deliver on promotional expectations and requests, the obvious solution would have been for race directors to stop "bringing in" those runners to their races. Offhand, I don't know of any such runners, but it wouldn't shock me if there were some. From my limited experience, however, most runners would be flattered to be asked to speak to schoolchildren, running clubs, news reporters, or anyone else who showed an interest in them.

Avogadro, who are you man? I think I know you.