Do you just have "it" or not? (Page 5)

All I know is that I'm 0 for 2 qualifying for Boston.  I ran it with an invitation entry and tried to run a qualfying time...no dice.  The second time...no dice.  So even though I can jog a 7:15 mile....I can't slap 26 back to back.

Just saying.  :P

Only 400 per state in the US.  Out of how many mary finishers in the last year?  Maybe that's not completely valid, but I want to make the point that while your number sounds like a lot, it's actually not IMHO.  It's Boston, it's the cream of the marathon running community by definition.

Out of nearly 400,000 marathon finishes in 2006, so I'm not exactly sure what your point is. The small percentage (~5%) seems to support the need for at least some level of "natural talent" to BQ.

And out of how many people who completed a marathon last year did so with the specific intention of qualifying for Boston?  Also, take away all the people who finished a marathon that is not a qualifying race, we get down a little further.

Boston is a challenge, no doubt.  It's supposed to be.  But it's an attainable goal.  It requires sweat, and time, and commitment.  Some people have no interest in it.  OK, no problem.  But I honestly believe that it is an attainable goal for the majority of people out there.  Even Dan.

"Majority" is backing way off from your previous assessment that "anyone can qualify." I would tend to believe "majority" is accurate, and think that might even play into the setting of the standards. But that's a looooong way from "anyone."

I say majority, because I am discounting those who have obvious impediments (i.e. some form of disability or disqualification), which I also did in my previous post. 

just like everything else in life, ability follows the bell curve. Few at the top, most in the middle, few at the bottom... and just like advancing your educational position on the curve through hard work and determination, so too can you advance your athletic ability on that curve.

I have seen the results first hand.. not blazing fast results, but two years ago I was a 4 hour marathoner. I did Chicago last year in 3:19. Last year I did a 6:43 HIM. This year, same course, I did a 5:20. I don't have 'it'. Few people do. What I did do though, is a lot of hard work to get to where I am now.

AWESOME!!!!  Congrats to your client.  This is the post the OP was probably looking for in the first place.  An inspriational story of a MOPer made good.

I will suggest you hire a coach.  I hired a coach for a short-term effort to PR a half-mary.  I did, but did not reach my ultimate time goal.  I think I hired the coach about 3-weeks too late.   But in the process I could feel myself improving at running.

It was partly a test for myself.  I wanted to see if I could take direction and open my mind to doing stuff I wouldn't normally do.  It worked phenomenally, and I'm sure with a long-term view a coach would really help me.  Pick a race that's out a ways and hire a coach for that time, and see what happens.  Worst-case is You'll learn a ton.

Or become a performance member here on BT.

Do I have "it"?  I have won one race in my entire life, a cross country race in HS, and that's because our coach made our #1 man run 7 miles the day before the race.  I have managed to place in my AG a total of twice, and the last one was a race that consisted of 6 people, and only one other person in my AG (so I technically placed last in my AG).

I want to BQ this year.  I have picked a race that I feel will maximize my opportunity to do so, and have been running 40-50+ miles/week, and have a plan that will cap my weekly mileage at over 80.  If I have any natural talent, it's an ability to take physical abuse.  I am not naturally fast by any stretch.  I'm just stubborn. 

MY old boss who owns the bike shop I (used to work at) frequent was telling me about the Giant rep. that used to cover our territory and how he got an invitation from the T-Mobile group to come and take part in the ir early season training camp.  The guy was a decent Cat. 2 out of California, so he certainly wasn't some slow poke.

And you know what he said?  That day in and day out they would get up, hop on their bikes as a team and go out for anywhere from 110 - 150 mile rides.  And they barely ever cracked 17 or 18 mph.  Just good, consistent training day in and day out.  The rep. said that the first few days weren't bad, but by the 4th he was regretting his decision.  But he kept at it.

My point is that even the pros just get out there and put the easy miles in because that is what they have to do.  THAT is why they are fast, not purely genetics.

Scoob, I would also recommend cutting out all those sports with high propensity for ankle-a-twistin'.    (if getting where ya want to be in tri is a high priority)

I am on the side of train hard and want it more, and you will get there.  It may take longer for some than others becasue of their background, but you can't exect to pick up a sport and in only a short period of time, be putting up numbers like those who have been at it since they were kids.

My example - my first Marathon (4 years ago) - 5:16 - 12:00/mile, my 1/2 marathon this past weekend - 1:38 - 7:30/mile.  My first Tri 2 years ago (.5 swim , 21 bike, 5.3 run)- finished 309/463 overall in 2:20, this year, I am expecting to be at 1:50 and should be in the top 50 OA (out of ~500) and should be able to place in, if not win my AG.

While I may never get to ELITE status, I am sure going to damn well bust my butt to get there.

Scoob,

Short answer:  No, I don't have "it."  (Never did, and doubt I ever will.) 

Part of it is desire, priority, whatever.  I don't need AG hardware to validate myself, so it's hard for me to dedicate the time and energy needed for a FOP race when I have other things that I am willing to work towards.  Could I?  Maybe. 

Training for my HIM last year was a great experience.  The additional volume made shorter races alot more fun, but I was "faster" (at least for short races) when I ran 3.75 miles all-out every day.  This year, I'm focusing on an OLY.  My volumes are down (part of the reason I decided against the HIM again) but my intensity is higher (particularly for running). 

(I guess what I'm saying is hang tough.  Training for a HIM won't necessarily show up as better finishing place for sprints, so don't look for it there.) 

I highlighted this cuz I think it is pretty important.  By looking at your logs recently, you have made efforts to embrace more easy days but it seemed a lot in the past that your philosophy was to hammer everyday.  While there are folks with all kinds of training philosophies, there are many that have success with working on varying the tempos and work loads and not constantly training at the top end.  IMO, you should definitely not be exhausted, sore and in need of recovery from every workout.  This might be some of the issue and I think you will find easier days are essential to building a solid base that can handle the top end stuff better.  I dont claim to know anything more than anyone else here, but I just dont think beating yourself up every workout leads to high returns in the long run.  Also, I know a lot of this comes off a race in which you stated you hammered the bike and faded in the run (oh yeah, and its 20 degrees hotter than us Wisconsin folk are used to).  There should be some lessons in all of that which you can work to mitigate like results in the future.

Anyway, since work today is slow (at least that's my excuse ) I put together a table of my annual training totals since I began my tri journey, with PRs for all 3 sports and some notes. I had no prior swim/bike/run experience beyond playing soccer for 10 years until the age of 17, after that I basically spend  the end of highschool, college and grad school partying/socializing, drinking, smoking and eating lots of crap!

Do I just have IT or does training lots and smart works? Maybe a bit of both? The truth is that I might be a bit faster than some around here but I am still slow compared against many placing ahead of me. I am not sure how close I can get to the top, but I do know I am going to continue training LOTS to find out! My point: I think many could positively surprise theirselves of how far they can get with consistent training. 

I'd be willing to bet that you could do it.  However, it would take probably 2-3 years, you would need to forgo triathlons to focus on running, and you would need to be able to commit to running, at some point, 50+ miles per week.  If you can agree to those commitments, then I'd say that you could BQ.

x2.  I'm no coach and I think I could help get you there if you have the commitment and want it.