He's my running idol...even though he doesn't want to inspire anyone. He doesn't even enjoy running...but he trains everyday. Nice and easy. No sprints, no tempo runs, no VO2 max runs. No track work. No hills. Just easy long runs. Yet he races very well! And he enjoys racing. Who is this runner? Last weekend he ran a 3:15 marathon at the age of 80.
Here are a few of his track records...
| Distance | Age Group | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1500m | Men 80-84 | 5:48.93 | pending |
| Mile: | Men 75-79 | 5:41.80 | |
| 3000m | Men 75-79 | 11:10.43 | |
| 3000m | Men 80-84 | 12:13.56 | pending |
| 5000m | Men 70-74 | 18:33.38 | Better mark by Ron Robertson pending |
| 5000m | Men 75-79 | 19:07.02 | |
| 5000m | Men 80-84 | 20:58.12 | pending |
| 10000m | Men 70-74 | 38:04.13 | |
| 10000m | Men 75-79 | 39:25.16 | |
| 10000m | Men 80-84 | 42:39.95 | pending |
Check out these age group records on the roads...
| Distance | Age Group | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10K | Men 70-74 | 37:33 |
| 10K | Men 75-79 | 40:10 |
| 15K | Men 65-69 | 55:04 |
| 15K | Men 70-74 | 58:19 |
| 15K | Men 75-79 | 1:00:19 |
| Half Marathon | Men 70-74 | 1:22:23 |
| Half Marathon | Men 75-79 | 1:29:26 |
| Marathon | Men 70-74 | 2:54:48 |
| Marathon | Men 75-79 | 3:04:54 |
| Marathon | Men 80-84 | 3:15:54 |
My "best" runner of all time is Ed Whitlock. He's my running hero. My idol.
Ed Whitlock's Still Going at 80 (June 28, 2011 National Post news story)
Ed Whitlock and the Age of Simplicity (Running Times article from March 2010)
Daily 3-hour slow runs around a cemetery? Classic.
Ed Whitlock's training, and excellent race performances, reinforce the notion that tons of long, aerobic training will prepare you for fast racing. I'm with you Ed! You inspire me. My goal over the next 12-18 months is to beat your race times that you ran after you turned 75. OK, you are over 30 years my senior...but let's keep that between you and me. I intend to beat your 75-79 age group PRs...and it ain't going to be easy!
Here are my new goals (based on Ed's age group records for a 75-79 year old):
5K = 19:07
10K = 39:25
Half Marathon = 1:29:26
Marathon = 3:04:54
How the hell did he run these fast times when he was in his late 70s? Can I run these in my mid-40s? Looks like I need to kick my training into high gear...not necessarily fast training, just lots of running.
2 comments:
As much as I enjoyed the story of the "Turbaned Tornado" running the Toronto marathon at the age of 100, I thought it unfortunately overshadowed Ed's amazing accomplishment. Definitely an inspiration.
"Running" a marathon when you are 100 is impressive...running a 3:15 when you are 80 is AWESOME!!!
Post a Comment