This is a GREAT story for everyone to enjoy on XMAS.
Meet Mitch Ammons. As a freshman in HS, he ran a 4:50 mile. Then he started doing drugs and didn't run again until 2016 when he picked it up while trying to kick a heroine/meth addiction while smoking 2-packs a day.
Now he's run 2:16:48 and is going to the Olympic Marathon Trials.
Wow. Some people must have woken up alone today on XMAS and aren't in a good mood.
I rescind my original happy first post. This is not Merry XMAS Rojo. This is Ebenezer Scrooge Rojo.
The title of the thread should have been - Be depressed. Talent is everything in running. You can not run in HS or college, do drugs and still make the Trials if you are super talented.
It’s true. I did things the right way. Trained smart, ate well, prioritized sleep over partying, never did drugs, and I still couldn’t run that fast simply because I didn’t have the talent. Why should I be inspired by this guy’s story? Kudos to him but I’m not inspired.
I got a better story.... how bout the guy who never wasted life on heroin or meth and runs pretty slow. Rather meet that guy
Since you can't be the message board poster who was always a decent person, I hope you become the decent person who was once a nasty holier-than-thou curmudgeon.
Wow. Some people must have woken up alone today on XMAS and aren't in a good mood.
I rescind my original happy first post. This is not Merry XMAS Rojo. This is Ebenezer Scrooge Rojo.
The title of the thread should have been - Be depressed. Talent is everything in running. You can not run in HS or college, do drugs and still make the Trials if you are super talented.
It’s true. I did things the right way. Trained smart, ate well, prioritized sleep over partying, never did drugs, and I still couldn’t run that fast simply because I didn’t have the talent. Why should I be inspired by this guy’s story? Kudos to him but I’m not inspired.
Geez. I mean, why be bitter at this point that you weren’t as fast as you wanted? Almost none of us are. Instead be thankful for what you have. Almost certainly it’s better than most.
Wow. Some people must have woken up alone today on XMAS and aren't in a good mood.
I rescind my original happy first post. This is not Merry XMAS Rojo. This is Ebenezer Scrooge Rojo.
The title of the thread should have been - Be depressed. Talent is everything in running. You can not run in HS or college, do drugs and still make the Trials if you are super talented.
I swear you must have the b$tchiest readership of any site. So angry, so resentful.
It’s true. I did things the right way. Trained smart, ate well, prioritized sleep over partying, never did drugs, and I still couldn’t run that fast simply because I didn’t have the talent. Why should I be inspired by this guy’s story? Kudos to him but I’m not inspired.
Geez. I mean, why be bitter at this point that you weren’t as fast as you wanted? Almost none of us are. Instead be thankful for what you have. Almost certainly it’s better than most.
Not being inspired doesn’t mean I’m bitter. I’m proud of getting as much as I could out of my limited talent. I still love running and enjoy competing against those in my age group.
Naw. This is the “everyone makes mistakes “ arguments....You can’t just walk into a grocery store and get Meth or heroin. there is a difference between a fender bender and rape....
Yes, choosing to take Meth and heroin is a bad choice; a very bad choice. However, anytime someone changes their mind, stops using and turns their addiction into something positive, it is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.
Wow. Some people must have woken up alone today on XMAS and aren't in a good mood.
I rescind my original happy first post. This is not Merry XMAS Rojo. This is Ebenezer Scrooge Rojo.
The title of the thread should have been - Be depressed. Talent is everything in running. You can not run in HS or college, do drugs and still make the Trials if you are super talented.
I swear you must have the b$tchiest readership of any site. So angry, so resentful.
Stories like this make it seem crazy that there are guys whose whole lives revolve around running since highschool going into adult hood and still can’t break 3 hr lol
Wow. Some people must have woken up alone today on XMAS and aren't in a good mood.
I rescind my original happy first post. This is not Merry XMAS Rojo. This is Ebenezer Scrooge Rojo.
The title of the thread should have been - Be depressed. Talent is everything in running. You can not run in HS or college, do drugs and still make the Trials if you are super talented.
I swear you must have the b$tchiest readership of any site. So angry, so resentful.
wow you guys are some angry mfs. I was a complete party animal in high school, smoking cigarettes, drinking, popping pills constantly. Never went to college. Ended up cleaning my act up in my early 20s got into running and ran the following progression:
year 1: 2:12 half marathon
2 1:38
3 1:17
4: 1:11
Pretty sure my lungs have recovered 100% at this point. Not sure why this guys been convicted of doping already, I think he was pretty decent in high school too. Seems totally reasonable to me. Sorry you didnt have it.
When it comes to good time running stories one should adopt “If it’s too good to be true, it likely is” policy.
Past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior.
Unfortunately, in these dark days of drugs and doping, one must assume there might be the chance of unnatural gains when someone achieves better than normal results.
He won’t make any Olympic teams, but he did win a half-‘Thon. Mary Akor and Christian Hesch come to mind as runners who cheated and stole money from clean athletes.
This is pretty close to where I stand.
1) Addiction is a very serious problem in the US and every addict who permanently changes their ways is cause for celebration in my book. But cautious celebration.
2) He’s clearly very talented and it’s wonderful that he is putting it to use. His sobriety has to come first though and I hope that he doesn’t get distracted. Bill Wilson of AA insisted on anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films because of the strong possibility of relapse with addicts. That tends to bring disrepute to whatever got you sober when it happens in the public eye.
It’s a nice story, but there’s more at stake than running.
It’s also a pretty extreme rate of progression. It deserves a bit of scrutiny as well.
Good for him, if this is what he finds fulfilling. Glad for him that he kicked the demon and got out of his own way. Sort of the same story as Rich Roll. Not to join the chorus, but I don't find it inspiring. He's an age grouper on supershoes, if not the spike. 2:16 is the new 2:22+. Qualifying for the OT is a fine personal accomplishment, but given his past and starting point it's natural to wonder at what cost. I don't know the people around him well enough to say whether they have integrity. Yeah, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. No matter how fast he gets, he won't make me forget about someone like Brian Sell anytime soon.
Stories like this make it seem crazy that there are guys whose whole lives revolve around running since highschool going into adult hood and still can’t break 3 hr lol
Another way to look at it is the tragedy of wasting talent. If he’s able to run 2:16 at age 33 after only a couple years of serious training and all those drugs and cigarettes, imagine what he could have achieved if he took running seriously starting in high school and continued progressing in college and after. He’d probably be a sub-2:10 guy and maybe even an Olympian. What he’s doing now is too little too late. Nothing inspiring about squandered talent.
Those who judge the addict, if you don't have a family member or friend affected by this, you will eventually. You can choose to help these people and have some compassion or just judge them and cause more harm. You are free to do as you choose.
I got a better story.... how bout the guy who never wasted life on heroin or meth and runs pretty slow. Rather meet that guy
Merry Christmas to you. I bet you’re a ton of fun to be around.
I can’t believe how people feel the need to come on here and piss on his story.
This was a man who reached a total low and could have completely wasted his life. Instead he turned his life around and is doing something inspiring that many of us can’t do.
Thankfully this story is inspiring to most people.
I’m grateful I never reached such a low point in my life but if I did I hope by the grace of god I’d be able to do something like him.
